Projects

Sport fisheries of lakes are embedded in complex system of ecological and social interactions. The multiple drivers that affect lake sport fisheries, along with the complex interactions within lakes, make it difficult to forecast changes in sport fisheries and plan adaptive responses to build resilience of these important resources. Resilience involves managing with an eye toward critical thresholds for behavior of ecosystems.

Walleye, a socially and economically important sportfish across much of North America, are experiencing population declines in many lakes throughout their range. Studies suggest that multiple factors – potentially linked to climate change – are contributing to the decline of walleye, including changes in lake temperatures, loss of habitat, increasing water clarity (perhaps due to drought), and interactions with other fish.

Rather than focusing on understanding walleye population declines, this project’s approach is to probe the factors that underlie successful, thriving fisheries. Focusing on ‘bright spots’ and examples of ’success’ tends to highlight innovations, social context, and the possibility of more effective fisheries management in the face of environmental change.