The Ecological Basis for Fish Habitat Restoration in the Huron-Erie Corridor

Habitat destruction and alteration is widely believed to be a major impediment to the restoration of native fish species in the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, and the St. Clair River, collectively known as the Huron-Erie corridor (HEC).  This presentation outlines the rationale behind ongoing and future fish habitat research related to the 2004 HEC initiative (HECI), whose purpose is to create relevant new science for effective conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the HEC.  First, we provide a historical perspective on the HEC and the importance of this system as a case study for fish habitat research in the Great Lakes connecting channels.  We then justify our main research objective of reestablishing diverse and complex habitat that encompasses the ontogeny of habitat use and dispersal of native fish species.  Finally, we discuss the scientific framework guiding the development of future research priorities.