Walleye Biology and Management on Lake Erie

Lake Erie’s walleye Sander vitreus population has undergone dramatic fluctuations over the past century for a variety of reasons, including overexploitation and ever changing characteristics of the lake’s biological, physical, and chemical environment. Despite these fluctuations, walleye have proven to be resilient and continue to support economically important recreational and commercial walleye fisheries.  Several papers have described the changes in abundance, harvest, and management up until the mid-1980s. This paper is intended to provide an overview of changes to the walleye population and fishery in Lake Erie since that time and discuss implications for the future.  For the past two decades, the walleye population has oscillated from a historic high, followed by a steady decline, to a recent peak in abundance.  Similarly, the forage base has changed from a community dominated by soft-rayed and clupeid species (e.g., emerald shiners Notropis atherinoides and gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum) to spiny-rayed species (e.g., white perch Morone americana and yellow perch Perca flavescens).  Additionally, the establishment of round goby Neogobius melanstomus and Dreissenid mussels within the Lake Erie ecosystem has resulted in further fish community changes.  Despite shifts in the prey community, there is no evidence of a change in walleye growth rates.  Declining walleye abundance prompted modern walleye assessment techniques and adaptive management strategies that were influenced by decision analysis.  Although recruitment remains variable, Lake Erie walleye fisheries remain economically viable and sustainable.