Yellow Perch Recruitment Dynamics in a Coastal Lake of Lake Michigan

We used an 8-year time series of fish catch to evaluate the recruitment dynamics of yellow perch and environmental factors that may influence recruitment. Fish were sampled using triplicate overnight fyke nets that were set at four littoral sites in Muskegon Lake, a coastal lake connecting the Muskegon River to Lake Michigan, in the spring, summer and fall (2003-2010). We found peak abundances of yellow perch in the years 2005 and 2007 and lowest abundances in the years 2003-2004 and 2009-2010. We used total length data to categorize yellow perch into two categories, juveniles (<110 mm) and adults (>110 mm), to assess differences in abundances and overwinter survival for juveniles. Spearman’s rank correlation showed a significant positive relationship between catch in fall and the following year’s spring catch, suggesting that in years of high recruitment to the juvenile stage, over wintering survival was also high. Using measured physicochemical data, we evaluated differences in water chemistry between high and low recruitment years to assess any possible abiotic influences on recruitment. Preliminary results showed significant differences in dissolved oxygen and pH between high and low recruitment years in Muskegon Lake; however, factors affecting yellow perch recruitment may not be limited to local environmental variation. We are currently assessing the influence of mean temperature and water levels in Lake Michigan on recruitment success in Muskegon Lake. Patterns in our system may be comparable to other coastal lakes and have implications for understanding yellow perch recruitment in Lake Michigan.