Lake Huron Regional Fisheries Workshops: Engaging Stakeholders in Their Fisheries Future

The Lake Huron fishery has undergone dramatic ecological changes in recent history, resulting from aquatic invasive species.  Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan State University Extension, in partnership with Michigan Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, and local fishery organizations have hosted an annual educational workshop series to help better understand and respond to Lake Huron’s changing fishery.  Over the past 10 years, 2187 unique individual learners have participated in these regional workshops.  Participation ranges from one-time attendees (62%) to those who attend over many years as a life-long learning experience (32.6% attending 2-4 years; 5.4% attending 5 or more years). Workshops foster relationships among Lake Huron researchers and managers, coastal communities and fishery stakeholders.  The effectiveness of fisheries research and management are enhanced through these collaborations. Research and management agencies share informational updates, and gain input through facilitated dialogue with anglers on fisheries issues and management topics.  They also help recruit angler involvement in fisheries research (e.g. citizen science opportunities) and management discussions such as stocking or regulation changes.  Audience response systems used to gather participant feedback document how these educational workshops have enhanced stakeholder engagement in fisheries issues, research, and management in Lake Huron.