Consequences of changing water clarity on the fish and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes

David Bunnell; Stuart A. Ludsin; Roger L. Knight; Lars G. Rudstam; Craig E. Williamson; Tomas O. Hook; Paris D. Collingsworth; Barry M. Lesht; Richard P. Barbiero; Anne E. Scofield; Edward S. Rutherford; Layne Gaynor; Henry A. Vanderploeg; Marten A. Koops

doi:10.1139/cjfas-2020-0376

Consequences of changing water clarity on the fish and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

By: David Bunnell, Stuart A. Ludsin, Roger L. Knight, Lars G. Rudstam, Craig E. Williamson, Tomas O. Hook, Paris D. Collingsworth, Barry M. Lesht, Richard P. Barbiero, Anne E. Scofield, Edward S. Rutherford, Layne Gaynor, Henry A. Vanderploeg, and Marten A. Koops

https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2020-0376

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Abstract

Human-driven environmental change underlies recent changes in water clarity in many of the world’s great lakes, yet our understanding of the consequences of these changes on the fish and fisheries they support remains incomplete. Herein, we offer a framework to organize current knowledge, guide future research, and help fisheries managers understand how water clarity can affect their valued populations. Emphasizing Laurentian Great Lakes findings where possible, we describe how changing water clarity can directly affect fish populations and communities by altering exposure to ultraviolet radiation, foraging success, predation risk, reproductive behavior, or territoriality. We also discuss how changing water clarity can affect fisheries harvest and assessment through effects on fisher behavior and sampling efficiency (i.e., catchability). Finally, we discuss whether changing water clarity can affect understudied aspects of fishery performance, including economic and community benefits. We conclude by identifying generalized predictions and discuss their implications for priority research questions for the Laurentian Great Lakes. Even though the motivation for this work was regional, the breadth of the review and generality of the framework are readily transferable to other freshwater and marine habitats.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Consequences of changing water clarity on the fish and fisheries of the Laurentian Great Lakes
Series title	Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
DOI	10.1139/cjfas-2020-0376
Volume	78
Issue	10
Year Published	2021
Language	English
Publisher	Canadian Science Publishing
Contributing office(s)	Great Lakes Science Center
Description	19 p.
First page	1524
Last page	1542
Country	Canada, United States
Other Geospatial	Great Lakes
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page