Michigan DNR Stocking Way LESS Salmon in Lake Michigan

In the 1990s, the Michigan DNR used to stock about 2 million salmon a year in Lake Michigan. According to the Free Press, this year, the DNR stocked about 560,000. In fact, the numbers of salmon being stocked has been down for the last three years. And next year will be more of the same. And as you might have guessed, the number of fish caught has been down this year. This affects both the charter fishing industry and the restaurants and hotels and other  businesses that profit from salmon fishing on the Great Lakes.

But the DNR has a reason for this. They don't want to tank the salmon population. The problem is that the number of alewife, the main salmon prey fish, is down. And a healthy salmon has got to eat. So, the DNR is trying to give the alewife population a breather so it can recover.

It's ironic that this plan comes down to saving a small fish that, for a long time, everybody wanted to get rid of completely.

Here's the story.

And here's a great article (from dnainfo.com) about the history of the alewife in the Great Lakes. (Honestly, if you're into fishing, it's interesting)

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