Lake Erie Committee TAC's Announced

[G.Mech]

The Lake Erie Committee (LEC)—composed of fishery managers from the five jurisdictions that manage the Lake Erie fishery—announced the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for 2023 of 6.573 million pounds of yellow perch and 13.526 million walleye.

TAC decisions are made by consensus of the LEC after extensive, lakewide biological assessments, analyses, discussions, and consultations with stakeholders. These decisions are reflective of the status of Lake Erie’s fish populations and consider the goal of maintaining sustainable harvest each year.

Full press release attached with detailed allotments.

 

[hawgseeker]

Thanks for the info.

 

[GPS]

Thanks for the post.

 

[Fishfarmer]

The details in this are concerning for me, tac is going down due to decline in #(perch) and tac is going down for walleyes due to decline in size?
It is pointing to a decline in feed with increasing # of predators

 

[G.Mech]

The details in this are concerning for me, tac is going down due to decline in #(perch) and tac is going down for walleyes due to decline in size?
It is pointing to a decline in feed with increasing # of predators

I don't really understand the reduction in walleye TAC...if there are too many fish for the amount of food available wouldn't you think the TAC should increase? Maybe I just misunderstand...

 

[Duck Soup]

Yeah, we'd have to get an MNRF Lake Erie management representative to explain the logic. That used to happen in the distant past but budgets have been cut as well as the influence of Lake Erie fishing clubs. Maybe the OFAH can help. Historically they had a rep on the management committee.

 

[Fishfarmer]

It appears to me as they are going back to their usual response, not quite sure so lets cut and see what happens.
From my perspective it is not dissimilar to what happened to lake Huron with the collapse of the food chain many years ago for different reasons.
The ministry has done very little other than cut quotas on commercial and stock more lake trout which is continuing to show negative results and contrary to the users of the resources desires.

 

[walleyeman]

I am inclined to agree fully with Fish Farmer and G.Mech. As what it says in the Letter- Walleye populations have increased from last years hatch to now and probably will have great numbers again this year! I really don't get dropping the TAC on walleye if MORE PREDATORS are coming into Lake Erie! You would Hope/Think it would be the opposite. Will have to see what materializes from all of this. Do the know the Stats of the present Baitfish Populations of Lake Erie? That's the answer! Cheers! Walleyeman.

 

[FlyingViking]

I came close to the 5.6 million pounds last year. This year I added 2 more rods to the boat.. Doable this year for sure

 

[stomp]

I came close to the 5.6 million pounds last year. This year I added 2 more rods to the boat.. Doable this year for sure

Pounds of @FlyingViking?

 

[G.Mech]

Here's a link to the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission homepage, there is lots more info there:

http://www.glfc.org/lake-erie-committee.php

It appears to me that they base the TAC for walleye on the total biomass of the fish so although there are more fish they are smaller in size resulting in a smaller total biomass. I guess that explains it. This is the full report for 2022 which has lots of numbers that we can argue about:

http://www.glfc.org/pubs/lake_committees/erie/CWTG_docs/annual_reports/CWTG_report_2022.pdf

 

[stomp]

More smaller, tastier walleye for sport anglers. Less quota for gill netters. Sharpen up the briefs. Dink season is a-coming