Chinook Salmon egg take, Little Manistee Wier.
(FOX 2) - Michigan is ramping up its fight against one of the Great Lakes' most consequential invasive species.
The new project will also impact a popular paddling spot up north.
Big picture view:
Starting next week, construction will begin on a new barrier that will keep out invasive parasitic eel-like animals that have tormented native fish in the Great Lakes.
Being built on the Little Manistee River, it will protect a vital water body that Michigan uses for collecting Chinook salmon and steelhead eggs. Their eggs help the state maintain its fish populations after they are reared in hatcheries before being released into inland rivers and streams.
Sea lamprey, the invasive species that has infested the region and terrorized Michigan's aquatic animals for decades.
The barrier being built will prevent lampreys from accessing dozens of miles of the Manistee River and protect the fish that live there.
The backstory:
Sea lamprey arrived in the Great Lakes with plenty of habitat to spawn, even more fish to eat, and no predators to stop them.
According to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which has coordinated the new lamprey barrier construction, lamprey were first spotted in Lake Ontario in 1835. Niagara Falls acted as a natural barrier before a canal built for shipping traffic opened up access to the rest of the Great Lakes.
Lamprey quickly made their way through, making it to Lake Erie in 1921 and then Lake Michigan 15 years later. They were eventually spotted in Lake Superior in 1938.
The vampiric eels, which attach themselves to the sides of fish before feeding on their body, have had an enormous impact on Great Lakes fisheries. Losses of whitefish, ciscoes, and lake trout have been dramatic.
The solutions have been imperfect.
Managers have relied on lampricides to control their populations while barriers and traps have been built to prevent their movement. Unfortunately, those sames barriers can impede travel for other fish species.
Sturgeon populations in Great Lakes recovering after longterm decline - just ask sturgio
For decades, sturgeon numbers have fallen in the Great Lakes. But in recent years, the ancient species has been coming back. One juvenile gives us a glimpse into some of the conservation efforts.
Dig deeper:
The Little Manistee River Weir is located southeast of the city of Manistee in northwest Michigan.
The latest project builds on improvements that happened in 2019 to upgrade aging infrastructure. Officials with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources say the sea lamprey barrier will also improve operations for the egg collection.
"The new design will reduce the risk of weir failure, allow post-spawn steelhead easier movement downstream, and maintain fish passage past the weir when egg collections are complete," said Scott Heintzelman, DNR Fisheries Division’s Central Lake Michigan Unit manager.
However, the construction will also disrupt popular paddling around the site. According to a press release from the DNR, those who kayak and canoe will need to portage around the facility.
Signage will go up guide those passing through by boat.
The barrier's design was done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with help from the DNR, GLC, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Source: A news release from the DNR and information from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission were cited for this story.