Benjamin Erb and Dr. Andrew Hafs (Bemidji State University), Phil Talmage (MN Department of Natural Resources)
Summary
In this webinar, Benjamin Erb and Dr. Andrew Hafs from Bemidji State University, along with Phil Talmage, a fisheries biologist from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will lead us through the work they are doing on Rainy Lake to verify spawning locations for Lake Whitefish and Walleye.
As Ask an Expert viewers will have seen in the November 18 seminar (Exploring the Murky Depths: Bathymetry Studies on Rainy River), managers in the Namakan Lake, Rainy Lake and Rainy River boundary waters rely on a series of Integrated Socio-Economic and Environmental models to help us understand the broader ecological impacts of water management decisions related to levels and flows through this system. Among the ecological indicators these models examine are Lake Whitefish and Walleye, from spawning to maturity.
The models can tell us where we might expect to see fish spawn and where suitable habitats can be found for different life stages, as water levels changes with our management interventions. The International Joint Commission is currently sponsoring a multiyear collaborative study involving Dr. Hafs' team, fisheries biologists from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, technicians from Voyageurs National Park, and the modelling team from Environment and Climate Change Canada to verify whether the model's predicted fish spawning locations are correct, and to collect field data about fish habitats to better inform the models.
These are fascinating studies that have a major real world impact on keystone fish species in our watershed. We hope you'll be able to join us for this one-hour webinar, and as always, come prepared to ask questions and engage the presenters in discussion! Note that this session will be recorded for rebroadcast on the LOWWSF website.
About the Presenters:
Benjamin Erb
Dr. Andrew Hafs
Phil Talmage
Ryan Maki (TBD)