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Development of a new Lake-wide Multiple Gear Survey to Assess Status and Trends of the Lake Superior Fish Community and Lower Trophic Levels
Citation:
Yule, D. L., O. T. Gorman, J. V. Adams, D. Bunnell, M. P. Ebener, T. HRABIK, AND J. R. KELLY. Development of a new Lake-wide Multiple Gear Survey to Assess Status and Trends of the Lake Superior Fish Community and Lower Trophic Levels . Presented at 51st International Association for Great Lakes Research Conference, Peterborough, ON, CANADA, May 19 - 23, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
research results
Description:
The U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center has developed a plan to implement revision of its annual fish community survey of Lake Superior. The primary objective of the revision is improvement of the sampling design to be more representative of the Lake Superior fish community and thereby provide more accurate information for natural resource management partners. The secondary objective will be integration of lower trophic assessment (zooplankton, macroinvertebrates) into the survey. A team of inter-agency experts has been formed to 1) explore how to best stratify the lake to achieve a representative sampling design, and 2) use recently collected data to determine the level of sampling effort required to achieve precise estimates of density and biomass of important species. Following completion of a new draft survey design, it will be subjected to peer review by outside experts. In our presentation we will provide an overview of our plan to develop a new survey design, share preliminary findings of the design team, and solicit comments from the audience to provide additional input into the plan development.