Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: New York
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Coregonines once dominated the Lake Ontario fish communities, yet historical overharvest, invasive species introductions, and changing lake conditions have collapsed many native fish stocks in the Great Lakes. Presently, interest is burgeoning on restoring native Coregonine populations to increase Great Lakes ecosystem resilience. In this collaboration with the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Cornell, we are assessing early life stage ecology of Cisco to facilitate native restoration in the Great Lakes. Information from this project will inform fish community restoration efforts and contribute to stabilizing fishery resources throughout the Great Lakes basin.