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

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of using benthic-oriented, mobile electrofishing techniques to induce mortality in lake trout embryos in a lake environment. This will be achieved during a three year study beginning with simple field-based experiments and culminating with an evaluation of electroshock induced mortality of embryos at a large spatial scale within Swan Lake. This study will be performed in situ in order to develop techniques under environmental conditions similar to those that would be experienced by resource managers engaged in lake trout eradication programs. Additionally, high-density lake trout spawning areas are known for Swan Lake, making it an ideal candidate for project implementation (i.e., in situ lake trout embryo destruction).