Project Title: Can dam removal enhance river-spawning stock contributions of recruits to an open lake population and its fisheries? A test case with Lake Erie Walleye.

Project Overview: This project will assess how the removal of a dam in the Sandusky River (OH), which is an important Walleye spawning tributary, has influenced the relative contributions of recruits from this spawning stock to Lake Erie’s open-lake population and its recreational and commercial fisheries. Changes in the relative contributions of recruits from the Sandusky River spawning stock to Lake Erie’s open-lake population and fisheries will be quantified using otolith trace-metal chemistry, which can clearly distinguish individuals produced in the Sandusky River from other spawning areas, as well as acoustic telemetry. Research objectives include quantifying walleye spawner movements before and after dam removal, and quantifying changes in recruitment and contributions to Lake Erie's adult population.