Michigan officials are taking feedback on a long-term plan for managing Lake Michigan fish populations and future stocking activities. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hosting the last of three public meetings on the topics Thursday in Grand Haven. Others were held this week in Manistique and Traverse City.
The DNR and other state and tribal agencies are trying to balance Lake Michigan's predator fish with available prey. Michigan reduced Chinook salmon stocking in its waters by about 40 percent last year. Stakeholder groups this year recommended cutbacks in predators besides Chinook.
Among options are reducing brown trout, moving some coho salmon to the southern part of the lake and reducing second-priority lake trout stocking sites in northern Lake Michigan.
