Lampreys are a unique and challenging group of fishes to manage and study, often overlooked as “primitive”. The distinct features that distinguish them from other fishes (e.g., reduced ability to detoxify lampricides or surmount low barriers) enable selective control of invasive Sea Lamprey in the Great Lakes, but they also mean that restoration efforts planned for other fishes may be insufficient. Furthermore, lampreys exhibit adaptive traits that continue to challenge Sea Lamprey control efforts but offer promise for the conservation of native lampreys. This session aims to review lamprey biology and management in our rapidly changing landscape and stimulate information exchange among researchers and managers globally. A key outcome is to review progress in three areas: Social Challenges, Methodological & Technological Advances, and Biology & Management, to determine what areas of lamprey biology and management are lacking, and stimulate discussion on how we could best address existing gaps.
Supported by:
- Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Organizers:
- John Hume, Michigan State University, [email protected]
- Nicholas Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey
- Margaret Docker, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba