Control of Invasive Sea Lamprey in the Great Lakes, Lake Champlain, and Finger Lakes of New York

Abstract

Sea lamprey invaded the Laurentian Great Lakes above Lake Ontario in the 1900s, and were a factor in the collapse of several major fish stocks. Whether the species is native to Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain, and the Finger Lakes of New York is debated; nevertheless, it is considered to be a nuisance species in these waters. Early control of sea lamprey included use of barriers in streams to prevent upstream spawning, and use of lampricides to kill larvae; these methods are the mainstay of the current control program. Sterile males were used to reduce spawning success for several years in the St. Marys River, but this practice has been discontinued due to challenges with evaluating its success and the availability of improved lampricide options. Success of the control program is measured as reduction in number of spawning adults that ascend streams, and reduction in lake trout wounding. Both metrics have been substantially reduced and either meet or are close to targets for each of the Great Lakes; targets for the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain are considerably higher than in the Great Lakes, and have not yet been met. Concerns about the effect of lampricides and barriers on non-target species and on ecosystem integrity have prompted a search for additional control methods. Research has focused on the use of pheromones and repellants, genetic strategies, and improving the specificity and efficacy of existing control methods. Prevention of the spread of sea lamprey into new bodies of water is also a priority. Over 60 years of sea lamprey control efforts have considerably advanced our understanding of sea lamprey behavior, physiology, genomics, and chemical communication.