Management of Lake Erie's walleye and yellow perch fisheries has undergone several important changes in recent years. The Lake Erie Percid Management Advisory Group (LEPMAG) was established by the Lake Erie Committee in 2010.

The group facilitates discussions among state and provincial management agencies on Lake Erie and stakeholders and provides input to the Lake Erie Committee concerning management of the region's walleye and yellow perch stocks.

LEPMAG participants include Lake Erie Committee members, biologists, recreational and commercial fishers, and personnel from the Quantitative Fisheries Center at Michigan State University.

Each year, the Lake Erie Committee recommends a total allowable catch for walleye and yellow perch. Total allowable catch represents the number or weight of fish that can be caught by sport and commercial fishers without putting the stocks and fisheries at risk. The individual agencies implement the recommended total allowable catch.

The Lake Erie Committee comprises fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. The committee’s work is facilitated by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a Canadian and U.S. agency on the Great Lakes.

For more information, visit the Lake Erie Committee online at www.glfc.org/lec

source: Lake Erie Committee