Invasion of the Great Lakes: How Sea Lampreys with Oral Sucking Disk Devastated the Trout Fishery

Sea Lampreys invaded the Great Lakes in the early 19th century and caused the collapse of the trout fishery.

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The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, along with other agencies, is responsible for managing the sea lamprey population.

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Efforts to control the sea lamprey population resulted in a remarkable 90% reduction in most areas of the Great Lakes.

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Population management operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in the sea lamprey population.

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The exact extent of the population increase is unclear, but in 2020, only 25% of the target streams were treated for population control.

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The teams responsible for population control reached 75% of their target in 2021.

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The annual cost of controlling the lamprey population is estimated to be around $15 to $20 million.

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Sea Lampreys cause significant ecological disruptions and prey on important fish species.

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