Native Fish Found In U.S. Lake Ontario For First Time I...( eepest waters. The small scaleless fish...)

eepest waters. The small scaleless fish have a broad, flattened head and a long slender body. Deepwater sculpins are an important link in the offshore food chain, eating bottom-dwelling invertebrates and, in turn, being eaten by lake trout, historically the lake's top predator.

O'Gorman said the capture of this fish is another indication that Lake Ontario is becoming much healthier. The numbers of two other formerly abundant native fishes -- burbot and emerald shiner -- are increasing in survey catches. Also, hatchery lake trout are beginning to successfully reproduce after more than a decade of failure.

"All of these positive signs appear linked to a decline in the abundance of non-native alewives and a shift in their distribution to deeper water," said O'Gorman. "Because the larvae of many native fishes, including larvae of the deepwater sculpin, occupy shallow water, these changes have helped reduce predation on the young of native fishes, allowing their populations to start recovering."

As the nation's largest water, earth and biological science and civilian mapping agency, the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters, to contribute to the conservation and the sound economic and physical development of the nation's natural resources, and to enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.

***USGS***

This press release and in-depth information about USGS programs may be found on the USGS home page: http://
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Contact: Duncan Morrow
duncan_morrow@usgs.gov
703-648-4221
United States Geological Survey
2-Jul-1998

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