Toward Integrating Remedial Action Planning and Fishery Management Planning in Great Lakes Areas of Concern

Abstract

Abstract Fishery and water quality agencies both have similar goals of restoring degraded fish communities and habitat in Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) using an ecosystem approach. To implement an ecosystem approach and achieve complementary, reinforcing programs will require greater coordination and integration. Recommendations include the following: (1) Priority should be placed on accelerating establishment of lakewide fish community objectives for each Great Lake, and local fishery managers should work within Remedial Action Plan (RAP) teams to set interim, quantitative fish community and habitat objectives or targets for AOCs that are consistent with lakewide objectives. (2) Senior government managers and local resource managers should acknowledge the need for and promote coordination of RAPs and fishery management planning in AOCs. (3) Binational efforts should be made to ensure that these interrelated planning efforts are complementary and reinforcing. Ways of accomplishing this include using...