Many governments around the world regulate the size (and number) of fish that can be harvested from fisheries, in order to protect populations and spawning stocks.

 

We call this practice “size-based management.”

 

Over the next 30 years, we are going to explore how size-based management of lake trout—commonly harvested in Canadian fisheries—could actually be affecting how they evolve.

 

Is regulating the size of fish harvesting actually resulting in smaller fish?

What impact does that have on the fish populations as a whole?

And what role is climate change playing?

 

Current Project Details

Full title: SiZE ref: a study of replicated experimental fisheries evolution

 

Project dates: 2018 –

 

Lead scientist(s): Michael Rennie

 

Research lake(s):  224, 259, 373, 379, 622 and 623.

 

Related topic(s): Climate change 

 

Collaborators: Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the University of Toronto, the University of St. Andrews (UK), Lakehead University, Trent University and the University of Manitoba.