Scientists issue major update on effort to fight off Great Lakes invaders: 'It's exciting'

A long-term initiative to maintain the lake trout population in Lake Champlain with fish reared in hatcheries will soon come to an end. Trout numbers in Lake Champlain, located between upstate New York and Vermont, have experienced such a revival that they no longer require artificial boosting.

The project was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the cooperation of New York's State Department of Environmental Conservation and Vermont's Fish and Wildlife Department. It began in 1972, after the trout population was decimated by sea lamprey, a parasitic invasive species. The trout breeding program was combined with efforts to control lamprey in Lake Champlain beginning in 1990.

The eel-like creatures invaded the Great Lakes region through the canals dug in the 19th century. It's less clear how they got into Lake Champlain, but it's probable they came through the Hudson River.

In their natural habitat, lampreys play an important role in the ecosystem. However, with no natural predators in the lakes, they latch onto trout with their distinctive suction-disc mouth onto the bodies of fish. One lamprey can consume up to 40 pounds of flesh in its lifetime.

Lake trout are the top predators of the lakes of North America. In their native habitat, they play a crucial role in maintaining the overall health of the ecosystem by regulating the population of other lake species. They're considered an indicator species, meaning they signal the overall condition of the environment in which they live.

Restoring lake trout numbers to a sustainable level is also good news for the economy. In Lake Champlain, recreational fishing generates $474 million in economic activity each year. A press release from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Program highlighted the project's long-term success and its healthy return on investment. Every dollar spent on the program created $3.50 in economic activity.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

Wendi Weber, regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Northeast Region, said, per the press release, "It's exciting to see the return on investments in the sea lamprey program, by rebuilding an important recreational fishery and supporting the regional economy."

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species?

Definitely 👍