FISK LAB

Lydia Paulic

MSc. Student 

School of the Environment

paulic@uwindsor.ca

My research focuses on quantifying sources of mortality and behaviour of hatchery-reared bloater stocked across release depths in Lake Ontario. Addressing these objectives expands on our fundamental knowledge of bloater ecology and provides insight into the immediate post-stocking movements of a reintroduced forage fish. Understanding the post-stocking movement ecology of bloater is crucial as they are the focus of a binational restoration effort in Lake Ontario, with the goal of re-establishing a self-sustaining population in the lake. A self-sustaining population of bloater in Lake Ontario restores a native fish population, thus increasing the biodiversity and providing a framework for reintroduction and management efforts of other native species. Continued investigation into the movement and predation of bloater post-release will be used to determine survival of the stocked population. This enhanced understanding will play a crucial role in refining stocking strategies and assessing the overall restoration potential for bloater in Lake Ontario.