Changes in species interactions of the Lake Superior fisheries system after the control of sea lamprey as indicated by time series models

Interactions of fish species in the Canadian commercial fisheries changed following control of Petromyzon marinus. These changes were detected by a multivariate time series (MVTS) analysis of monthly time series of catch-per-unit-effort for lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis, lake herring C. artedii, chubs Coregonus spp., walleye Stizostedion vitreum, and yellow perch Perca flavescens. The identified MVTS models reflected known trophic relationship among fish species and indicated that significant intraspecific interactions were more numerous than interspecific interactions. Lake trout interactions with other species appear to have changed due to stocking and diet change. -from Authors