 July 22, 2005
Cottager Mason Rather unhooks a small fish under the watchful
eye of "Wisconsin Frogs" author Randy Korb. It took approximately
40 pounds of microscopic plants to produce his 1.6 ounce panfish.
(Photo by B. Ewart)
Fishing has long been a favorite Berry Lake activity for area residents and Lake property owners.
Our lake grant sponsored fish study reported some unsettling findings:
1) Minnow species previously found during past fish surveys were not found (bluntnose minnow, golden shiner, mimic shiner, white sucker, and Iowa darter).
2) Young game fish and young pan fish are missing.
3) Northern pike growth rates are slow.
The fish report concluded, "Fish populations of Berry Lake as a whole seem to be in decline."
For causes, the report cited, "... the current low water levels, reduction in lake volume and effective littoral zone."
That means the fishery is in decline because low water levels and human activity (docks, decks, boats, raking etc.) have reduced the habitat where fish spawn and feed (littoral zone).
The stocking of predators (e.g. walleye) is also cited as a problem since adding fish at the top of the food chain disrupts its balance and risks the introduction of disease.
 Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report
A bar graph above represents the unhealthy condition of Berry Lake's fishery.
The bars representing the population's age structure should be highest on
the left of the graph and decline toward the right. Instead of descending,
the survey captured no pumpkinseed fish under the age of five and
the graph ascends to the right.
BERRY LAKE'S PROBLEM:
A FOOD PYRAMID OUT OF BALANCE
The report's primary "take home message" is there is not enough food at the bottom of the food chain to feed the fish at the top of the food chain.
There are not enough algae, plants, phytoplankton etc. to support the top predators...the fish most of us seek (e.g. bass, pike, walleye).
The solution is to get the food pyramid back into balance by not increasing the pressure at the top while enhancing the food supply at the bottom.
The report's recommendations almost all deal with getting the food pyramid back into balance.
 Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report
In the diagram above, the transfer of energy from one level to the next occurs at
approximately a 10:1 ratio.
Human impacts detrimental to fish include the installation of piers and their decks. The shading of the area where plants would normally grow and the disruptions created by boats and human traffic all contribute to the disruption of habitat and decline of the fishery. "Piers and docks have been shown to impact aquatic plant communities thereby supporting fewer fish and aquatic invertebrates than natural habitats (Schindler et al. 2000, Radomski and Geoman 2001)." (Berry Lake Fish Report)
The popular view that fish are most common under docks is mistaken. While fish are more visible to human observers when the fish congregate under docks to ambush prey, studies show fish populations are actually higher where there is more food available...in the weeds.
Beyond the occasional presence of some fish seeking food, the bottom line is docks inhibit food production necessary for the base of a food chain that ultimately supports top preditors.
 Summer 2008
Parked pontoon boats, docks and decks line the eastern end of the South Shore of the West Basin. (Photo by B. Ewart)  Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report The DNR recommends adding "Woody Habitat" because it produces the conditions necessary to support the micro-organisms (plants and animals) that form the base of the food chain and provides hiding places for young fish. (Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report - Rowe) Studies showing the negative influence of docks and the importance of natural habitat were supported by the Berry Lake Fish Survey's findings:
"During the May of 2007 electroshocking survey, the highest number of panfish captured were in the undeveloped portion (naturally vegetated) of the lake bordering the Menominee Indian Tribal lands." (Berry Lake Fish Report)
 April 4, 2009
Looking east from the Menominee Line, a stretch of shoreland on Berry Lake's South Shore exhibits the effects of human development with docks, raked beaches and mowed uplands.
(Photo by B. Ewart)
"Riparian landowners should consider habitat improvements to improve littoral zone habitats which should improve growth and recruitment of fish."
"Protection and improvement of littoral zone habitat should be the top prioroty for improvement of Berry Lake's fishery. Improved habitat can lead to increased reproduction and growth of all species." (Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report)  April 12, 2007
The "Berry Lake Community," comprised of Underhill residents, Menominee County/Tribe residents, cottagers, friends and visitors, gathers at DNR/Tribe fyke net survey
fish "workup" (measuring, aging and sexing) demonstration during the
"First Annual Berry Lake Ice-Out. (C. Frisk photo)
To see the 2007 DNR Fish Survey Report
PDF Presentation: Rowe 2008 - Berry Lake Fish Report-1.pdf 2560k
MS Word Narrative: BLF Report 2007(FINAL).doc 957k
(Click On Presentation & Narrative Links Above) For Questions About The Fish Report Or About Berry Lake's Fishery Please Contact Author David Rowe (DNR) At:
 Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report.
Ensuring more females of reproductive age are in the Lake could help ensure a
supply of top preditors appropriate for Berry Lake without the expense and risk
disease which attends stocking. Website by B. Ewart Copyright 2009, BerryLake.Info all rights reserved
| BERRY LAKE STUDIES
THE LAKE'S FISHERY
"Fish populations of Berry Lake as a whole
seem to be in decline." (DNR Fish Report)
A Berry Lake planning grant initiated the Lake's first comprehensive fish report in over 20 years. The
following is a brief summary of the
report's key findings.
For the Report's complete presentation & narrative:
Summer 1948
57 years before Mason Rather caught his little panfish (above), Cottager LaVerne
Rather posed for the camera with a bass that broke the family's Berry Lake bass
record. It took approximately 4,384 pounds of microscopic plants to produce
her 1.37 pound bass (see energy pyramid and description below).
(Stiles family photo)
In addition to entire species of minnows, which had been present previously but now could not be found, the grant sponsored 2007 Berry Lake fish survey conducted jointly by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Menominee Indian Tribe, found the age distribution of fish still present is seriously skewed in the wrong direction.
Fish of all species should be most numerous at the younger ages (left side of graph) and become less numerous with advancing years (right side of graph).
The opposite is true at Berry Lake. Fish biologists say the data indicates the fish population is in decline.
 MO Dept. of Conservation
"...it takes about 3,200 pounds of microscopic plants to produce 410 pounds of animals. Those 410 pounds of microscopic animals can feed 58 pounds of crayfish, snails, mussels, clams and aquatic insects. Those animals may in turn be eaten by up to 8 pounds of bluegill. Eating 8 pounds of bluegill will allow a largemouth bass to grow by 1 pound." (MO Dept. of Conservation)
Because the environment only supports a given amount of life at each step of the pyramid, the higher up the animal feeds, the fewer of its type can be supported.
To relieve pressure at the top of the food pyramid, the Report recommends stopping all stocking (e.g. walleye, bass and pike).
Stocking top predators (e.g. walleye, bass and pike) is like inviting too many guests to the party with only enough food for a few...everyone is likely to go hungry. Instead of increasing the number of large fish at the top of the food chain, stocking can can slow growth rates for all fish while risking the introduction of diseases that Berry Lake will have forever.
 (Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report)
The graphs above show the effect of docks (piers and their end platforms or "decks") on all aquatic life forms. Both piers and their decks had a strong negative effect on the ability of the aquatic environment to support life.
 Summer 2006
Docks, decks and boats occupy the North Shore of the West Basin looking west.
(Photo by B. Ewart)
The Berry Lake Fish Report cites the importance of natural habitat for fish. It says fish grow three times faster in lakes with woody habitat.
"Removal of woody debris eliminates critical habitat for young of the year fish and reduces survival (Sass et al. 2006). Removal of woody debris has also been correlated with reductions in fish growth rates (Schindler et al. 2000)." (Berry Lake Fish Report)
According to studies of Wisconsin lakes in a natural condition, a lake like Berry Lake would normally have about 3,520 trees that would have fallen into the lake along its 3.2 mile shoreline. People typically remove these fallen trees when they develop a lake.  December December 18, 2006
The Menominee end of the the West Basin exists in a comparatively natural state. This stretch of shoreline produced the most panfish during the 2007 Berry Lake fish survey.
(Photo by B.Ewart)
"Shoreline development can be a large contributing factor to the decline in fish populations (Jennings et al. 2003). If large woody debris and submergent and emergent aquatic vegetation are removed or disturbed by riparian landowners, then cumulative reductions in habitat for fish can severely depress recruitment of fish. These changes lead to reduced reproduction of gamefish and panfish as well as forage fish." (Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report)
The fish report concludes, "The lack of forage is most likely the cause of slow growth..."
 Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report
Tree drop locations recommended by DNR (David Rowe and Jim Rayburn) as
providing the maximum advantage to the fishery at the least expense (fewest trees). These recommendations are just recommendations. Landowners in those locations are not required to host tree drops nor are landowners elsewhere prohibited from hosting tree drops. Fishery biologist David Rowe stated that additional trees would provide additional advantage to the fishery as well as mammals, reptiles and birds. After all, 19 trees are a far cry from the 3,520 that would have been expected to cover Berry Lake's shoreline before it was developed.
"Management recommendations include shoreline habitat enhancement and protection and to discontinue any predator stocking until lake levels come up and forage base returns to acceptable levels." "Additional stocking of predator fish (northern pike walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass) should be discontinued until the lake level increases and more forage fish are present."
(Berry Lake 2007 Fish Report) The fish biologists recommend:
1) Enhance the fish habitat by:
a) putting "woody debris" into the Lake via tree drops
(felling or transporting a tree to a shallow location
along the shore). b) understanding the negative impacts of piers and
decks. 2) Stop stocking predators (walleye, pike and bass).
POST SCRIPT:
The Northern Pike population is seriously out of balance with a male to female ratio of 10:1. Females tend to be fished out because they are larger than males.
Fish Report author David Rowe stated that
"If interest exists amongst stakeholders, an alternative more protective regulation for northern pike could be considered to improve the size structure."
The recommended size limits for a high quality fishery are:
Northern Pike: 2 Per Day at 26 inches.
Large Mouth Bass: 1 Per Day at 18 inches. |
