Whenever I put a post on this site regarding the fisheries issues and management of Lake Erie, I accept that some people will either take my post with the wrong intent or they will respond with a comment that they read into my post. Replies / posts are certainly welcome. I try my best to be clear. None of us are perfect, so I expect some misinterpretation now and then, either my fault for not writing clearly or someone reading something in or out of my post.

Just to clear something up.

I never said commercial fishing has little impact on fish numbers. I said, and meant to say, that the current spiny water flea issue isn’t likely a result of current commercial fishing. The complicated process of evaluating and managing Lake Erie fish populations has provided a pretty good and accurate model over the years, and is always improving. Catch quotas are set with long term impacts figured in. That’s the point – to make sure populations can survive future poor hatches and other limiting factors.