The spatial and seasonal patterns and stability of the Lake Whitefish fishery in Michigan waters of southern Lake Huron.

This article focuses on developing an overall abundance index for Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in Michigan waters of southern Lake Huron by analyzing commercial trap-net fishery catch-and-effort data from five separate fishing grounds. Using linear mixed models and Bayesian information criterion for model selection, the study found that spatial (area) and seasonal (month) interactions significantly influence fishery yields, reflecting seasonal spatial migrations within a single large mixed Lake Whitefish population. The abundance index indicated a decline in Lake Whitefish abundance during the late 2000s, stabilizing after 2012, while continued declines in annual fishery yield since then were primarily due to reduced fishing effort rather than further abundance decreases. The study highlights the importance of accounting for spatial and seasonal variability in fisheries lacking independent surveys and provides insights relevant for managing Lake Whitefish fisheries in southern Lake Huron.