Whitefish in Decline: A Warning Sign for Great Lakes Biodiversity

Photo: Larval whitefish | Credit: Great Lakes Now

Bridge Michigan reporter Kelly House is highlighting a distressing trend: lake whitefish (or adikameg, in the Anishinaabe language) — once a staple in the diets and culture of those living along the shores of the Great Lakes — are now on the verge of collapse in Lakes Michigan and Huron. These fish have survived countless challenges over millennia, but invasive quagga and zebra mussels have drastically altered their ecosystem, filtering out the algae and plankton that juvenile whitefish depend on.

Photo: Adult whitefish | Credit: Michigan Sea Grant

And their decline is no longer gradual: commercial harvests plunged from nearly 6.9 million pounds in 2009 to under 2 million in 2024. With few young fish surviving, the remaining population is aging — most adults caught today are in their 20s, with little evidence of new generations entering the lakes.

This isn’t just about fish — it’s a cultural and economic loss. Whitefish are deeply embedded in Great Lakes identity, and restaurants and tribal communities that have relied on them for generations now struggle as catches dry up.

Figure: A map tracking invasive mussels in Lake Michigan reveals a striking shift - zebra mussels, once the dominant invaders, are now in decline, while quagga mussels have rapidly spread, blanketing nearly the entire lakebed. (Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

The root cause? Quagga mussels have transformed lakebeds into barren deserts, disrupting food webs and eliminating the vital food sources juvenile fish need. Scientists warn that without developing effective methods to reduce mussel populations, whitefish may disappear from these waters entirely.

House’s reporting sends a clear message: this crisis is much greater than a single fishery — it signifies a cascading biodiversity collapse and deep cultural loss across the Great Lakes.

Read the full article by Kelly House for Bridge Michigan:
Iconic whitefish on edge of collapse as Great Lakes biodiversity crisis deepens