State Collects Whitefish Eggs to Restore Lake Stock

Michigan wildlife crews are gathering lake whitefish eggs along Lake Michigan's eastern shore as the species declines in lakes Michigan and Huron.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Fishing

Clear shallow lake water over sand beside a weathered wooden dock and a row of hatchery holding tanks under soft morning light. — Michigan wildlife crews are collecting lake whitefish eggs along Lake Michigan's eastern shore to raise broodstock at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has begun collecting lake whitefish eggs along Lake Michigan's eastern shore this month. The eggs will be raised into hatchery broodstock fish at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.

Why it matters

Lake whitefish populations are declining, and invasive quagga mussels filter out the plankton larval whitefish need for food while increasing water clarity that reduces survival. The effort aims to preserve genetic diversity for the species across Michigan's waters.

The project is funded by a $350,000 general fund appropriation from the Michigan Legislature for fiscal year 2027 and by the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust. Nets will be deployed for about one month in nearshore and reef habitats between South Haven and Muskegon, with electrofishing used at river mouths to collect mature fish.

The players

Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The state agency responsible for managing Michigan's fish and wildlife resources, including fisheries conservation and hatchery operations across the Great Lakes region.

Great Lakes Fisheries Trust

A nonprofit organization that funds fisheries research and restoration projects in the Great Lakes region.

The details

DNR crews are capturing mature lake whitefish for spawning, and the eggs will be raised into hatchery broodstock. Some fish will be stocked into Lake Michigan and possibly inland lakes to maintain genetic lines until ecosystem changes allow naturally spawned fish to survive better.

November 2026: DNR begins lake whitefish egg collection this month.
December 2026: Net deployment and whitefish capture period ends.
Fiscal year 2027: Legislative appropriation funds the project.

Season Trajectory

The effort extends fisheries restoration funded by the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust into hatchery-based genetic preservation for lake whitefish. It responds to declines driven by invasive quagga mussels that alter the food web and water clarity across lakes Michigan and Huron.

Anglers in Michigan may see changes to whitefish availability in coming years as stocked hatchery fish enter lakes Michigan and possibly inland waters. The project's one-month collection window runs through December 2026.

The takeaway

Lake whitefish recovery depends on both hatchery support and ecosystem changes that let naturally spawned fish survive. Anglers and residents can watch for updates on stocking as the state works through the effort.