Wisconsin Cuts Lake Trout Quota 15% on Lake Superior
The Natural Resources Board approved the reduction for management zone WI-2, effective with the 2027 season opening Nov. 28, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Fishing
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The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board unanimously approved a 15% cut to the lake trout quota for management zone WI-2 in Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior. The reduction takes effect with the opening of the 2027 season on Nov. 28, 2026.
Why it matters
The lake trout population in the area has declined sharply, and the quota cut responds to poor recruitment and rising sea lamprey predation. For Wisconsin anglers and fishers, the change reduces the number of fish available to harvest in the affected zone.
The WI-2 total allowable catch is 57,000 lake trout, with the state allocation at 17,500 fish, a 22% reduction, and the tribal allocation at 39,500 fish, an 11% reduction. The total allowable catch in neighboring WI-1 remains unchanged at 14,000 lake trout, and it is not yet clear whether the population decline will prompt earlier quota reviews.
The players
Wisconsin Natural Resources Board
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board is the citizen body that sets policy for the state Department of Natural Resources and approved the quota reduction.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources manages the state's fisheries and recommended the lake trout quota cuts after assessing population declines.
The details
The Natural Resources Board passed the cuts based on Department of Natural Resources recommendations, and the state and tribal allocations are divided among commercial, recreational and tribal fishers under the 2018-2028 Lake Superior Fishing Agreement. Sea lamprey wounding rates on lake trout in 2024, 2025 and 2026 exceeded the target of five wounds per 100 fish by more than two times, and mortality rose after lamprey treatments were missed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Timeline
• 2002: The lake trout population peaked at about 930,000 fish.
• 2020 to 2025: The population declined about 36%.
• 2024 to 2026: Sea lamprey wounding rates ran more than twice the target.
• Nov. 28, 2026: The reduced quota takes effect with the 2027 season opening.
Roadmap
The cut operates inside the division of harvest between state and tribal fishers set by the 2018-2028 Lake Superior Fishing Agreement, shrinking both shares as the lake trout population falls. It reflects a broader pattern in which sea lamprey predation and weak lake trout recruitment have constrained fisheries across the Great Lakes.
Anglers and commercial fishers working the WI-2 waters will have fewer lake trout available to harvest once the 2027 season opens. The smaller state allocation of 17,500 fish means recreational and commercial harvest in the Apostle Islands area will be tighter than in prior seasons.
The takeaway
Anglers planning for the 2027 Lake Superior season should expect tighter lake trout limits in WI-2 and check current quota notices before fishing. Lower allocations give the population time to recover from sea lamprey pressure and weak recruitment.
What happens next
The reduced lake trout quota takes effect with the opening of the 2027 season on Nov. 28, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Fishing to see how regional quota decisions shape Wisconsin's angling seasons.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Journal Sentinel.
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