Barrier Task Force
Mission
Terms of Reference – Revised Fall 2022
Purpose: Coordinate efforts of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct, operate, and maintain sea lamprey barriers.
Supporting Great Lakes Fishery Commission Goals and Strategies as Numbered from the Vision Document:
Goal 1: Suppress sea lamprey populations to target levels.
Strategy 5: Construct and maintain a network of barriers to limit sea lamprey access to spawning habitats.
Goal 2: Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of sea lamprey control to further reduce sea lamprey populations in each Great Lake.
Strategy 4: Implement integrated sea lamprey control strategies for each lake and evaluate their effectiveness.
Task Force Objectives:
- Coordinate construction, operation, and maintenance of sea lamprey barriers.
- Ensure that structures important to sea lamprey control block adult sea lampreys.
- Develop and annually update standard operating protocols (SOP).
- Develop and annually update a GIS database of structures that block adult sea lamprey.
- Rank streams for selection for sea lamprey barriers.
- Develop annual border-blind schedules and budgets.
- Assist in the development of research and technical assistance project (TAP) pre-proposals and participate in research studies consistent with the research theme papers.
- Review research and TAP proposals and prioritize task force research needs that are consistent with the research theme papers.
Membership:
- Matt Symbal (USFWS – MBS), task force chair (Appointed – October 2019)
- Sea lamprey control program barrier experts:
- Bruce Morrison (DFO – SLCC)
- Sam Matheson (DFO – SLCC)
- Pete Hrodey (USFWS – MBS)
- Kevin Mann (USFWS – MBS)
- Sea lamprey control program environmental support experts:
- Cheryl Kaye (USFWS – MBS)
- Gale Bravener (DFO – SLCC)
- Partner representatives:
- Amanda Meyer (USACE)
- Carl Platz (USACE)
- Jessica Collier (USFWS – NFWCO)
- Gary Whelan (MI DNR)
- Dave Gonder (OMNRF)
- Internal researchers:
- Rob McLaughlin (UGuelph)
- Nick Johnson (USGS – HBBS)
- Dan Zielinski (GLFC)
- Lake technical committee member:
- Vacant
- Outside expert:
- Tom Pratt (DFO – GLLFAS)
- Ted Castro-Santos (USGS Conte Fish Laboratory)
- Additional invitees as needed according to meeting agenda
- Secretariat:
- Mike Siefkes
- Chris Freiburger
- Vacant
Meeting Schedule: At least 2 meetings annually – February and September.