This data release contains passive detection of acoustic telemetry tags that were implanted in walleye Sander vitreus to investigate habitat selection in the dimensions of depth and temperature, and seasonal cross-lake migration in Lake Erie. The data also include continuous archive records of temperature and depth that were obtained from tags that were surrendered by fishers who reported recaptures of tagged fish.

While recording fish habitat use via electronic sensors, biologgers can also be viewed as autonomous environmental monitoring systems with the organism as a vehicle. This dual perspective has provided novel results from marine ecosystems but has not been applied to freshwater ecosystems. To understand limitations in freshwater, we evaluated miniature depth and temperature recorders, as aquatic monitoring systems in Lake Erie. As part of an acoustic telemetry study, biologgers were implanted in a subsample of walleye, Sander vitreus in 2014. Biologgers were equipped with sensors capable of measuring water temperature and depth at half-hour intervals for up to a year. Recaptures provided six biologgers for analysis of seasonal temperature patterns and lake stratification, which are key variables for understanding dimictic lakes.

While recording fish habitat use via electronic sensors, biologgers can also be viewed as autonomous environmental monitoring systems with the organism as a vehicle. This dual perspective has provided novel results from marine ecosystems but has not been applied to freshwater ecosystems. To understand limitations in freshwater, we evaluated miniature depth and temperature recorders, as aquatic monitoring systems in Lake Erie. As part of an acoustic telemetry study, biologgers were implanted in a subsample of walleye, Sander vitreus in 2014. Biologgers were equipped with sensors capable of measuring water temperature and depth at half-hour intervals for up to a year. Recaptures provided six biologgers for analysis of seasonal temperature patterns and lake stratification, which are key variables for understanding dimictic lakes.

This data set includes acoustic telemetry detection data and biological attributes for walleye and grass carp in the Sandusky River and Bay, OH. The detection data also includes information about the receivers that recorded the detection of acoustic telemetry tags implanted in walleye and grass carp from from 2014 to 2021. Receiver attributes include location and deployment history of each receiver. Detections indicate where and when an individual fish implanted with a unique acoustic telemetry tag was recorded by a receiver. The attributes for each individual fish implanted with a tag and detected by a receiver include biological characteristics, tag details, and post-tagging release location.

Acoustic Telemetry is gaining popularity for use in fisheries research as a method to estimate survival and observe behaviors of native fish species. Methodology for capture and tagging of fish is typically context and species-specific, requiring a case by case basis for best practices to maximize survival of tagged individuals. This dataset includes acoustic detection data from 320 adult Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush, captured and acoustic-tagged in Lake Ontario during April-June of 2023. Biological data (total length), capture data (surface water temperature, capture depth), capture location, and capture gear (angling, bottom trawls, gillnets) are also included in the dataset as covariates that can be analyzed to determine if any of these factors affect post-release survival of tagged Lake Trout. Acoustic detection data is available from April 2023 to November 2024. Survival of acoustic-tagged Lake Trout was estimated through acoustic telemetry detections indicating the status of the Lake Trout (alive vs. dead).

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish density are used for fisheries management in central Lake Erie. Hydroacoustic data were collected along 10, randomly-selected, 5-kilometer transects and two cross-basin transects between the US and Canadian shorelines in central Lake Erie during July 2021. Software-generated raw variables were used for calculating estimates of hydroacoustic fish densities presented here in tabular form. These data are related to a longer-term data set from 2010-2019, and a data set from 2020.

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish density are used for fisheries management in central Lake Erie. Hydroacoustic data were collected along up to four cross-lake transects in central Lake Erie July 2010 through July 2019. Software-generated raw variables used for calculating estimates of hydroacoustic fish densities are presented here.

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish density are used for fisheries management in central Lake Erie. Hydroacoustic data were collected along up to four cross-lake transects in central Lake Erie July 2010 through July 2019. Software-generated raw variables used for calculating estimates of hydroacoustic fish densities are presented here.

Adaptive efforts to achieve water quality objectives by modifying nutrient loading can have attendant impacts on fish habitats and fisheries. Thus, coordinating fishery and water quality management depends on knowledge of fish behavioral responses to habitat change. This data set aims to reduce these knowledge gaps by combining acoustic telemetry detections of a native demersal fish, lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), along with forecasted abiotic water quality parameters (e.g., temperature and dissolved oxygen) throughout Lake Erie during periods of seasonal hypoxia. Lake whitefish were tagged throughout 2015-2017. Detection locations of tagged lake whitefish were recorded throughout 2017-2018, using the Great Lakes Acoustic Telemetry Observation System (GLATOS), with receivers maintained annually (receiver data ranging from 2015 to 2021). Abiotic environmental parameters (e.g., temperature and dissolved oxygen) were calculated for each lake whitefish detection using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) Experimental Lake Erie Hypoxia forecasting model.

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish density are used for fisheries management in central Lake Erie. Hydroacoustic data were collected along 8, randomly-selected, 5-kilometer transects and three transects between the US shore and the international border in central Lake Erie in July 2020. Software-generated raw variables used for calculating estimates of hydroacoustic fish densities are presented here. These data are related to a longer-term data set from 2010-2019.