Efforts are progressing to reduce the Sea Lamprey population in the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Fishery Commission shared on Monday that Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Ontario all experienced a decrease in their populations in 2026. Meanwhile, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario’s populations remained below target levels.
“Sea lamprey control remains one of the Great Lakes’ greatest fisheries management success stories,” said commission chair Earl Provost. “This year’s results demonstrate that continued investment in control is reducing sea lamprey abundance and protecting fish populations across the basin.”
Sea lampreys are invasive parasitic fish that harm a range of local fish species by feeding on their blood and body fluids.
Currently, the commission is using lampricides and barriers for population control, while also exploring new methods.
The latest data regarding the Sea Lamprey population for each Great Lake is as follows:
Lake Erie
Management target – 3,263
2025 level – 803
2026 level – 923
Lake Huron
Management target – 31,274
2025 level – 44,591
2026 level – 29,602
Lake Ontario
Management target – 14,065
2025 level – 11,584</pp
2026 level – 7,281</pp
Lake Michigan</pp
Management target – 20,526</pp
2025 level – 21,273</pp
2026 level – 20,211</pp
Lake Superior<pp
Amanagement target -10 ,421<pp
205level-40 ,610
20 ,211
The Great Lakes Fishery Commissionwasestablishedby Canadaandthe United Statesmorethan70yearsagotofacilitatefisheriesresearchcontrolinvasivespeciesandfacilitatecross-bordermanagement.
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