LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan State University (MSU) scientists are studying the reproductive habits of sea lampreys in hopes of safeguarding the Great Lakes’ $7 billion fishery from these parasitic invaders.
The eel-like sea lampreys, which can kill up to 40 pounds of fish each year per individual, have been managed since the 1950s using 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), a chemical that selectively targets the species. Researchers, however, warn that lamprey could eventually adapt, rendering the chemical ineffective, according to Bridge Michigan.
“Like bacteria gradually developing resistance to antibiotics, Great Lakes lamprey will eventually adapt to TMF, weakening its effectiveness,” Dave Caroffino, a fisheries biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, said. “The entire Great Lakes fishery is still built on a house of cards.”
To combat this looming threat, MSU scientists are working to better understand lamprey biology, focusing on factors like reproduction and genetics. The research aims to develop long-term strategies such as sterilizing males or engineering same-sex populations to prevent the species from reproducing.
“We need to be thinking decades into the future, as far as what the future of control would look like, so that we can be well-positioned to continue delivering effective sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes,” Nick Johnson, a scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said.
Still, the path forward remains uncertain. No research lab has successfully raised sea lampreys through their full life cycle, making it difficult to conduct detailed experiments. Complicating matters further, lampreys consume large amounts of fish—more than most labs can reasonably supply.
Developing an artificial food source is now a major focus for researchers, Johnson said, calling it “our moonshot.”
Despite the challenges, scientists stress the urgency of finding new solutions before TMF resistance develops and potentially devastates Great Lakes fisheries.
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