Researchers have made a breakthrough in studying Lake Trout, the top native predator in the Great Lakes.
Biologists have been trying to map out the genetic makeup of Lake Trout for years.
Now, it's finally been done.
Canadian and American biologists were able to identify a reference genome for the fish species ... a sort of genetic map that could help with conservation.
By the mid-1950s, the invasive Sea Lamprey was decimating lake trout populations in the Great Lakes.
Thanks to efforts from state and federal agencies, some populations have bounced back.
Marc Gaden is with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
He says other invasives could pose a similar threat to Lake Trout in the future.
“The Great Lakes are ever-changing with new invasive species and interactions between the invasive species, we need to be armed with anything we need to know.”
The new genetic finding could allow hatcheries to breed trout suited for changing habitats within the Great Lakes.