The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the completion of an experimental aquatic habitat reclamation project at Brocton Shoal in Lake Erie. The initiative used a high-velocity jetting method to clean and restore historical spawning areas for lake trout.
“This innovative project in Lake Erie supports DEC’s goals to help enhance native fish populations through habitat reclamation,” said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “The success of the experimental project has huge implications for native fish restoration, habitat rehabilitation, and invasive mussel control throughout the Great Lakes Basin and across New York State.”
Brocton Shoal, located about 10 miles southwest of Dunkirk, was historically one of the main spawning grounds for lake trout in Lake Erie. Over time, the introduction of zebra and quagga mussels in the 1990s degraded these habitats by covering rocks with silt and mussel shells, making them unsuitable for spawning. These invasive species have disrupted food webs, damaged infrastructure, and impacted fish health in many waterways across New York State.
The DEC’s Lake Erie Fisheries Research Unit worked with Seaway Marine Group from Clayton, New York to develop the jetting technique. A specially designed nozzle was used at two test sites in mid-September to remove debris from rock piles located 50–60 feet underwater. An underwater drone helped evaluate and adjust the process as it progressed.
DEC staff collaborated with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The USFWS created detailed maps using side-scan sonar before work began, while TNC staff conducted dives before and after the project. Preliminary findings suggest that this method was successful and could be used elsewhere for similar restoration efforts. Ongoing monitoring will track both mussel recolonization and use by lake trout during their spawning period.
“The Nature Conservancy is proud to conduct underwater habitat assessments as part of this collaborative project to evaluate the effectiveness of the jetting. The initial observations and data are promising, and it’s been exciting to contribute to a partnership focused on improving fish habitat in Lake Erie,” said TNC scientist Phillipa Kohn.
This effort is part of ongoing DEC initiatives aimed at restoring lake trout populations in Lake Erie. Once considered the top predator in these waters, lake trout disappeared due to overharvesting, habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species by 1965. Restoration began in 1982 with stocking programs and sea lamprey control measures. In 2021, wild lake trout fry were observed for the first time in six decades.
More information about ongoing restoration efforts can be found on DEC’s website or by contacting their Lake Erie Fisheries Research Unit.
