 Wetlands
- Fisheries Habitat
Certain freshwater fish species require wetlands as spawning grounds and as nursery areas for their young. Spring spawning by northern pike in Lake Champlain is a particularly good example. Others, like black bullhead, yellow perch, pumpkin seed and bluegills, leave open water to spawn in shallow-water wetlands. The failure of many aspects of commercial and recreational freshwater fishing in the Great Lakes has been linked to wetland destruction.
Wetlands can be thought of as the farmlands of the aquatic environment since they produce great volumes of food (plant material). The major food value of wetland plants comes when the plants' dead leaves and stems break down in the water to form small particles of organic material called "detritus". This enriched material is their principal food for many small aquatic invertebrates, various shellfish, and forage fish that are food for larger predatory fish. These larger fish are, in turn, consumed by people.
According to the Vermont Wetland Rules (pdf, 84KB), wetlands that are used for spawning
by northern pike, or that are important for providing fisheries habitat, are significant wetlands. In determining whether a wetland is significant
for Fisheries Habitat the Vermont Natural Resources Board
shall, at a minimum, consider the extent to which the wetland meets the following criteria:
- Provides spawning, nursery, feeding or cover habitat for fish;
- Lowers or moderates the temperature of surface waters due to the discharge of cold springs, the provision of shade or for other reasons.
Links of Interest
Fish of the Great Lakes: the Wisconsin Sea Grant provides photos, drawings, statistics, and habitat requirements of fish found in the Great Lakes, many of which are also found in the Lake Champlain Basin.
Vermont Fish and Wildlife: a guide to the sportsfish of Vermont.
Updated: January 2002
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Water Quality Division 
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