Dispelling common beliefs about angler opposition to lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) rehabilitation efforts in Lake Huron

Rehabilitating native fish species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and elsewhere remains a challenge for fisheries managers. One factor that often makes rehabilitation a challenge is presumed opposition to rehabilitation programs. We examined the extent and variability in support and opposition for lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) management and proposed rehabilitation activities for the Ontario waters of Lake Huron, principally amongst anglers. Specifically, we compared four common beliefs (hypotheses) that should affect angler opposition to lake trout rehabilitation. Through a questionnaire sent to a random sample of local licensed anglers, we found very high support for lake trout rehabilitation. As hypothesized, this support was lower among a sample of individuals who actively sought opportunities to complete the questionnaire (who were termed the convenience sample). However, even within this convenience sample, about an equal percentage of respondents supported and opposed lake trout rehabilitation. For the sample of local licensed anglers, we found little support for the remaining three hypotheses. Within this sample, very few differences in support for lake trout rehabilitation existed between respondents who did or did not fish Lake Huron, who were or were not participants in past public involvement opportunities for managing Lake Huron's fisheries, and who were and were not knowledgeable about the proposed rehabilitation plan. These results question common beliefs that anglers are unsupportive of lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Huron and that support for rehabilitation varies widely among anglers with different characteristics and experiences.