Genetic and ecological assessment of population rehabilitation: walleye in Lake Superior.

Sustainable management of exploited species is an ongoing challenge, particularly where populations have collapsed or been depleted by overharvest and habitat alteration. The walleye (Sander vitreus) population in Lake Superior's Black Bay historically supported more than 90% of the commercial walleye harvest from the entire lake, but collapsed in 1968 and has still not recovered despite long-term closure of the fishery. In an effort to rehabilitate this population, hatchery-origin walleye from exogenous sources were released into Black Bay between 2003 and 2005.