Researchers are heading to the deepest point of Lake Superior this week to study why the Siscowet Lake Trout, also known as zombie fish, are appearing extremely thin and emaciated. Researchers say this trend is several years in the making.
About 54% of the trout have the affliction, that's an increase from 3% in 2015, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
One of the leading theories if the trout have less prey to eat, according to Shawn Sitar, a fisheries research biologist with the DNR, one of the groups leading this research expedition.
"We're thinking it's probably an ecological event where there may be a famine event going on down there,” he said. "Predator-prey cycles in nature are common, and so we may be seeing one of these events, but potentially it could be also some other indirect effects.”
He adds that the phenomenon appears to be limited to one fish species deep under Lake Superior and that the phenomenon “isn't alarming, but it is of concern.”
Researchers with the DNR and Michigan State University will begin collecting samples in the hopes of ruling out disease as a cause for the trend.
“It is a large system to cover," Sitar said. "It is great to have all these scientists working together to help maintain its health.”
