Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore recently joined fisheries biologists during the annual juvenile Lake Trout assessment on Lake Champlain, helping monitor the lake’s growing wild lake trout population.
The recovery of lake trout has reached an important milestone: annual stocking ended in 2025 because natural reproduction is now sustaining the population. As management transitions from stocking to monitoring, biologists are closely tracking the number of young, naturally produced fish entering the population each year.
The results of the 2026 assessment were encouraging. At a Burlington Bay sampling location, biologists collected 11 juvenile Lake Trout during a single 10-minute survey, with 10 of those fish produced naturally in the lake.
The annual assessment provides valuable information about the health of the fishery and the long-term success of restoration efforts, helping ensure Lake Champlain remains a thriving resource for future generations.
