ABOUT THIS EPISODE
More than 1,300 feet below the surface of Lake Superior, scientists are investigating a fisheries mystery: siscowet lake trout that should be fat and robust are turning up strikingly thin. Researchers call them “zombie fish,” but the real story is less sensational—and still unresolved.
In this episode of the Lake Superior Podcast, Walt Lindala and Frida Waara talk with returning guest Shawn Sitar, a Michigan DNR fisheries research biologist and science officer aboard the RV Lake Char, about what the team is learning from Lake Superior’s deepest waters. From possible food shortages and disease testing to lake trout recovery and long-term monitoring, Shawn takes us into the science behind one of Lake Superior’s most unusual recent findings and how long-term fisheries research helps scientists track the health of the lake.
Notable quotes:
- “There’s a famine event going on out there…they actually kind of look like zombies.”
- “We’re not alarmed, we’re concerned.”
- “Overall, Lake Superior is in a really good place…We have abundant populations of fish. We have a lot of biodiversity also.”
- “Recently we declared that lean lake trout, the one that’s utilized by humans, has been recovered or in a rehabilitated state. That’s a good sign.”
- “I’m glad to work on a system that is basically the most natural of the Great Lakes. Things are in good shape.”
- “Part of my duty is to communicate the science to everyone so that they have a better understanding and appreciation of everything around us.”
Helpful links:
- Michigan DNR – Researchers Head to Superior Maximus to Investigate “Zombie” Fish
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/about/newsroom/releases/2026/06/08/researchers-head-to-superior-maximus-to-investigate-zombie-fish - Michigan DNR – Fisheries Research
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/fisheries/research - The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery
https://www.thefishthief.com/ - Lake Superior Podcast – Shawn Sitar’s previous lake trout recovery episode
https://podcast.nplsf.org/1756982/episodes/16661302-s6-e3-the-lake-trout-resurgence-in-lake-superior-a-conservation-success-story-an-interview-with-shawn-sitar
Connect with us:
- Lake Superior Podcast Page: https://nplsf.org/podcast
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalParksOfLakeSuperiorFoundation
Sponsors:
- Cafe Imports – Minneapolis-based importers of specialty green coffees since 1993, focused on sustainability. Learn more: cafeimports.com
- National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation – Donate to protect Lake Superior’s five national parks: nplsf.org/donate
English
United States
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