Lake Superior Fisheries OK A Year After Storm

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - Fish populations in Lake Superior and its surrounding fisheries are faring much better than expected, a year after a major storm dumped up to 10 inches of rain in the Duluth area and sent sediment rushing into Lake Superior.

Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor Don Schreiner says in fact, fishing this spring has been "gangbusters." He says people are catching trout and coho and chinook salmon.

The North Shore's trout streams also survived but were permanently rearranged. He says some young fish died last year, but he doesn't expect long-term impacts.

University of Minnesota Duluth's Large Lakes Observatory chemistry professor Elizabeth Minor says the lake appears to be resilient, but the jury is still out on the long-term impact.