Much like salmon runs along the North American coasts, these fish bring with them nutrients in their eggs and excrement that nourish many species across and up the food web, from insects and small fish to creatures that eat juvenile and adult fish (including humans). These species spend much of the year in the lakes, with longnose suckers preferring colder, deeper waters than white suckers, which tend to live in nearshore areas.īoth species are among the earliest kinds of fish to take to Great Lakes tributaries every spring to spawn. Two in particular are found in all five lakes in abundant numbers: the longnose sucker and white sucker. The Great Lakes are home to several species of suckers. They’re not a popular game fish and may be regularly overlooked, but recent research shows they play an important role in the broader ecosystem. This group of fish species is known for eating their meals off the lake bottom. Every spring, rivers and streams connected to the Great Lakes fill up with suckers to lay their eggs.
