Fish restocked in Lake Elsinore to improve water quality

Lake Elsinore is being restocked with fish — the latest in continuing efforts to help improve the lake’s water quality and ecosystem.

Early Friday, Dec. 4, the lake was stocked with bluegill, black crappie, striped bass and redear sunfish. The species were chosen after a year-long population study found that some types of fish — including channel catfish, largemouth bass, silverside minnows and mosquitofish — were overpopulating the lake.

The lake needs a variety of fish, said Mark Norton, water resources and planning manager for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority.

“Some fish are good sport fish for recreational purposes, some fish help feed on and control the population of invertebrates and zooplankton, and some fish feed on other smaller fish,” Norton said.

Researchers want to ensure that some of the fish aren’t eating too much zooplankton, which feeds on algae and helps control algae blooms, thereby improving the lake’s overall health, color and clarity, according to survey findings from the Lake Elsinore and San Jacinto Watersheds Authority.

“Thanks to this study, we have a roadmap to improve water quality and stock the lake with certain fish species that will help balance the ecology of the lake,” Norton said.