(WXYZ) — Researchers from the Michigan DNR and Michigan State University will travel to the deepest point of Lake Superior to investigate emaciated siscowet lake trout.
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The fish, nicknamed 'zombie' fish due to the thin and undernourished bodies, have increased in number in deep waters. According to the DNR, it's sparked concern and interest from the public and scientists.
A DNR fisheries research team discovered the zombie-like conditions during a recent Lake Superior deepwater surveys of siscowet lake trout.
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The crew plans to investigate and hope to rule out the possibility of a fish pathogen causing the highly emaciated appearance, and collect more of these fish for testing.
It's believed their condition is due to a natural ecological phenomenon due to the lack of food in the deep waters where they lived.
"The top predator out there, the siscowet lake trout, is a deepwater form of lake trout that is adapted to live in areas of the lake with very low food resources. In recent years, DNR researchers have documented an increase in the number of thin, zombie-like siscowet in offshore Michigan waters at the deepest parts of Lake Superior, from 600 feet to around 1,320 feet," the DNR said.
“While this trend is cause for further investigation, it’s not cause for alarm," DNR fisheries research biologist Shawn Sitar said in a statement.
According to the DNR, the overall incidence of the emaciated trout has risen from around 3% in 2015 to around 20% in 2024 and 2025. At Superior Maximus, the deepest part of Lake Superior, 11 of the siscowet capured in the 2024 were "zombies," equaling 37%, and 15 (54%) captured in 2025 fell into the category.
