A process that could establish a commercial bycatch fishery for lake trout on the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan took another step forward January 22 when the Natural Resources Board approved a preliminary public hearing and comment period on a scope statement. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-trout-rule
A process that could establish a commercial bycatch fishery for lake trout on the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan took another step forward January 22 when the Natural Resources Board approved a preliminary public hearing and comment period on a scope statement. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-trout-rule
A process that could establish a commercial bycatch fishery for lake trout on the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan took another step forward January 22 when the Natural Resources Board approved a preliminary public hearing and comment period on a scope statement. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-trout-rule
The Michigan state attorney general continues to challenge Enbridge’s permit to operate the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. An Enbridge attorney argued federal regulators exercise sole authority over pipeline safety, saying challenging the pipeline’s operations would violate a 1977 treaty with Canada. Read the full story by Michigan Advance.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-line5-hearings
Saginaw Bay was ranked as the fourth-best ice fishing spot in the U.S. by FishBooker, which looked at criteria like location, fish species you can reel in, and whether you’ll land a trophy. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-saginaw-bay-fishing
Saginaw Bay was ranked as the fourth-best ice fishing spot in the U.S. by FishBooker, which looked at criteria like location, fish species you can reel in, and whether you’ll land a trophy. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-saginaw-bay-fishing
Saginaw Bay was ranked as the fourth-best ice fishing spot in the U.S. by FishBooker, which looked at criteria like location, fish species you can reel in, and whether you’ll land a trophy. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-saginaw-bay-fishing
In the Great Lakes region alone, Ducks Unlimited has been involved in hundreds of projects in the past decade that involve either the conservation of wetlands through acquisition, or the restoration and management of wetlands. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-ducks-unlimited
When ice piles up along Great Lakes shorelines, it can create spectacular blue ice, craggy piles and “volcanoes” that spray water high into the air, but officials say people should stay off shelf ice along the beach because it hides deadly secrets. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-deadly-ice
When ice piles up along Great Lakes shorelines, it can create spectacular blue ice, craggy piles and “volcanoes” that spray water high into the air, but officials say people should stay off shelf ice along the beach because it hides deadly secrets. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-deadly-ice
When ice piles up along Great Lakes shorelines, it can create spectacular blue ice, craggy piles and “volcanoes” that spray water high into the air, but officials say people should stay off shelf ice along the beach because it hides deadly secrets. Read the full story by the Lansing State Journal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-deadly-ice
Before 1900, North American rivers had the highest diversity and density of freshwater mussels on Earth, but today, mussels rank among the most endangered organisms. Mussel populations in the Midwest currently face many challenges but were first decimated by the button industry. Read the full story by Great Lakes Now.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-mussel-buttons
A new decades-long study found that fish-eating gulls and terns nesting on Michigan shoreline areas known to have long-standing industrial contamination reproduce less, have fewer chicks that survive, and develop more deformities than those on nonpolluted shorelines. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-contaminated-birds
A new decades-long study found that fish-eating gulls and terns nesting on Michigan shoreline areas known to have long-standing industrial contamination reproduce less, have fewer chicks that survive, and develop more deformities than those on nonpolluted shorelines. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-contaminated-birds
A new decades-long study found that fish-eating gulls and terns nesting on Michigan shoreline areas known to have long-standing industrial contamination reproduce less, have fewer chicks that survive, and develop more deformities than those on nonpolluted shorelines. Read the full story by The Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-contaminated-birds
Scientists in northwest Ontario say they made a breakthrough in the search for a tool to identify the boundaries of environmental spills below ice: a U.S. dog trained to detect the scent of oil under several inches of ice and snow. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250129-oil-dog
Ottawa Sands County Park, located in Spring Lake, Michigan, was transformed from a former sand mining site to a vibrant ecological and recreational hub has been recognized for its design by state park officials. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-ottawacountypark-transformation-miningsite
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources worked this fall to stock hundreds of thousands of fish in waters across the state — fish that will provide anglers with more opportunities in seasons to come. Read the full story by The Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-dnr-restocked-michiganwaters
After a few mild winters that left the Great Lakes with a lack of ice cover, anglers are rejoicing about the colder temperatures and thicker ice this winter. As of Friday, Lake St. Clair was 100% covered by ice. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-anglers-ice-longerseason
During the winter months, the water levels drop in the Great Lakes as part of an annual cycle, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They predict water levels will continue to drop until around April. All the Great Lakes this winter are below 2023-2024 levels. Read the full story by the Erie Times-News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-waterlevels-january
The Manitoulin, a 663-foot Canadian vessel with 17 people on board, got stuck in the ice on Lake Erie on Wednesday after it dropped off a load of wheat in Buffalo, New York, and was heading back to Canada. Read the full story by The Associated Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-freighter-lakeerie-freed
The sea lamprey, native to the Atlantic Ocean, invaded the Great Lakes generations ago and killed off much of the lake trout population. Read the full story by The Plain Dealer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-predator
Chicago’s warmest February on record, in 2024, brought an unsettling first: a full month without snow in a city known for epic winter storms. While a milder winter may seem like a relief, the implications go deeper, signaling the urgency to prepare for more erratic weather, especially along our Great Lakes shores. Read the full story by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-coastal-communities
A business competition to tackle environmental and infrastructure issues in the Great Lakes kicks off on Monday. Water quality, microplastics, PFAS and marine infrastructure are among the things people could grapple with in this year’s Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge. Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-problems-solutions-bluetech
A new documentary film that tells the underwater impact of quagga mussels in the Great Lakes debuts this Thursday in Wisconsin and will be streamed online.. “All Too Clear” is a 90-minute production that uses underwater drones to explore the re-engineering of the ecosystem in the Great Lakes by the tiny invasive mussels. Read the full story by the Door County Daily News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250127-greatlakes-underwater-documentary-doorcounty
As an Ohio senator and co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, JD Vance supported the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Now, as Vice President, Vance should use his powerful perch to enlist Trump and Congress in a noble cause: reauthorizing the GLRI. Read the full story by The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-glri-reauthorization
On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the ice coverage on the Great Lakes is currently at 20.8%. NOAA researchers say this is just about average for this time of year. Read the full story by WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-ice-coverage
For a second year in a row, a record number of shipwrecks were discovered in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan waters last year. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, 17 total shipwrecks were discovered last year, thanks to maritime historians and a federal mapping effort in Lake Michigan. The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-shipwreck-discovery-record
Last year, Michigan Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and Lisa McClain (R-Bruce), introduced a bill to allocate $200 million toward mapping the floor of the Great Lakes. Congress did not move the bill forward in 2024, but lawmakers plan to reintroduce it this year. Read the full story by WCMU – Mount Pleasant, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-lake-mapping-legislation
Shipping is largely at a standstill across most of the Great Lakes, thanks to a rapid increase in ice cover. As of Wednesday, about 25% of the Great Lakes are covered in ice; but just four days ago, that number was at 10%. Read the full story by CTV News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-shipping-stalls
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released some highlights from its Great Lakes fisheries program in 2024. The DNR has research stations all over the state that monitor fish populations in the lakes year-round. Their work helps shape policies like those that govern the fish stocking program. Read the full story by WSJM – Benton Harbor, MI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-fisheries-review
The 663-foot Canadian freighter Manitoulin got stuck in the ice on Lake Erie with 17 people on board while departing Buffalo, New York. The U.S. Coast Guard arrived with icebreaking equipment Thursday to begin freeing the vessel. Read the full story by ABC News.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-freighter-trapped
In the six decades since Fisharama began in Superior, Wisconsin, the event has only been cancelled a couple of times: the last two years. This year, the third attempt at the 58th annual Fisharama, lake conditions should be good, though a lack of volunteers presents a different challenge. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-fish-festival
The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup is hosting a free screening of the documentary “All Too Clear” at the University of Windsor on January 29. The documentary utilizes advanced underwater drone technology to examine the impact of invasive quagga mussels on the Great Lakes ecosystem. Read the full story by The Hamilton Spectator.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250124-restoration-film
The Great Lakes Science Advisory Board at the International Joint Commission released the report on how to monitor microplastics in the Great Lakes, including the recommendation that the U.S. and Canada designate microplastics as a “chemical of mutual concern.” Read the full story by Interlochen Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-microplastics
Kristle KLR, a company located in Bayfield, Wisconsin, will no longer be able to bottle water from a well near Lake Superior after the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided to not take up its case. Read the full story by the Center Square.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-wisconsin-bottled-water
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will distribute $1.3 billion to states in 2025 through the federal wildlife and sport fish restoration programs. The Wisconsin DNR is set to receive $38 million. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-fws-apportionment
University of Minnesota Duluth researchers are looking at how to harness the forces produced by Lake Superior’s winter storm waves to generate usable energy. Read the full story by WXPR – Rhinelander, WI.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-wave-energy
The Canadian federal government has announced funding for five freshwater projects as part of the Great Lakes Freshwater Ecosystem Initiative that will address environmental challenges and fulfill commitments under the Canada–U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Read the full story by CJML – Milton, ON.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-harbour-funding
This spring the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will include the once-native Arctic grayling in fish stocking efforts throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Read the full story by the Daily Mining Gazette.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-winter-birds
As temperatures plummet to below zero across Michigan this week, backyard bird enthusiasts who enjoy watching and feeding their feathered visitors may wonder how, or if, they can withstand the harsh conditions. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-winter-birds
Civic opposition and litigation aim to end Line 5 operation given the environmental risks and expenses. Read the full story by Circle of Blue.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-line-5
The extreme cold is making for a fascinating look on Grand Traverse Bay at Traverse City, Michigan, as the surface temperature of the water and Arctic cold air interact and create vapor. Read the full story by MLive.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-lake-michigan-steam
The invasion of sea lampreys in the Great Lakes had devastating impacts on native fish until Vernon Applegate, a scientist and unlikely hero, found a control method. Read the full story by the Michigan Enjoyer.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250122-sea-lamprey
A new study builds on previous research that shows winters on the Great Lakes are growing shorter due to climate change. The Great Lakes have been losing an average of 14 days of winter conditions each decade since 1995 due to warming air temperatures. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-shorter-winter
According to a recent study, recreational fishing in the Great Lakes is worth $5.1 billion, fewer billions than the amount cited for many years. The previous number, compiled by the same firm nearly two decades ago, was $7 billion. Read the full story by Michigan Public.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-fishing-worth
Leaders of three major Great Lakes environmental activist groups said this week they are cautiously optimistic the next four years, while challenging and unpredictable, may not be all that detrimental to the world’s largest collection of fresh surface water. Read the full story by The Blade.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-trump-lakes
The Doug Ford government is pushing for a prospecting rush across northern Ontario, leaving a blanket of mineral claims on land just upstream from Lake Superior where First Nations are still fighting for title. Read the full story by The Narwhal.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-mining-superior
An icebreaker cruise ship set sail on Friday for a frosty journey that will bring passengers along the St. Lawrence River, a new route that tourism officials hope will usher in a new era of winter cruises in Québec. Read the full story by The Canadian Press.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-icebreaker-cruise
While sailing up the Detroit River, Abraham Lincoln observed efforts to free a stranded steamer, which led him to whittle a wooden model of a steamboat with gear that could lift boats grounded in shallow waters. His idea was never commercially produced, but it made Lincoln the only U.S. president to have patented an invention. Read the full story by the Windsor Star.
Great Lakes Commission
https://www.glc.org/dailynews/20250120-lincoln-patent
