GLFT Grant Library

Western Fisheries Research Center used laboratory challenges to compare the effects of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) on important native and introduced Great Lakes species including salmonids (e.g., lake trout, Chinook). New detection tools for water or tissue samples were developed and validated. Nonlethal sampling methods and serological assays were tested. Results and recommendations were presented at workshops. The information and tools from the project are critical to our furthering our understanding of VHSV in the Great Lakes.

The comprehensive genetic database for breeding populations of lake sturgeon collected by researchers was used to identify the natal origin of lake sturgeon collected from river and open-water habitats across the upper Great Lakes. Additional goals incuded identifing occupancy of critical nearshore and open-water habitats, identifing habitat characteristics that facilitate dispersal, and identifing populations at risk from exploitation or from catastrophic natural or anthropogenic events.

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) causes significant fry mortality in salmonine and may limit their abundance in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario. Biologists have found strong evidence that links EMS to thiamin deficiency in Great Lakes salmonines. Michigan State University's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife induced thiamin deficiency and then analyzed expression of 10K genes in salmonines embryos with a cDNA microarray (gene chip). Biomarkers developed from these experiments are used as a diagnostic of thiamin deficiency in feral fish.

Through a combination of field and laboratory studies, this project sought to evaluate how fatty acid signatures can provide time-integrated and energy-based depictions of food web structure. Researchers developed a fatty acid signature library of available prey for two target species, lake trout and yellow perch, both of which exhibit poor reproductive success in Lake Michigan. They also assessed how changes in nutritional fatty acids, linked to food web changes, can affect reproductive success of both species.

This is a two-year study was aimed at improving understanding of movement patterns and seasonal distributions of lake trout populations in Lake Michigan. Researchers derived effort-corrected and statistically based estimates utilizing existing data from coded-wire-tag (CWT) recoveries. Results from the study aids restoration efforts and helps in achieving management objectives defined in lake trout restoration plans.

University of Notre Dame determined how introduced Pacific salmon affect food web composition, energy flow, and contaminant biotransport in Great Lakes tributary streams. Impacts will be assessed by measuring the responses of algae, macroinvertebrates, and native stream fish to salmon spawners, including the incorporation of nutrients and pollutants transported by salmon. The results of this project helps Great Lakes states and provinces preserve native stream communities that might otherwise be altered by introduced Pacific salmon.

This grant money was given to Kalkaska for Kalkaska County Conservation Easement Transfers.

The Dair Creek Fish Passage Project provided the following habitat and species benefits:
1) full fish passage to brook and brown trout, steelhead, and salmon to 8 miles of heavily forested, coldwater habitat in Dair Creek; 2) restored creek flows to almost a quarter mile of original streambed that has been dry; and 3) prevented additional erosion of the man-made channel due to the current condition of the barrier and the steep embankments that were established when the channel was originally excavated.

This grant supported the following activities and products:
(1) Two teacher professional development institutes were held in Traverse City and Muskegon reaching 29 teachers. The institutes focused on methods for place-based education (PBE) instruction.
(2) A toolkit was developed featuring resources, templates, products, and strategies to help hubs established by the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative (GLSI) begin and improve their work in the field. A copy of the toolkit is available on the GLFT website.
(3) Consultants expert in fundraising were retained to develop a "case for support" for PBE. A Donor Engagement Guide was developed containing a seven-step process by which new hubs may create their own cases for support for their work. The guide helps hubs clearly describe the PBE philosophy and goals all hubs share, identify their own unique attributes and potential funding sources, and engage different types of funders using creative methods and techniques. The guide is available on the GLFT website.

Through the generosity of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust and matching input from the City of Ecorse, the old, decaying boardwalk at Dingell Park, on the Detroit River, has been completely refurbished, and transformed into the John D. Dingell Riverwalk, thus beautifying the park and allowing greater fishing access for local anglers.

An ADA-accessible walkway was constructed on the Lake Michigan beach in the City of Frankfort. It was constructed in three sections with 8-inch-thick reinforced concrete placed on 6-inch compacted-in-place gravel. Section 1 is 12 feet by 310 feet and extends from Sac Street to the ACOE breakwall. Section 2 is 8 feet by 420 feet and connects the Lake Michigan beach parking area to Section 1 at Sac Street. Section 3 is 8 feet by 175 feet and connects Miami Street to Sac Street. Visitors can access the walkway from four different ADA-compliant points. The site has free parking, restrooms, a footwash station, swingsets, benches, trash receptacles, and educational signage about the dangers of waves and surges along with safety rules associated with the pier.

This project provided barrier-free access to excellent recreational fishing through the construction of a walkway and related facilities to the south pier of Portage Lake on Lake Michigan, a pier maintained by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. As a result of the GLFT-funded project, there is now a 8-foot-by-656-foot barrier-free fishing access/walkway made of reinforced concrete at the site, with a 2-foot wide aggregate shoulder on each side. 2,719 square feet of rip rap was also laid. Disabled parking is available.

This is a multimedia education project, and includes a documentary film on the Great Lakes, a website, museum exhibit, and complementary educational publications.

The project is a book of literary journalism that documents a year spent living on the shores of the Great Lakes. It provides a vivid portrait of a unique, beautiful, and threatened place that is among the greatest natural treasures of the world yet remains poorly understood by most people. In addition to illustrating the qualities that make the Great Lakes unique, the book addresses environmental challenges that have grown more urgent since publication of the author’s award-winning book, The Living Great Lakes (St. Martin’s Press, 2003). The project is finished and should be published in late 2010 or early 2011.

Over the course of three years, Wheelin' Sportsmen NWTF held 10 events that provided angler education, access information, and equipment to 574 children with disabilities in Grand Haven and Muskegon, Michigan.  Participant surveys, administered one year after the event, indicated that 40 percent had never participated in fishing activities before the event, 25 percent did not know before the event that Michigan had barrier-free public fishing opportunities, 62 percent learned new skills and/or stewardship techniques, and 75 percent participated in fishing again following the event.

The Bete Grise Wetlands project was a multi-partner effort to secure conservation protection for 1,875 acres of Great Lakes fishery habitat through land acquisition coupled with a long-term joint management agreement among partner organizations. A combination of USFWS, NOAA, and private funds completed protection of 1,104 acres of the Bete Grise Wetlands, and the Nature Conservancy used this match funding to secure the remaining 771 acres.

Sources and trophic transfer pathways of thiaminase in food webs have not been characterized. The project identified species (including plankton, benthos, and fish) and trophic pathways associated with thiaminase in Great Lakes food webs. Identification of thiaminase sources and their trophic pathways is required for the development of management strategies to mitigate Thiamine Deficiency Complex. They surveyed all trophic levels at one site three times to identify sources of thiaminase and pathways of thiaminase transfer.

Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences tested the hypothesis that low Diporeia abundance caused by dreissenid invasion is associated with poorer diets and slower-growing, low-condition lake whitefish. The diet-condition link was examined by stable isotope analyses of whitefish from Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Superior, along a spectrum from invaded with complete Diporeia loss (Erie), to invaded with partial Diporeia loss (Michigan), to uninvaded with no Diporeia loss (Superior).

This project completed laboratory testing and began field evaluation of nonlethal and environmental sampling methods for detecting the agent of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in Great Lakes salmonid fishes and water, respectively. Nonlethal detection methods that enable monitoring of performance and survival of fish after testing, and methods for monitoring the pathogen in the environment, enhance evaluation of the impacts of this important pathogen on Great Lakes salmonids.

An important strategic plan for the management and restoration of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes is to determine when and where to stock lake sturgeon, and what is the proper life stage of lake sturgeon for stocking. However, this issue cannot be properly addressed without knowledge of olfactory imprinting in this species. In this study, we will use cellular and molecular biology tools to study olfactory development and determine the critical period for olfactory memory imprinting in lake sturgeon.

Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes basin needs to consider both the demographic and genetic response to management actions. Actions to rapidly rebuild abundance (e.g., intensive stocking) may have negative genetic consequences, but insufficient management may result in population extirpation. The goal of this project wasto develop a model that represents the genetics and demographics of lake sturgeon, and use that model to evaluate stocking strategies that could be used for lake sturgeon rehabilitation.

This workshop/summit was designed to stimulate and inform economic research on the growing problem of invasive species in Lake Michigan. The summit brought university ecologists and economists together with policymakers from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, USFWS, EPA, and Great Lakes agencies to foster dialogue and collaborations, and to stimulate research informed by real agency concerns and needs.

The project measured the economic effects (expenditures and value) of recreational fishing on Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes. An economic model of the demand for recreational fishing on Lake Michigan was developed using the travel cost method. Primary angler data was collected in Michigan and a mix of primary and secondary data collected for other states. In addition to providing contemporary economic baseline data, the model permits managers to assess the economic effects of fishery decisions.

Although PIT tags are a principal component of sturgeon assessment and management many agencies that target or encounter sturgeon lack the capability to detect or implant PIT tags, missing opportunities to share data. This grant money was used to purchase two types of readers and tagging supplies; these were distributed to 12 agencies with 17 offices. Data is being exchanged through the Sturgeon Tag Database and at Sturgeon Coordination Meetings.

The mechanism of sex determination in lake sturgeon is unknown, but is almost certainly genetic. If so, then it should be possible to develop a DNA test to sex fin clips, blood, or other tissue samples collected from live individuals. Purdue University's Dept. of Forestry and Nat. Resources developed an inexpensive and accurate genetic test that can sex lake sturgeon from nearly any tissue sample. This research will greatly enhance efforts to describe lake sturgeon distribution, abundance, and genetic variability.

This project was a continuation of GLFT support of Tip of the Mitt's coastal wetland landowner education campaign. Grant funds were used to produce a brochure summarizing a MDEQ report that evaluates Great Lakes bottomland grooming activities and describes the ecological impacts on the affected areas. The brochure was distributed to the same 10,000 shoreline property owners whose homes are located on some of the most important and threatened coastal wetland systems.

The Great Lakes Radio Consortium (GLRC), a free environmental news service for public radio stations nationwide, produced the Great Lakes Fishery Series. These eight radio stories were designed to educate the public on fishery habitat, fish populations and health, angling access, and the integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem. In addition to producing these stories and distributing them to 145 radio stations, the GLRC compiled a CD for educational distribution.

This project continued the support NMC in its effort to assist the GLFT in exploring the potential for a GLFT place-based education (PBE) initiative. Local and national place-based education, as well as Michigan stakeholders, were engaged in the development phase. NMC produced a document that summarized the research and input from experts and strategic partners, including a recommended infrastructure, organizational, and implementation plan for a place-based education initiative in Michigan. The GLFT Board is using this information to determine the length and level of financial commitment to this initiative. The document is also used to educate and leverage assets of other funders that might join the Trust in supporting place-based education.

This multi-year grant supported the process to determine the future of four dams on the Boardman River and helps build the capacity of organizations' involvement with the management of the river's watershed.

The Trust and Commission, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), funded an evaluation and synthesis of methods for identifying and quantifying critical fisheries habitat for Great Lakes lower riverine and nearshore zones. The work was carried out through a contract administered by the Commission with the University of Michigan.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy constructed a three-and-one-half-mile pathway along the Detroit River known as the Detroit RiverWalk. This is a dedicated pedestrian trail that provides recreational use, habitat restoration, and public education. Detroit River fishing access is an important element of the Conservancy's mission. With GLFT funding, the Conservancy provided designated and separated access that caters to anglers. It enhanced two distinct access sites along the RiverWalk that are identified for angler use.

The project resulted in two side-by-side floating docks attached to tribal property adjacent to a LTBB-owned fish market in Mackinaw City. One side is a 16-feet wide working tribal commercial fishing dock capable of mooring three 60-foot vessels and a research or patrol vessel. The other is an 8-foot wide public recreation fishing dock. The two sides are separated by a 3-foot tall center railing equipped with downward facing lighting fixtures. The public side has two 8-foot fishing bump outs and is handicap accessible (the last bump out has a 10-foot section of low railing to allow wheelchair-bound anglers access over the rail). The dock is a total of 295 feet in length. There are four parking spaces along the shore-side terminus of the dock and ample parking within walking distance.

The Wilder River Walk located at the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve was constructed along the Muskegon River, near the mouth where it empties into Muskegon Lake. The Wilder River Walk is 985 feet long and 10 feet wide with an additional 400-foot extension spur into the Muskegon Lake Nature Preserve that connects to the nature preserve asphalt bike trail. In addition, seven fishing platforms were constructed along the 985 foot boardwalk; these cantilever 6 feet toward the water from the already 10 foot-wide boardwalk.

The funds from this grant helped build five handicapped-accessible fishing piers on the Kalamazoo River at the village of New Richmond in Allegan County. It also helped with the construction of boardwalks and trails to access the fishing piers. Educational signs and kiosks about the Lake Sturgeon in the river system and other aquatic fauna that can be found in and around the river are also included at the site.

The 10th Street Pier project converted a hazardous attractive nuisance into a facility that allows access to Little Bay de Noc and provides quality shore-fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages and abilities.

This project explored aquatic ecological separation of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins at Chicago with the long-term goal of preventing the inter-basin transfer of aquatic species. The project developed effective and feasible scenarios and implementation strategies for separation of the two basins. These scenarios included consideration of engineering, economic, and ecological factors.

Biologists and researchers from the Lake Michigan basin continue to work together to rehabilitate lake sturgeon in Lake Michigan. Streamside rearing facilities (SRF) have been identified as the preferred tool to use for stocking sturgeon in both extirpated and remnant sturgeon populations in Lake Michigan streams. This project will provided a critical evaluation of SRF while promoting lake sturgeon rehabilitation in four Lake Michigan streams. Additional collaboration/contacts for this project included the Wisconsin and Michigan Departments of Natural Resources and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.

The goal of this project was to develop models of the multiple host-pathogen system of Renibacterium salmoninarum, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), using modeling methods developed for terrestrial diseases. Researchers used analysis of a hierarchy of models that included alternative vectors for pathogen transmission to identify important parameters to estimate in future field studies and to explore interactions between fishery management and disease dynamics.

Harvesting of fish stocks removes individuals based upon traits including size, behavior, and location. Selective harvesting could therefore alter genetic composition and negatively affect growth, maturation schedules, and whole stock productive capacity. Lake Michigan lake whitefish are selectively harvested based on size. Researchers evaluated whether whitefish maturation schedules have changed over time, estimated genetically based effects of selective harvesting, and provide recommendations for minimizing these effects.

Early life stage mortality in salmonines of the Great Lakes continues to be problematic. Thiamine deficiency, related to the thiaminase content of planktivorous alewives, has been causally linked to early life stage mortality. The factors responsible for spatial and temporal differences in thiaminase in the food web that influence thiaminase in alewives are unidentified. This project was designed to assess the dynamics of planktonic thiaminase and determine the risk of current levels to juvenile lake trout.

NOAA (National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species) and USGS (Center for Aquatic Resource Studies), working with university colleagues, accelerated construction of the Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS). Capitalizing on advanced distributed database technology, GLANSIS provided images, GIS-derived distribution maps, current biological information, and other resources online. GLANSIS is the centerpiece of the first one-stop resource for information on all documented nonindigenous species in the Great Lakes.

Protection and rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes requires an understanding of the relationship among mortality and recruitment factors. As a result, there was a need to identify and quantify the sources of mortality that act on early life stages and determine how they influence lake sturgeon populations. This research aids recovery efforts for lake sturgeon populations in Lake Michigan by examining these parameters within the context of ongoing and future rehabilitation activities.

The Great Lakes Water Studies Institute (GLWSI) at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) undertook a short-term, comprehensive study about integrating place-based education, professional development for teachers, and community partnerships as a strategy to increase stewardship of the Great Lakes. Such an integration, properly designed and implemented, has the power to engage people of all ages in meaningful work that is conducted in real-world settings and focuses on issues that are relevant to daily life.

Grant funds were used to construct an 8-foot-by-617-foot boardwalk at the North Shore Boat Launch in Wells Township; it is ADA-compliant and accessible from a previously existing paved parking area. A FabWright fish cleaning station, 960 linear feet of toe kick plates, and four dusk-to-dawn light fixtures on steel poles were also installed.

The City of Holland, with support from the GLFT, completed a 1,512-foot-long walkway along the Lake Macatawa waterfont on the west end of Kollen Park. The project included five fishing decks with accessible railings, as well as other amenities including lighting, site furniture, and utility structures. The walkway is constructed with steel piling support, recycled wood decking, and metal railings. Multiple parking lots are connected to the structure by concrete walkways. Other amenities at the site include daytime boat slips, boat launches, bathrooms, a playground, a band shell, trailer parking, a gazebo, and picnic facilities.

The Huron County Road Commission, in cooperation with the GLFT, completed the Bird Creek Park recreational shore fishing project. The site is located in the Village of Port Austin along the Bird Creek River in Bird Creek County Park. Improvements included the construction of four fishing platforms connected by a barrier-free sidewalk linked to the existing boardwalk and parking area. To complement the fishing platforms, 200 feet of fish lunkers were built in front of each platform. The fish lunkers were constructed of white oak timbers built into the side of the river bank. These lunkers will provide a refuge for all species of fish in the river. Rip rap and native plants were also added to stabilize the river bank.

Successful restoration of lake sturgeon throughout the Great Lakes requires knowledge of fundamental but little-known aspects of the species' early life history and of the impacts of proposed restoration activities on remnant populations. Restoration of remnant or extirpated populations will likely necessitate supplementation. Researchers conducted replicated experiments addressing the efficacy of alternative supplementation strategies for use in the Great Lakes basin.

Biologists and researchers from throughout the region are continuing collaborative efforts to determine the current status of remnant lake sturgeon populations in Lake Michigan. Historically, sturgeon were abundant in Lake Michigan and reproduced in many rivers. Populations declined rapidly in the late 1800s due to habitat loss, degraded water quality, and overfishing. Knowledge of current sturgeon distribution, abundance, and reproduction is critical to furthering conservation and rehabilitation efforts for the species

Managers are seeking techniques to increase reproductive success of sturgeon stocks while maintaining natural population performance attributes. Knowledge gaps exist in evaluating methods for rehabilitating remnant stocks, especially considering performance differences between wild and reared fish of similar genetic makeup. This study evaluated a streamside rearing program in rehabilitating remnant sturgeon stocks by comparing growth, habitat use, movement, and parental contribution of reared sturgeon to wild.

This project developed DNA markers that can identify the sex of lake sturgeon from nearly any tissue sample at any life history stage. This research greatly enhanced ongoing efforts to describe lake sturgeon distribution, abundance, and genetic variability.