GLFT Grant Library

This project enabled resource agencies and the general public to access contact information for tagged lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) still at large throughout the Great Lakes. Researchers developed a lake sturgeon tagging database that includes tag type, tag number, and contact information (phone and email) for tagged lake sturgeon. This database is posted on the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission website to provide interested persons contact information about a tagged lake sturgeon.

Recent assessment strategies for lake sturgeon within the Lake Michigan basin are utilizing Passive Integrated (PIT) Tags to mark individual fish. Unfortunately, only a few agencies were able to 'read' these tags when they were encountered. Funding obtained through this grant was used to acquire 12 Avid-Power Tracker V systems to distribute to seven agencies performing open-water assessments on Lake Michigan. Data collected from this cooperative effort were directed to the Lake Michigan Sturgeon Task Group.

PIs identified markers indicative of genetic predisposition to disease to identify salmonids and whitefish with heightened disease resistance. A mesocosm was used to evaluate performance and disease susceptibility, and role of native and introduced forage fish in pathogen dissemination.

This project located sites for lake trout restoration at Lake Michigan’s Southern Refuge. In years one and two researchers used a remotely-operated vehicle and beam trawling to identify spawning sites and began qualitative evaluation (presence/absence) of egg deposition density and fry production. In year two and continuing into year three researchers evaluated sites using quantitative techniques adapted from well-established scuba methodology. Results were used to suggest further management options.

This project completed laboratory studies for validation and standardization of methods for detecting and quantifying the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in Great Lakes salmonid fishes. Although BKD is believed to be a significant factor in declines of Lake Michigan Chinook salmon, accurate assessment of impacts of BKD on Great Lakes salmonids, and effectiveness of control measures, cannot be made without standardized detection methods that are sensitive, specific, and reliable.

Lake whitefish have historically been an important commercial species harvested from Lake Michigan. Recent declines in lake whitefish growth and condition have been attributed to reductions in their primary prey, the amphipod Diporeia. The loss of this high-quality food source may result in lower growth and survival of juveniles during the first year of life. By examining these relationships, the goal of this research was to improve our ability to predict year-class strength of lake whitefish populations.

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians contracted with Abrams Aerial Photography to photograph the nearshore area of Grand Traverse Bay. As a result of this work 147 photos were produced. With this grant, the tribe purchased a GIS workstation and contracted with a local company for GIS training and to convert the photos into digital format for GIS mapping. These results are being used to delineate the nearshore habitat types and the data are available to local agencies for land use planning.

Fisheries Learning On the Web (Project FLOW) enhanced Great Lakes science education by transforming existing, award-winning curriculum into a series of Web-based lessons for Michigan science teachers and their students. This online science education project uses the Great Lakes as a teaching resource, engaging students in activities about fisheries and stewardship. Lessons were developed in accordance with state standards and included colorful graphics. Project FLOW facilitates learning in an accessible, cost-effective way.

Michigan United Conservation Clubs dedicated nine editions of Tracks TM to Great Lakes fisheries issues as identified by the Great Lakes Fisheries Trust. Tracks is a magazine targeted for upper elementary youth which has been published by MUCC for 26 years. Five thousand free subscriptions of Tracks were made available to organizations and individuals who purchased a second year.

Budget cuts in 2004 forced state agencies to stop all periodical subscriptions. This grant enabled the DNR Institute For Research (IFR) to acquire library reference materials for 2004 to support Great Lakes fisheries research and management, and to provide materials for public education concerning Great Lakes fisheries.

This project resulted in the creation of a website that now provides an easy means for educators to identify, select, and access Great Lakes education resources and to obtain assistance with specific questions by networking with other educators and providers. This website meets the Great Lakes education needs of formal, nonformal, and informal educators.

This grant enabled the purchase of a 409-acre wetland and surrounding upland known as Humbug Marsh on the Detroit River. This parcel will ultimately be conveyed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services as part of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. GLFT funds joined with several federal, state, private, and corporate donations for the purchase of the property.

Funds were used to support the development of a business plan for the Great lakes Discovery Center including preliminary design, marketing and business plan, and program elements.

This project enhanced an interactive web-based GIS application and meta-database of Great Lakes lake sturgeon information. The updated database and GIS were used to enhance the existing maps and database developed for the 2000 and 2002 GLFT Lake Sturgeon Workshops. We have compiled the available lake sturgeon data sources to help focus restoration and research activities on priority lake sturgeon waters. Lake sturgeon researchers are the intended audience; however, it will also be useful to natural resource managers, biologists and those interested in sturgeon research throughout the Great Lakes Basin.

All preliminary requirements to initiate research efforts have been completed. A graduate research assistant was selected and undergraduate technician hired. In March, Sutton and the GRA organized a meeting held in Menominee and gave a presentation entitled “Assessment of LS habitat availability in N. LM tributaries” which introduced the project objectives and methodology to members of the Fox River Natural Resource Damage Assessment, WI and MI DNRs, and USFWS. Following the meeting discussion, the sampling methodology and prioritization of river systems were finalized. Results from sampling will then be used to develop decision tools to determine appropriate LS rehabilitation strategies in each system.

This grant produced a high-quality brochure that was distributed to all shoreline property owners along Saginaw and Grand Traverse Bays.The brochure included information on West Nile virus, property values associated with vegetated beaches versus "groomed" beaches, fish and wildlife habitat values of coastal marshes, and economic values of intact coastal wetlands.

With support from the GLFT, the City of Frankfort constructed an ADA compliant shore-based fishing pier in April of 2004. The structure is located West of the Frankfort Municipal Marina on Betsie Lake and was part of a larger beachfront restoration project. The structure is connected to the Betsie Valley Trail, other city amenities, and Lake Michigan via a paved bike path. The pier officially opened in May of 2004 upon completion of the public access bike path and is maintained by the City of Frankfort Recreation Department.

This project included construction of a fishing platform and fishermen access to the banks of the Betsie River during renovation of the Railroad Causeway Bridge, which runs over the Betsie River near Elberta. This was part of a $1.7 million project to complete the Betsie Valley Trail from Frankfort to the Railroad Point Natural Area on Crystal Lake.

The goal of this project was to estimate the number of mature whitefish that die annually from natural causes in two populations from both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in each of three years. Health-related data were gathered on whitefish sampled from these populations, and these data were used to identify possible mechanisms for that mortality, using a comparative approach.

This project produced a lake trout spawning habitat map, via multibeam sonar and sidescan sonar, that has facilitated ROV (unmanned submersible)-based studies of lake trout reproduction at Lake Michigan’s Southern Refuge. Via ROV we have been able to confirm egg deposition at steep dropoffs, at depths of about 50 meters. The dropoff habitat is abundant at the Southern Refuge, and a map of part of this habitat has greatly facilitated finding the best available habitat for study and future rehabilitation efforts.

This project addressed early mortality syndrome (EMS) in Great Lakes predatory fish from a biochemical perspective, and had two major objectives: 1) purify and characterize thiaminase, the presumed causative agent of EMS, derived from alewife; and 2) develop new tools for the rapid identification and quantification of thiaminase.

The project included acquiring the original printing files, transferring them to a format compatible with the printing company, updating information, printing, postage to mail approximately 65,000 to the membership of MUCC as a supplement to the monthly magazine Michigan-Out-of Doors, and freight to deliver the remaining 35,000 copies to MUCC for distribution at events.

This grant funded activities to stabilize dune erosion along the White Lake Channel Pier’s south side in Fruitland Township. At the start of the project, after windy days, the sand was often 2 feet deep on the pier. With the installation of the snow fence and dune grass planting, the dune stabilized and sand did not cover the pier. During the summer of 2006, no sand was shoveled or swept from the pier by Fruitland Township.

Salmon in the Classroom is a hands-on K-12 curriculum for teachers, classrooms and sponsoring organizations willing to put in intensive work on raising fish, studying water quality, watersheds and conservation, and on the importance of fisheries conservation and management in Michigan waters of the Great Lakes.

The grant money from the GLFT was used to conduct an eneginerring study and environmental assessment on a parcel of Lake St. Clair property where the MDNR sought to enhance shoreline fishing opprotunities and restore native vegetation. 

This grant produced a book on the Muskegon River watershed including its history and current direction of restoration efforts.

Human activities in coastal areas influence nearshore ecosystems, although spatial scales of response by nearshore communities are largely unknown. Such community responses are key for effective ecosystem management of Great Lakes nearshore areas. The goal of this study was to identify differences in fish and prey populations in response to local and larger-scale environmental properties of shoreline areas along the eastern Lake Michigan coastline.

The goal of this project was to determine whether the availability of essential fatty acids to yellow perch has been affected by the changing food web and contributed to poor recruitment of this important sport fish. Changes in the food web (e.g., exotic species), as well as increased UV light penetration, may have altered amounts of essential nutrients available in the ecosystem.

Bacterial kidney disease (BKD), caused by Renibacterium salmoninarum, is a devastating disease of Great Lakes salmonids. Researchers for this project enhanced diagnosis of BKD by developing sensitive molecular probes that will differentiate between virulent and avirulent strain(s). This new diagnostic procedure will be useful in epizootiological surveys and disease control. Ultimately, this will facilitate better management of salmon fisheries in the Great Lakes and lower the prevalence of clinical BKD outbreaks.

Early mortality syndrome (EMS) causes massive mortality to many salmonid species in Lakes Michigan and Ontario. In this project researchers studied the etiology of EMS using an extensive fish health investigation and novel cDNA microarray (“gene chip”) technology, which has revolutionized human disease research and diagnosis. The same cDNA microarray would be a novel resource to study fish health, toxicology, and nutrition.

The Manistee River, with good potential habitat and a sturgeon population of remnant historic numbers, is highly suitable for sturgeon rehabilitation. Evidence suggests poor recruitment and an insufficient spawner population are the culprits. This study focused on lake sturgeon recruitment in the Manistee River by monitoring egg deposition, larval drift, juvenile dispersal, and habitat utilization, and determined critical habitat for these life stages.

Rehabilitation of lake sturgeon in the Lake Michigan basin requires an understanding of the historical distribution and relative abundance of sturgeon within the basin. Similarly, understanding how barriers limit movement by sturgeon from current populations to previously available habitat requires an understanding of historical distribution of sturgeon within tributary systems. This project built on previous compilations of anecdotal data through completion of an intensive library search of historic documents.

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust sponsored the Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem Education Networking Conference on May 5-6, 2003, in East Lansing, Michigan. The overall purpose of the networking conference was to assist the GLFT Board in developing and focusing its efforts in support of Great Lakes fisheries and ecosystem education throughout the region.

The Black River Access improvement project provided angler access amenities and general improvements along a 765-foot stretch of the Black River, just upstream of Lake Michigan. The site serves the City of South Haven and its surrounding regions.

The Lake Michigan Oval Park improvement project was a community effort led by Benona Township to improve and beautify public access to this fishermen’s hot spot. The project consisted of three tasks: the construction of a fish landing/deck, replacement of a portion of the deteriorating seawall, and construction of restroom/refuse shelters.

Grant funds were used to stabilize the eroding shoreline, increase fishing access, and enhance the fishing habitat at Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan, along the Detroit River.

This project consisted of three related components: construction of three demonstration lake sturgeon spawning reefs, a public education program, and a robust monitoring program. The project's goal was to enhance a healthy and self-sustaining population of lake sturgeon in the river. This project had a consortium of federal, state, university, local, and nongovernmental agencies and organizations assisting with meeting goals.

Two additional fishing piers were added to the park as a result of this project. Each pier is 16 feet wide and 18 feet long, and amenities include barrier-free access benches, handicapped-parking, and lighting.

This project tells the story of the Big Rapids Dam Removal project with a PowerPoint CD presentation that can be given to any community, along with a companion booklet.

The McKay Bay access site improvement project enhanced tribal and nontribal fishing opportunities in northern Lake Huron. The enhancements are for both recreational anglers and commercial fishing vessels at McKay Bay.

The Beaver Island dock expansion project enabled tribal trap net fishing vessels to access the commercial fishery targeting whitefish.

This project helped promote understanding of the impacts of dreissenid and cladococera invaders on lower-lakes fish communities and forecasting invasion impacts on upper-lakes fish communities.

This project promoted better understanding of Great Lakes fisheries and factors required to sustain this natural resource by providing materials, training, and support for teachers and volunteer mentors who work with youth in schools, sport fishing clubs, and locally sponsored sport fishing events. This project indirectly provided better access to resource users and promoted active stewardship of Great Lakes fisheries among youth and families. It accomplished these goals through exciting interactive learning materials, long-term learning experiences with mentors and clubs, and Family Fun Fishing Festivals.

This project expanded the White Lake pier by adding additional feet on both sides.

This project facilitated communication and coordination between biologists, managers, and researchers working toward lake sturgeon rehabilitation in the Great Lakes through annual meetings. The project included a two-day meeting: the first day was for sharing research and management activities, confirming or identifying priority research needs, and enhancing collaboration; the second day focused on a technical issue or information gap.

The goal of this project was to determine the age-specific diet and energy density of lake whitefish on a seasonal basis, as well as the seasonal energy density of major food types of lake whitefish.

This project focused on the distribution, movement patterns, and requirements of early life stages of lake sturgeon in relation to availability and utilization of physical, chemical, and biological resources in the lower Peshtigo River, Wisconsin, and inner waters of Green Bay, Lake Michigan.

Throughout the Great Lakes Basin, remnant stocks of lake sturgeon exist at low abundance. Traditional fish sampling and assessment methods are marginally effective for these populations and can lead to fish mortality. Lake sturgeon congregate each spring when they spawn in large rivers. Nonlethal hydroacoustic technology, successfully used to count salmon in Pacific Northwest river systems, was used to evaluate the lake sturgeon population in the Sturgeon River, Michigan, and then applied to evaluation of the Muskegon River population.

The project quantified the relative effects of lake physics (meso-scale circulation features, small-scale turulence, turbidity, water temperature) on distributions, survival, feeding, growth, and potential recruitment of young alewife and yellow perch.