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Great Lakes Daily News is a collection of news articles of interest to the Great Lakes community, curated by Great Lakes Commission staff. This valuable service provides a selection of recent coverage of Great Lakes issues from professional media outlets in the United States and Canada. Subscribers receive a email digest, making it easy and convenient to keep up with important regional news. Sign up now to get Great Lakes Daily News in your inbox!
All views and opinions presented are solely those of the author or attributed source, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Great Lakes Commission or its party states and provinces.
Latest Daily News
Spreading ice in Detroit region leads to ice cutters, jam fears and ice fishing
The long-term cold spell that has settled over Michigan has quickly expanded the ice cover on the Great Lakes and other waterways, forcing vessels to adapt, creating fears of ice jams and providing leisure activities for those wanting to take advantage of the thick ice. Read the full story by The Detroit News.
Counting burbot
Researchers are partnering with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to gather information on awareness, values and preferences for recreational burbot fishing within the Lake Superior basin. Read the full story by the Daily Mining Gazette.
Stricter ballast rules on freighters demanded to protect Great Lakes from invasive species
To prevent further spread of potentially catastrophic invasive species in the Great Lakes, the Canadian government is moving forward with tighter restrictions on all freighters. Read the full story by the Chicago Tribune.
Shifting sands: Where exactly are Michigan’s ‘critical’ dunes these days?
State officials are currently working to fully document the beauty, vastness, and variety of Michigan’s dunes with an enormous scientific project that could carry legal implications for coastal areas and the ability to build near them. Read the full story by MLive.
Fully frozen Lake Erie shuts down lake-effect snow for the winter
Lake Erie is completely frozen over, with surveys showing an average ice thickness of about one foot, according to the U.S. Coast Guard website. The formation poses both opportunities and risks as winter settles in for the season. Read the full story by the Star Beacon.
UToledo Ecologists Lend Research Support to Sturgeon Reintroduction Efforts
An incidental catch of a lake sturgeon is rare. But it’s less of an angler’s tall tale than it once was, thanks to a collaborative effort to bring this legendary species back to the waters where it once swam abundantly in the eastern and central United States and Canada. Read the full story by The Toledo Blade.
Benton Harbor residents can sue over lead-tainted water, court rules
Benton Harbor residents and business owners can push forward on their lawsuit alleging the state of Michigan knowingly subjected people in the southwestern Michigan town to lead-tainted water for years, according to a new ruling from the state Court of Appeals. Read the full story by the Detroit Free Press.
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge crossings drop in 2025
The Sault St. Marie International Bridge that crosses between the United States and Canada over the St. Marys River experienced a 23.8% decrease over the past year during a time of heightened political tensions. Read the full story by WCMU Public Media.
Trump’s trade war took a toll on shipments in the Twin Ports last year
Cargo shipments at the Port of Duluth-Superior slumped last year due to headwinds driven by unfavorable market trends, shifting trade lanes and President Donald Trump’s trade war. Read the full story by Wisconsin Public Radio.
What to know about the court ruling on public access to Lake Michigan
A Shorewood Municipal Court judge has ruled in favor of allowing less public beach access along Lake Michigan in Wisconsin – but the issue may not be settled yet. The case garnered attention as Wisconsin’s chance to finally settle the issue of where public access to Lake Michigan ends and where private landowners’ rights begin. Read the full story by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.