Great Lakes Daily News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.