News
Great Lakes states and provinces to host eighth annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz
Ann Arbor, Michigan — Organizations across the region will come together to educate the public about aquatic invasive species (AIS) during the eighth annual Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz, to be held June 29 through July 12, 2026. Volunteers will engage with boaters to demonstrate how to identify, report, and prevent the spread of AIS, which are recognized as one of the most significant threats to the ecologic and economic health of the Great Lakes. This annual event is coordinated through an international partnership of Indigenous, federal, state, provincial, and local agencies with the support of the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) and other partner organizations.
“Aquatic invasive species pose a significant threat to the Great Lakes ecosystem and economy, and addressing that challenge requires a coordinated regional response,” said GLC Chair Tim Bruno, Great Lakes Program Coordinator at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. “The Great Lakes Commission is proud to continue coordinating the Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz in partnership with our member states and provinces. By working together to prevent the unintentional spread of invasive species, we can help safeguard the Great Lakes and the communities, industries, and wildlife that depend on them.”
Last year’s Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz reached 130,000 people at 1,300 public and private boat landings across the region. As boaters return to the water this summer, it is imperative that they clean, drain, and dry their boats and gear, and for anglers to properly dispose of any unused bait in the trash.
For more information on the Great Lakes AIS Landing Blitz, including educational materials, location, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.glc.org/blitz.
The Great Lakes Commission, led by chair Timothy Bruno, Great Lakes Program Coordinator at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, is a binational government agency established in 1955 to protect the Great Lakes and the economies and ecosystems they support. Its membership includes leaders from the eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces in the Great Lakes basin. The GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes and brings the region together to work on issues that no single community, state, province, or nation can tackle alone. Learn more at www.glc.org.