The great lakes fishery commission will receive $450,893, and up to $10,437,163, for five projects that will improve the functionality of great lakes habitats to support native fish migration,…

The great lakes fishery commission will receive $450,893, and up to $10,437,163, for five projects that will improve the functionality of great lakes habitats to support native fish migration, reproduction, growth, and refuge, consistent with the national oceanic and atmospheric administrations (NOAA) mission to restore coastal habitats and commitments under the great lakes restoration initiative (GLRI) draft action plan IV focus areas 3 and 4. Guided by environmental principles to protect or restore a variety of functional habitats for fish production in support of formalized fish community objectives, state and tribal agencies within multi-jurisdictional lake committees of the glfc have collaborated during the past six years to systematically identify life stage-specific habitat constraints on native fish production and to prioritize necessary restoration efforts during the next decade in their respective lakes. Implementation of projects in this application package is expected to benefit populations of various fishes, such as state-listed species (lake sturgeon) and targeted species in formal restoration plans (walleye, brook trout, atlantic salmon, yellow perch), as well as species of common concern across each lake basin because these projects directly address priorities that were derived through a rigorous process of linking habitat constraints on fish production to remedial actions. Projects in this package have been developed in close concert with fisheries agency representatives and other partners and will directly contribute to fish production in priority areas identified by the lake committees; projects range from shovel-ready to conceptual, leverage existing funds, assessment, and research surveys, and are sequenced to cumulatively contribute to achievement of fish community objectives across the basin. Over time, improved production of target species is expected to support healthy fish communities and valued fisheries.