Background

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT or trust) is a private charitable foundation. Since its creation in April of 1996, the trust has awarded nearly $22 million in grants for 79 projects as mitigation for fish losses that occur at the Ludington Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Facility jointly owned by Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison. As part of the court settlement that created the GLFT, the utilities capitalized the trust fund with $5 million and 10,600 acres of land to compensate for fish losses that occurred prior to the settlement. In addition, the utilities provide compensation ranging between $2.5 million and $3 million for annual fish losses. The GLFT invests the compensation payments and proceeds from land sales to support the operation of the trust and its grant programs.

Grant funds are awarded for projects in five categories:

• Education relating to the Great Lakes fishery, targeting information to help build stewardship for a sustainable fishery
• Protection and restoration of Great Lakes fishery habitat, including Great Lakes tributaries
  Research on the Great Lakes fishery, with special emphasis on enhancing the management of the fishery and rehabilitating lake trout and lake sturgeon populations
• Fishing access development for shore-based angling and tribal fishing access, including land acquisition and site enhancement
• Special projects that are consistent with the mission of the GLFT

A variety of grantees have received funding from the GLFT since its inception in 1996. Exhibit 1 shows the proportion of funding by type of organization/agency.

The GLFT has funded 29 fishing access projects, eight education projects, 26 fishery research projects, 8 projects related to restoration of lake sturgeon, 6 projects in the Muskegon River watershed, and 2 habitat restoration/protection projects. Exhibit 2 displays the percentage of funds allocated by grant categories.

The GLFT has used a variety of approaches to solicit proposals for funding. Online applications and funding requirements are now available, in addition to methods used in the past, such as soliciting potential grantees via mail, e-mail, and Web-based listservs. Each year, the GLFT Scientific Advisory Team evaluates and updates funding priorities, which in 2002 included fish health, recruitment, and a special focus on lake whitefish and food web disruption.