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The Great Lakes Fishery Trust Mission
The mission of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) is to provide
funding to nonprofit organizations, education institutions, and government agencies to enhance, protect, and rehabilitate the Great
Lakes fishery. The Trust will manage its resources to
compensate for the lost use and enjoyment of the Lake
Michigan fishery resulting from the operation of the
Ludington Pumped Storage Plant.
Background
The GLFT is an innovative
funding source created in April 1996 as part of the
settlement with Consumers Energy and the Detroit Edison
Company for fish losses caused by the operation of the
Ludington Pumped Storage Plant. The utilities provide
annual compensation to the GLFT for fish losses caused
by the plant. The GLFT provides funding to educational
institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government
agencies for projects related to Great Lakes fisheries
to provide mitigation for the losses. GLFT funds are
used for
- public education relating to the Great Lakes
fishery;
- research on the Great Lakes fishery, with
special emphasis on rehabilitation of lake sturgeon
and lake trout;
- fishery habitat protection and restoration,
with special emphasis on the Muskegon River Watershed; and
- increased fishing access, including land
acquisition and site enhancement, to the Great Lakes
fishery for shore-based angling and tribal fishing.
Since 1998, the GLFT has awarded over
$34 million in grants to 154 projects to enhance the
Great Lakes fishery. Forty-two projects improve angler
or tribal fishing access, 30 provide funding for stewardship
projects, 70 support critical research including scientific
workshops or symposia and habitat restoration, and six
focus efforts in the Muskegon River watershed, and six
are what we call special projects, which don't fit into
the other categories neatly.
Each year the GLFT provides funding for creating,
enhancing, or improving shore-based fishing access. Nonprofit
organizations and government agencies may submit applications
at any time. Applications
and supporting materials are available on this website
or by calling the GLFT offices at (517) 371-7468.
Board
of Trustees, Scientific
Advisory Team, Provisional
Trustees, and Staff |
