14 Great Lakes Fishery Commission Hails U.S. Increase For Great Lakes Sea Lamprey Control Ann Arbor, MI The Great Lakes Fishery Commission today hailed the just-completed U.S. Federal budget as a victory for the health of the Great Lakes fishery and the millions of people who rely on it for food, recreation, and aesthetic beauty. Sea lampreys invaded the Great Lakes in the early part of the 20th Century through shipping canals. In 1955, the governments of Canada and the United States created the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to control sea lampreys. These lampreys migrate downstream and feed on large numbers of fish in Lake Huron and northern Lake Michigan. Sea lampreys currently kill far more fish in Lake Huron and northern Lake Michigan than are harvested.
Lampreys are also a major threat to a healthy fish community.
These funds will allow for the treatment of the St. Marys River without having to sacrifice sea lamprey control in other areas of the Great Lakes. These funds also allow us to maintain our obligation to state, federal, tribal, and provincial cooperators to support their fishery management activities. The action of Congress and the Administration will mean a stronger and healthier Great Lakes fishery.