Great Lakes Fishery Commission facts for kids

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is a special team made up of people from the United States and Canada. It was created in 1954 to help manage the amazing Great Lakes and protect their fish. This team has eight members: four from the US and four from Canada. Their main jobs are to study the Great Lakes fisheries, suggest ways to keep them healthy, and work to get rid of a harmful creature called the sea lamprey.

About the Great Lakes Fishery Commission

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission was formed by an agreement between the United States and Canada in 1954. This agreement is called the Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The commission started its work in 1955. Its main goal is to make sure the Great Lakes stay healthy for fish and for everyone who enjoys them.

The commission has two big tasks. First, they do research and give advice on how to manage the fish in the Great Lakes. This helps keep fish populations strong. Second, they work hard to get rid of the sea lamprey, which is a harmful invader in the lakes.

The Pesky Sea Lamprey

The sea lamprey is a type of fish that acts like a parasite. This means it attaches itself to other fish and harms them. Sea lampreys first entered Lake Ontario in the mid-1800s. By 1921, they had spread to the Upper Great Lakes.

These invaders cause a lot of trouble. They kill many important Great Lakes fish, like trout, salmon, sturgeon, and walleye. This harms the lake's ecosystem and also affects fishing, which is important for many people and businesses.

Working Together: Canada and the US

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is a great example of how two countries can work together to solve a big problem. Since it's a bi-national group, both Canada and the United States send representatives to help. Four members are chosen by the President of the United States, and four are chosen by the Privy Council of Canada.

Leaders from both countries have spoken about how important this teamwork is. Robert Lambe, an executive secretary from the Canadian Privy Council, explained that these bi-national teams are essential for solving big issues in the Great Lakes. He pointed out that a single sea lamprey can kill up to 40 pounds of Great Lakes fish. This shows why controlling this destructive invader is so important for the huge fishing industry.

Another leader, the president and CEO of Grand Rapids White Water, mentioned that extra money helps support fish. He said these funds help bring in other local, state, and private money. This money is used to restore rivers and protect against invasive species like the sea lamprey. Canada's government has also been putting more money into controlling the sea lamprey. This helps protect their fish species and makes Canada's control program stronger.

Terry Sheehan, a member of parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, praised the sea lamprey control program. He called it a "shining example" of how Canada and the United States work together. He said that for generations, both countries have cooperated to reduce sea lamprey numbers. He emphasized that this increased funding shows their dedication to the health of the Great Lakes fisheries.

How We Control Sea Lamprey

Because sea lampreys are an invasive species, they must be controlled. This helps keep the Great Lakes ecosystems balanced and gives other fish the best chance to survive.

Using TFM: A Special Medicine

One main way to control sea lamprey is by using a special treatment called TFM. TFM is a lampricide, which means it's designed to kill sea lamprey. The good news is that TFM has very little effect on other fish. It also does not harm aquatic plants, small water creatures, wildlife, humans, or other mammals. TFM is not toxic and does not spread widely through the water.

Teams from the United States Fish and Wildlife, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers work together. They find solutions to keep the lamprey population in check. Sea lamprey spend a lot of their early lives as larvae, filter-feeding in streams. So, control efforts often start by finding these larval sea lamprey. Biologists test and study areas to find out where the larvae are, how many there are, and their sizes.

Building Barriers and Traps

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the city of Grand Rapids White Water are getting more money from the government to fight the sea lamprey. They received a seven-million-dollar increase in funding compared to the previous year. This money will be used to restore river rapids and make sure controlling the sea lamprey is a top priority. It also helps protect and restore other fish species that are harmed by the lamprey.

Part of this plan includes building special barriers to stop sea lamprey. These barriers make it easier for the commission to manage the lamprey population.

Traps are also used to catch sea lamprey. These traps are set to catch the lamprey as they swim upstream to lay their eggs. By catching them before they can reproduce, fewer new lamprey are born. This helps prevent the lamprey population from growing too large.