WASHINGTON, DC. (WLUC) -Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) to enhance Great Lakes fishery research and management efforts has been signed into law.
According to a release from Peters’ office, The Great Lakes Fisheries Research Reauthorization Act reauthorizes funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center in Ohio for another five years. It is intended to ensure the center may continue conducting critical research that supports Great Lakes fisheries.
Peters says his effort to pass this bipartisan bill came in response to previous attempts to reduce staffing at the Great Lakes Science Center headquartered in Ann Arbor, as part of the wave of intended federal job cuts by DOGE.
“The Great Lakes support a robust fishing industry that helps generate billions of dollars in economic activity across the region. It’s essential that the Great Lakes Science Center continues to have the resources it needs to protect the freshwater fisheries and habitats our communities depend on,” said Senator Peters, Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. “With this bill signed into law, we help ensure that the Center’s dedicated staff can continue working to strengthen our fisheries and Great Lakes for future generations.”
Peters introduced the legislation with U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-OH). Activities carried out by the Great Lakes Science Center include:
- Conducting surveys of both native and invasive fish populations in the Great Lakes. This data helps USGS, along with tribal, state, and local partners, to develop effective strategies for protecting and managing fisheries.
- Development of reintroduction plans for culturally and ecologically significant fish populations, which are essential for the long-term health of the Great Lakes.
- Testing and development of technologies that assist in research.
Senator Peters is Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. In 2019, Peters helped secure authorization for the Great Lakes Science Center that the Great Lakes Fisheries Research Reauthorization Act now extends. Earlier this Congress, Peters also introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025 to reauthorize and expand resources for the GLRI program.
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