Both the U.S. House and Senate have passed the Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act, legislation that will ensure research on Great Lakes fisheries will continue for another five years.
“The health and sustainability of the USD 5.5 billion [EUR 4.7 billion] annual Great Lakes fishery relies on the availability of a solid scientific understanding of what is happening in the freshwater environment. The Great Lakes Fishery Research Authorization Act has been and continues to be an essential tool for all those who work to keep the Great Lakes ecosystem strong,” Great Lakes Fishery Commission Chair Ethan Baker said in a release.
The Great Lakes Fishery Research Program was established under legislation passed in 2019, which authorized USD 15 million (EUR 13.7 million) in funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center. The center works on a wide variety of fisheries issues, conducting research on combating invasive species, conducting surveys, monitoring algal blooms, and other key research efforts in the Great Lakes.
“Whether commercial or recreational, fishing is a staple of Ohio’s culture and economy. Millions of Ohioans rely on – and enjoy – the experience and the bounty of fishing, from catching and eating perch or walleye to pursuing the many other sport fish found in Lake Erie and its tributaries. A healthy lake is essential to this way of life, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center is on the front lines of ensuring Lake Erie remains a thriving and sustainable fishery,” U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said of the Great Lakes Fishery Research Program in a release.
However, the original legislation only authorized funding for five years, and the program expired in September 2025.
Earlier this year, lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate introduced the Great Lakes Fishery Research Reauthorization Act, legislation that reauthorizes the program for another five years at the same level of funding.
Now, both houses of Congress have passed the bill. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent 19 November, and the House passed it by voice vote 15 December.
“The passage of GLFRAA has again put that scientific understanding on a more stable footing for years to come,” Baker said.
The legislation was sent to U.S. President Donald Trump to be signed into law 18 December.
“The Great Lakes Science Center helps protect the freshwater fisheries and habitats that are invaluable economic and ecological assets for Michigan and the entire Great Lakes Region,” U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Michigan), who serves as co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, added. “I’m pleased to see this bill is one step closer to becoming law, and I’ll never stop fighting to support our Great Lakes.”
Though the legislation secures guaranteed funding for the Great Lakes Science Center, the Trump administration has indicated its intent to cut the center’s resources. During the federal government shutdown that started 1 October, court documents revealed White House plans to lay off 79 percent of the Great Lakes Science Center’s staff through a reduction in force notice. A federal judge later ordered the administration to pause any planned firings as part of the government shutdown, but it remains to be seen whether the administration will continue pursuing staff cuts later on.
