NOAA Fisheries is recommending $3.2 million in GLRI funding to continue ongoing work restoring important habitat for fisheries in the Great Lakes. Through this funding, partners will implement projects that support fisheries, habitats, and communities in Great Lakes ecosystems.
NOAA Fisheries recommends funding to continue the work of two ongoing and two new cooperative agreements:
- Ducks Unlimited will develop plans to restore wetland habitat at Camp Sabroske in Ohio, contributing toward restoring the Maumee Area of Concern. ($374,687)
- The Great Lakes Fishery Commission and partners will work with NOAA to carry out projects identified as environmental priorities for the Lake Committees throughout the Great Lakes. ($2,433,618)
- The Great Lakes Commission will develop outreach materials for an ongoing restoration project at Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park in the Niagara River Area of Concern in Buffalo, New York. ($14,503)
- Genesee County, Michigan, will remove the Hamilton Dam on the Flint River, opening nearly 25 miles to fish passage. ($415,752)
Funding will help sustain the many benefits the Great Lakes provide to the environment and communities by:
- Supporting valuable fisheries and coastal resources
- Improving the quality of our water by restoring coastal wetlands
- Providing recreational opportunities for the public’s use and enjoyment
- Increasing the resilience of Great Lakes communities
The Office of Habitat Conservation’s NOAA Restoration Center works in the Great Lakes to support the ecosystems and economies that rely on these valuable international resources. Since 2010, they have supported 96 projects through the GLRI. These projects have restored more than 4,900 acres of habitat for fish and wildlife and opened up more than 520 miles of rivers and streams to fish migration.
Read the full announcement.