News

Pollution, Habitat Degradation, Parasitic Sea Lamprey,

and Trillions of Quagga Mussels Exact a Heavy

Toll on Once Abundant Prized Lake Whitefish

by Scott Brown

MWA e-Newsletter Editor

A multi-faceted array of harmful manmade influences that have manifested over the course of the past one hundred years have taken a heavy toll on once thriving populations of Laurentian Great Lakes region lake whitefish. Known to have provided an important source of readily available protein that helped sustain native Americans living in the Laurentian Great Lakes region for thousands of years as well as for the first European explorers and settlers to the freshwater inundated region, abundant populations of native lake whitefish that once thrived within the waters of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are now in steady decline.

Lake whitefish, scientific name Coregonus clupeaformis, are distributed throughout much of Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska and the Great Lakes region. Capable of growing to a weight of up to four pounds, and to a length of up to 22 inches, lake whitefish are related to salmon, trout, and char, and are members of the Salmonidae family. The high demand for lake whitefish is associated with the exceptional flavor of its flesh and commensurate popularity with fish markets and restaurants. Introduced to the savory flavor of lake whitefish in 1695 on his first venture into the Great Lakes region, the renown French explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac commented that a “better fish cannot be eaten.” Representing 25% of the total annual catch of the commercial fishing industry in the upper Great Lakes region, highly profitable lake whitefish are perceived by many as the “unsung heroes” of a gradually declining regional fishing industry.

Lake whitefish are a bottom dwelling freshwater species that feed en masse on a shrimp-like creature called Diporeia as well as upon a variety of other aquatic invertebrates and small fish. Existing during the daylight hours in the cold dimly lit waters found at depths of between 100 and 300 feet, lake whitefish are known to migrate into more biologically productive shallower waters at night to feast upon emerging mayflies and midges. While larval stage and juvenile lake whitefish depend almost entirely upon tiny zooplankton for sustenance, lake whitefish that grow to lengths of three to four inches begin feeding upon bottom-dwelling animals such as snails, insect larvae, zebra mussels and fingernail clams which they continue to consume for the remainder of their adult lives.

Lake whitefish populations began their gradual decline in the Great Lakes in the early years of the 20^th century as their vital near shore spawning grounds became severely polluted by the sheer volume of the waste created by hundreds of saw mills operated by the booming timber industry of the period. The successful introduction of exotic sea lamprey to the Great Lakes region also contributed to declining lake whitefish populations. In Lake Michigan, for example, rapidly reproducing and highly invasive populations of parasitic sea lamprey began to decimate native fish populations including high value species such as lake whitefish and other salmonids on a large scale beginning in the 1930s and 1940s.

Abundant populations of lake whitefish that once thrived in Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have also significantly declined in recent decades due to the presence of trillions of exotic invasive quagga mussels. Exotic quagga mussels are considered powerful aquatic ecosystem engineers due to their collective capacity to dramatically alter host ecosystem aquatic food webs by filtering out and effectively removing the phytoplankton that serves as a vital source of food for the zooplankton that larval stage and post-larval stage lake whitefish depend upon for food. In addition to an almost total collapse of juvenile lake whitefish supporting zooplankton populations in many areas, the near total absence of water clarity limiting phytoplankton in many areas of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan is effectively illustrated by the fact that water clarity now frequently exceeds the water clarity of Lake Superior. Scuba divers often report being able to clearly observe their dive partners exploring a ship wreck from the surface in water depths of up to two hundred feet. It is important to note that at the peak of lake whitefish abundance within both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, each liter of lake water often supported between 100 and 700 lake whitefish sustaining zooplankton.

In addition to the harmful compounding influences presented by timber industry pollution and habitat destruction, the introduction of parasitic sea lamprey, and significant changes that have occurred to the otherwise moderately productive aquatic ecosystems of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron due to the presence and overall ecological influence of trillions of exotic invasive quagga mussels, lake whitefish populations have also dwindled in recent decades because they often swim in schools comprised of tens of thousands of fish – a fact that has made them a relatively easy target for well-equipped commercial fishermen.

1,500 Northward Migrating Sandhill Cranes Dead in Southern Indiana

Birds inhabiting Michigan’s lower peninsula, and at least one other Laurentian Great Lakes region state – Indiana, have experienced a particularly lethal outbreak of the highly contagious virus known as avian influenza since the beginning of the new year. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is an extremely contagious virus that infects a wide range of both wild and domestic birds. Causing sickness and sometimes death, the virus known as avian influenza spreads primarily through fecal droppings or nasal discharge of an infected bird. It is important to note that based upon several outbreaks of avian influenza that have occurred on Michigan dairy farms over the course of the past year, certain mammals, and in particular dairy cattle, are also known to be highly vulnerable to the frequently lethal disease.

According to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, the emergence and spread of avian influenza is closely linked to the movement of migratory waterfowl such as Canadian geese and other large migrating birds such as sandhill cranes (pictured) that are known to travel on a seasonal basis along flyways that are “analogous to highways in the sky for migrating birds.” The flyways that cross the United States from north to south are the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic. Michigan is within the Central and Mississippi flyways. The high level of vulnerability of migratory birds to avian influenza was illustrated by a Indiana Department of Natural Resources report that as many as 1,500 migrating (south to north) sandhill cranes succumbed to the highly contagious virus in southern Indiana’s Jackson County in mid-February.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recently sampled dead wild waterfowl that are suspected to be positive for the highly contagious respiratory disease at multiple locations distributed throughout Lower Michigan. These include 77 dead Canada geese and one dead mallard duck from the Fennville Farm Unit at Allegan State Game Area, 80 dead Canada geese along the Shiawassee River near Owosso, 25 dead Canada geese at Williamston Lake in Ingham County, and an additional 20 mallard ducks and Canadian geese along the Grand River in Grand Ledge in Eaton County. Moreover, about 100 Canadian geese and ducks that are suspected of succumbing to highly pathogenic avian influenza were recently reported near Ann Arbor located in southern Michigan’s Washtenaw County.

Please report sightings of sick, dead, or dying wildlife to the Michigan DNR’s wildlife division by filling out an Eyes in the Field report on-line or by calling 517-336-5030.

Winter 2025 Newsletter

Prompted by public outcry that had been generated in the late 1960’s by the tragic fact that many of the rivers and lakes of the United States of America had been utilized as nothing more than convenient dumping grounds by industry and agriculture for many decades, and in response to frightening June 1969 TV news images of Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River engulfed in toxic waste fueled flames, the United States Environmental Protection Agency was established on July 9^th, 1970 by authority of an executive order signed by President Richard M. Nixon.

Employing approximately 16,000 full time engineers, scientists, environmental protection specialists, administrators, information technologists, and attorneys, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards associated with numerous environmental laws. These include the U. S. Congress enacted Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, otherwise known as the Clean Water Act (CWA).

The Clean Water Act was passed in order to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s vast freshwater resources. The Clean Water Act also served to establish a first ever national framework for addressing national water quality issues, including mandatory water pollution control standards that continue to be administered by the U. S. EPA in partnership with the state governments. The U. S. EPA has also been tasked with working on a collaborative basis with state environmental agencies to develop, implement, and enforce mandatory federal standards for public water systems which serve approximately 90% of the United States population.

In recent years the scope and scale of the authority of the United States Environmental Protection Agency to protect the nation’s water resources has been diminished by a United States Supreme Court ruling that significantly narrowed the definition of freshwater resources that are eligible for protection under the auspices of the Clean Water Act of 1972.

To learn more about the mission and goals of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, visit their web site at https://www.epa.gov/

Confronted with skyrocketing maintenance and operational costs, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is asking the state legislature to enact legislation that would serve to generate much needed revenue by increasing the cost of annual resident hunting and fishing licenses by 50%. It is important to point out that revenues generated from the sale of fishing and hunting licenses represent the single greatest source of funding for MDNR fishery and wildlife management programs.

Revenue generated by the increase in the cost of hunting and fishing licenses would help prevent agency managers from having to make difficult decisions in the very near future in regards to the possibility of having to scale back mission critical program related operations at state fish hatcheries, waterfowl areas, and state game areas due to dramatic increases in overall costs. MDNR Wildlife Division’s maintenance costs, for example, have more than doubled from $1.4 million to $3.1 million since the last license fee increase that occurred in 2014. MDNR Fisheries Division’s annual cost of fish food for state hatcheries, as another example, is now a million dollars, representing an overall increase of 71% over of the last several years.

If enacted, the legislation would increase the cost of a single resident deer hunting license from $20.00 to $30.00, and increase the cost of an annual resident fishing license from $26.00 to $39.00, representing a 50% increase in each case. MDNR estimates that increases in the cost of annual hunting and fishing licenses would generate approximately $22 million.

If passed by both houses of the legislature and signed into law by Governor Whitmer, the legislation would also link future increases in the cost of fishing and hunting licenses to the rate of inflation.

Legislation introduced in the Michigan state legislature that if enacted would regulate short-term rentals and generate revenue that would benefit host cities, towns, and villages that experience steep population increases each summer by levying a 6% excise tax on short term rentals has been met with a whirlwind of opposition from both the real estate industry and from individual property owners who believe the legislation violates their basic property rights.

If passed by the Michigan state legislature and signed by Michigan’s governor, House Bills 5437 to 5446 would regulate and levy assessments on short-term rental facilities in Michigan. House Bills 5437 and 5439 to 5446 serve to supplement MI House Bill 5438  also referred to as the “Short Term Rental Regulation Act”, that,  in addition to levying a 6% excise tax on short term rentals, also require short term rental property owners to acquire $1M in liability insurance, and implement safety measures such as the installation of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms, and making sure first responder contact information is made readily available to short-term renters. The suite of bills comprising the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act would also require often utilized international vacation rental property service providers such as Vrbo and Airbnb to pay a $100.00 annual registration fee on each of their short-term rental property listings. Moreover, the legislation would allow local units of government to regulate short-term rentals such as by limiting the number of short-term rental properties within their jurisdiction and by enforcing existing zoning laws.

Defined by the Michigan state legislature as the rental of a single-family residence, a dwelling unit in a one-to-four family house, or the rental of a unit or group of units within a condominium for up to thirty consecutive days, short-term rentals serve to enhance the real estate values of lakefront homes, and homes located within popular tourist destinations. The ready availability of short-term rentals within popular tourist destinations and steep increases in population that occur each summer have dramatically increased the cost of providing basic government services such as providing water and sewer services for host local units of governments – the Short-Term Rental Regulation Act was introduced in part to help affected local governments to raise revenue that will be used to off set the increased cost of governing and providing essential services that occurs each summer.

It is important to note that the Michigan Supreme Court rendered a decision in October of 2018 that upheld the right of local units of government to enact ordinances to allow or to restrict short-term rentals.

MWA Mission Statement “This corporation is formed to protect, preserve and promote the wise use of inland waters – lakes, streams, rivers, creeks and the waters and bottomlands of the State of Michigan.

Read the President’s Report

Official representing the United States Environmental Protection Agency have admitted that the ‘processed’ municipal sewage that tens of thousands of farmers across America, including many located in Michigan have been using as nutrient rich fertilizer for several decades to enrich millions of acres of farm land may contain heavy concentrations of the wide ranging suite of chemicals commonly referred to as PFAS that are known to enhance the risk of the onset of certain types of cancer, and may also cause birth defects. Studies also indicate that protracted exposure to sufficiently elevated levels of certain PFAS may cause a variety of health effects including developmental effects on the thyroid, liver, kidneys, certain hormones, and the immune system.

A growing plethora of research findings indicates that processed sewage referred to as ‘black sludge’ – which is the sewage that flows from homes, businesses, schools, and factories – often contains heavy concentrations of chemicals known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that represent a group of synthetic chemicals that have been used to support the manufacture of certain widely used products such as outdoor clothing and carpeting.

Utilized in many consumer products and industrial processes since the 1950s, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of synthetic chemicals that are resistant to water, grease, and heat.  Some common uses for PFAS include:

• Food packaging
• Outdoor Clothing
• Firefighting foam
• Non-stick products
• Ski and snowboard waxes

Commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ due to their capacity to remain in a toxic state for many decades, PFAS is now being detected, sometimes at dangerously high levels, on farm fields located throughout Texas, Maine, Michigan, New York, and Tennessee. The U. S. EPA admission that processed sewage often contains high concentrations of PFAS follows many reports of the now widespread chemical acting to sicken or kill farm animals, render the milk of dairy cows useless, and contaminating the produce grown on the farm.

Involving tens of millions of acres, the epic scale of farmland contaminated by processed sewage derived toxic PFAS is only now starting to become apparent to federal and state authorities. Representing one of the first states in the nation to investigate the potential for processed sewage sludge to contain high levels of PFAS, Michigan state officials recently shut down one farm located near Brighton, Michigan where tests for PFAS revealed particularly high concentrations in the soil and in the cattle that grazed upon the land. The Brighton farm had received the processed sewage sludge that it spread upon its fields from a municipal sewage treatment plant located in Wixom. The State of Michigan also ruled that the affected property may never again be used for agriculture. As of this date, Michigan officials have not conducted widespread testing for the existence of high concentrations of PFAS at other farms, some have suggested that this is at least partly out of concern for the harmful economic effects on the state’s agriculture industry.

In response to the fact that the United States Geological Survey found that at least 45% of the nation’s tap water is contaminated with PFAS chemicals,  the United States Environmental Protection Agency imposed a near zero threshold for the existence of PFAS within drinking water in the spring of 2024.

In addition to the fact that many farmers throughout Michigan have been utilizing PFAS saturated processed sewage as fertilizer on their fields for decades, the raw ‘unprocessed’ sewage that originates from hundreds of thousands of dysfunctional septic tanks also often contains high concentrations of the highly toxic chemicals that continues to run-off into the once crystal-clear freshwaters of Michigan’s streams, rivers, and inland lakes.

To view the information rich United States Environmental Protection Agency’s PFAS dedicated page, click here

To view the State of Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) web page, click here