Duluth, Minnesota to Host Prominent Fisheries Assembly

World-class scientists and fishery managers to gather to discuss joint management of shared Great Lakes fishery resources
State of Lake Superior to be special focus

ANN ARBOR, MI—Fishery management officials from the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin; the Province of Ontario; the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission; and the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority will convene their annual Lake Committee meetings in Duluth, Minnesota, starting March 19, 2002. Lake Committees are the primary forums under which fishery officials meet to discuss day-to-day fishery management issues and to set long-term goals for fishery rehabilitation. The managers will also use the Duluth meeting to showcase Lake Superior through a special "state-of-the-lake" session beginning the afternoon of March 19th. The management agencies on the committees work by consensus to establish such things as fish harvest limits, stocking levels, research needs, and habitat improvement projects. Each state, province, and tribal jurisdiction bordering a particular Great Lake has a seat on the particular Lake Committee. The meetings are convened by the Canadian/U.S. Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

The Lake Committee meetings will be held at the Radisson Duluth-Harborview hotel, located at 505 West Superior Street in Duluth (218-727-8981).

"The Great Lakes resources are shared by many jurisdictions," said Chicago Alderman Bernie Hansen, Chairman of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. "Lake Committees allow Great Lakes management agencies to work together to address the day-to-day issues surrounding management of the fishery and to achieve long-term sustainability of these valuable resources. Lake Committees are widely viewed as one of the world's best examples of cooperative international fishery management. They help agencies prevent duplication of effort and they remind us that political boundaries should not hinder sound fishery management, but rather, should be a source of collective strength."

"I am really looking forward to participating in the lake committee meetings," added Great Lakes Fishery Commission commissioner Joseph Day of Bemidji, Minnesota. "World-class scientists and fishery officials from around the Great Lakes region will come to Duluth to discuss the state of the fishery and to make decisions about its management. These forums present the community with a tremendous opportunity to learn about the Great Lakes fishery and to witness cooperative fishery management in action."

Day continued: "Each year, the lake committees focus attention on one of the five Great Lakes. This year, Lake Superior will be showcased. The special session will provide an in-depth look at the state of Lake Superior, with particular attention on objectives for the fishery, the state of the lake's water quality and habitat, the condition of its fisheries, future challenges, and many other pertinent issues. This session promises to provide a rich look into the world's largest body of freshwater."

The lake committee meeting schedule is as follows:

Detailed agendas will be produced by the lake committee chairs prior to the meetings. Consult the Great Lakes Fishery Commission's website (www.glfc.org/lakecom/lkmeetings.php) or contact Marc Gaden (GLFC) at 734-662-3209 x. 14 for agendas or for more information.