Our Work
Here’s some of the work we’re doing to ensure a healthy environment, strong economy and high quality of life for current and future generations.
Save the date for Great Lakes Day
Save the date for the 2027 Great Lakes Commission Semiannual Meeting and Great Lakes Day in Washington, D.C., taking place March 2-4. Events will feature dialogue on Great Lakes priorities by regional leaders and members of Congress — learn more here.
2025 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report
The 2025 Great Lakes Commission Annual Report is now available online! The GLC’s Annual Report includes highlights and key accomplishments under Chair Mary Mertz of Ohio, Chair Timothy J. Bruno of Pennsylvania (elected October 2025) and Executive Director Erika Jensen. View the report here.
Thank you for joining us in Toronto!
Thank you to all who joined us in Toronto for the 2026 Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting, held October 6-8 in Toronto, Ontario. Learn more here!
New database to help prevent online sales of invasive species
The GLC, in partnership with the National Sea Grant Law Center, launched a new tool to help prevent online sales of invasive species: AquaSale, a database of regulations governing aquatic organisms across all 50 states. Read more here.
Great Lakes Investment Tracker
The Great Lakes Investment Tracker is an interactive mapping application developed by the GLC to showcase federally-funded projects in Great Lakes states. Visit the tracker to learn more about investments in the region.
2026 GLC Federal Priorities for the Great Lakes
The GLC released its 2026 agenda for the Great Lakes, calling for continued strategic investment in the lakes, which hold 95% of America’s fresh surface water and provide drinking water for more than 47 million people. Read our priorities and download state-specific fact sheets here.
Lake trout quota reduced 15% for Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior
Commercial, sport and tribal fishers in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior will be able to harvest 15% fewer lake trout in the 2027 seasons. The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board approved the quota cuts in the Apostle Islands area, based on recommendations from the...
U.S. Coast Guard honors lives lost on Lake Erie 113 years ago
November 10 is a somber day on the Great Lakes; not only is it the day that the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior in 1975, but 62 years prior, a ship named Lightship 82 sank off the shoreline of Lake Erie. It was one of the 12 ships that sank due to a...
R/V Walleye ushers in new era of fish management on Lake Erie
On October 30, the Ohio Division of Wildlife christened its new research vessel, R/V Walleye, during a ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. The vessel, which will be utilized for fish management in Lake Erie’s western basin, will soon be placed in winter marina storage and...
More than $145,000 awarded to local organizations to combat invasive Phragmites in the Great Lakes basin
Ann Arbor, Mich. – Twelve organizations in the Great Lakes basin will receive more than $145,000 to combat invasive Phragmites, one of the most aggressive plants invading North America. The grants have been awarded through the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework...
Great Lakes Commission partners with EGLE for shoreline restoration project along Lake St. Clair
Ann Arbor, Mich. – The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) has partnered with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) on a project that will restore up to 18 acres of coastal habitat along approximately three miles of Lake St. Clair shoreline...
Great Lakes Commission calls for continued action to address harmful algal blooms and water workforce challenges
Ann Arbor, Mich. – At its 2026 Annual Meeting, held last week in Toronto, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) highlighted opportunities for binational collaboration and coordinated action to protect the Great Lakes and strengthen the region's economy. “The Great Lakes...
Sign up for our e-newsletter
Get the latest Great Lakes Commission news and events in your inbox!
Sign up for our e-newsletter
Get the latest Great Lakes Commission news and events in your inbox!
GREAT LAKES EVENTS
For more events, visit the
Great Lakes Calendar
WEDA 2027 Midwest Chapter Meeting
April 27, 2026 - April 29, 2027Great Lakes Seminar Series: Dr. Tiantian Yang
November 12U.S. Water Leaders Summit
November 12