What does the GLSI do?
The GLSI raises funds to protect the Chinook salmon program and world class sport fishery throughout the Great Lakes. We want a balanced fishery with all salmon and trout species with kings being the dominate predator because they are most sought after by anglers and drive a huge economic benefit for great lakes port communities and businesses. We are opposed to a native only agenda that focuses on making Lake Trout the dominate predator in the Great Lakes.
What are membership fees used for and why is it an annual commitment?
The GLSI board is composed of unpaid volunteers dedicated to improving our fishery. Membership fees are used to pay the operational expenses of the organization such as website maintenance, expenses to attend fisheries management meetings, holding the annual meeting, book keeping and government lobbying activities to improve our fishery. We use these resources to ensure fishery managers make decisions that benefit and are desired by anglers, port communities and fishing businesses. The commitment is ongoing, as outside forces continue to impact and influence fishery and stocking decisions on Lake Michigan.The GLSI seeks to keep the Chinook as the keystone predator in Lake Michigan for another 50 years and beyond.
What about Lake Erie?
Though salmon are not stocked in Lake Erie, desirable Walleye and Steelhead are. However, Lake Trout again are being stocked at an alarming rate in Lake Erie, without request to do so by anglers. Lake Trout in Lake Erie have begun to have a significant impact on the predator prey relationship, not only targeting available baitfish species of Round Goby and Smelt, but also preying upon fingerling Walleye and Steelhead.
GLSI is not focused on walleyes and will stand in full support of any group representing Lake Erie whose objectives are to maintain the world class Walleye fishery.
What are the GLSI positions on the current issues?
The GLSI is in full support of using the best science to make stocking decisions. We feel that Lake Trout are being overstocked at the expense of king salmon. The GLSI is in favor of Lake Trout stocking reductions and stocking more kings in a proportion so that our forage base continues to recover and increase. As the forage base recovers, we want more kings stocked. Additional future issues shall be raised through member proposals and the board voting procedure.
What about Lake Ontario?
GLSI believes that Lake Ontario is also experiencing an unwarranted shift in predator ratio away from Chinook and towards Lake Trout. GLSI believes Lake Ontario on both Canadian and New York sides should form coalitions similar to that of GLSI in order to protect and promote their chinook fishery. GLSI will also stand with locked arms with any group who closely mirrors the same objectives as the GLSI.
What about Lake Huron?
The GLSI is in support of re-establishing the salmon fishery on Lake Huron. We remain concerned that Michigan stocks more kings in the far northern reaches of Lake Huron than Lake Michigan. Studies show they move to live and feed in Lake Michigan and when they return in the fall, there is low angling effort because of their remote location. We have advocated for a zonal management approach which has resulted in Coho plants being moved to mid and southern Lake Huron and we want to see more effort to revitalize the fishery in the traditional fishing ports from Alpena to Port Huron.
What about Lake Superior?
The GLSI is in support of using zonal management and science to make the best decision to improve the fishery on Lake Superior. Many anglers in the UP feel that not enough resources are devoted to improving Lake Superior. We want to ensure UP angling interests are treated fairly and get appropriate resources and effort to enhance the fishery.