The mission of the Great Lakes Fishery Trust is to enhance the sustainability, protection, and understanding of Great Lakes fishery resources in a way that benefits the environment, the economy, and the communities that rely on those resources. Through funding and strategic initiatives, they aim to foster environmental stewardship and ensure the long-term health of the Great Lakes fisheries.
The grant program led by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust under its Ecosystem Health and Sustainable Fish Populations grant program focuses on advancing Great Lakes fisheries through two primary categories: Human Dimensions Research and Engagement, and Ecological and Biological Research to Inform Management. With a budget of up to $1.3 million for distribution, this grant cycle emphasizes lake whitefish recruitment as its leading research priority. The objectives are to amplify management-applicable, scientifically robust research on lake whitefish populations, elevate knowledge on the reasons behind the decline of lake whitefish stocks, and enhance management approaches for lake whitefish in the upper Great Lakes based on reliable research and scientific evidence.