A scientist with the U.S. Geological Survery (USGS) collects a baseflow sample to test for organic contaminants (pharmaceuticals, pesticides and organic waste compounds) in a Wisconsin river using a crest stage gage. Recently-passed legislation will continue to fund USGS research in the Great Lakes region. (USGS photo)

WASHINGTON, DC – Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) to enhance Great Lakes fishery research and management efforts has been signed into law.

The Great Lakes Fisheries Research Reauthorization Act reauthorizes funding for the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center for another five years, helping to ensure the center is able to continue conducting critical research that supports Great Lakes fisheries.

Peters’ effort to pass this bipartisan bill into law came in response to previous attempts to drastically reduce staffing at the Great Lakes Science Center headquartered in Ann Arbor.

“The Great Lakes support a robust fishing industry that helps generate billions of dollars in economic activity across the region. It’s essential that the Great Lakes Science Center continues to have the resources it needs to protect the freshwater fisheries and habitats our communities depend on,” said Senator Peters, Co-Chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force. “With this bill signed into law, we help ensure that the Center’s dedicated staff can continue working to strengthen our fisheries and Great Lakes for future generations.”

Activities carried out by the Great Lakes Science Center include:

– Conducting surveys of both native and invasive fish populations in the Great Lakes. This data helps USGS, along with tribal, state, and local partners, to develop effective strategies for protecting and managing fisheries.

– Development of reintroduction plans for culturally and ecologically significant fish populations, which are essential for the long-term health of the Great Lakes.

– Testing and development of technologies that assist in research.

Peters’ office stated that the senator has been a steadfast advocate for policies that safeguard Michigan waters, support local economies, and enhance environmental protections. In 2019, Peters led the effort to secure the authorization for the Great Lakes Science Center that the Great Lakes Fisheries Research Reauthorization Act now extends. Earlier this Congress, Peters also introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Act of 2025 to reauthorize and expand resources for the GLRI program, which has carried out the most significant investment ever made to restore our Great Lakes.

As Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Task Force, Peters plays a key role in uniting Great Lakes Basin states to coordinate legislative initiatives, funding priorities, and oversight efforts to address the most important issues facing the Great Lakes, such as invasive species, environmental contamination, shoreline erosion, water quality, infrastructure needs, and more.

The USGS Great Lakes Science Center is a research facility located in Ann Arbor and is not to be confused with a museum in Cleveland, Ohio that also bears the name Great Lakes Science Center.