Lake Michigan Committee

Members (last updated: 04/2011)
Publications and Products
Terms of Reference
Subcommittee

The 1980 Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries was signed by each of the state, provincial, federal, and tribal natural resource agencies in the Great Lakes basin.

In this document, the Commission's individual lake committees were identified as the "major action arms for implementing the strategic plan and developing operational procedures." Since that time, the lake committees and the Council of Lake Committees have addressed a wide variety of issues critical to a healthy Great Lakes ecosystem.

Their decisions have become part of the guiding frame-work for future fishery and environmental management in the basin.

Members

Tom Gorenflo, Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority, Chair
Brad Eggold, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Vice-chair
Jeremy Price, Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Steve Robillard, Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Jay Wesley, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Publications and Products

Special Publications

Press Releases

May 27, 1997: Landmark Great Lakes Fisheries Management Plan to be Signed in Ottawa (News Release)
- A Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries: 1997 Revision
April 21, 1997 Lake MichiganCommittee: Fishery Officials Concerned About Increased Sea Lamprey Wounding in Lake Michigan (News Release)
April 15, 1996 Serious Yellow Perch Decline Continues in Lake Michigan

Executive Summaries

Lake Michigan Links

Northern Lake Michigan Lidar survey of Lake Trout spawning sites

Other

Terms of Reference

COMMITTEE NAME
Lake Michigan Committee

AREA OF CONCERN
For deliberations of the LMC, Lake Michigan shall be considered to include all of Lake Michigan and, to the extent that they affect fish stocks of common concern, its bays, harbors, and tributaries.

COMMITTEE PURPOSE

To consider issues and problems of common concern to Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and/or the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA).
To develop and coordinate joint state/provincial/federal/tribal management programs and research projects.
To consider issues pertinent to, or referred by, the GLFC that are within the LMC's authority or under its auspices.
To decide issues for referral to the GLFC or Council of lake Committees (CLC) for direction, resolution or support.
To serve as a forum for state, tribal, and federal agencies, and others, on a need/request basis.
To decide protocol for LMC operation, establish operational procedures for internal committees and develop meeting agendas.

MEETING SCHEDULE
The LMC shall meet at least annually at a time and place determined by the members. The meeting shall be sufficiently in advance of the April CLC meeting and Annual June Meeting of the GLFC to allow the preparation of material, reports, and recommendations for GLFC review and action at the Annual Meeting. In addition, the LMC may be convened from time to time to deal with special items of business.

MEMBERSHIP
The LMC shall consist of an appointed staff member from the Illinois DNR (ILDNR), Indiana DNR (IDNR), Michigan DNRE (MDNRE), Wisconsin DNR (WDNR), and CORA. Representatives should be authorized to speak for their respective agencies.

OFFICERS

Chair: The Chair shall be a “voting” member and shall serve for two years. The chair shall rotate among the member agencies in the following order beginning in 2007: IDNR, ILDNR, CORA, WDNR, and MDNRE. The new Chair’s term of office shall begin immediately following the Committee's annual meeting in odd numbered years; the outgoing Chair shall be responsible for presenting the Committee's report at the Commission's Annual Meeting.
Vice Chair: The representative of the agency following the designated Chair’s agency as identified in number 1 above will serve as the Vice Chair. The Vice Chair shall perform the functions of the Chair in the Chair’s absence.

RESOURCE EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS
The LMC may request, as the need arises, expert advice or study on problems identified by the Committee.

ROLE OF THE GLFC SECRETARIAT
The Secretariat provides liaison between the LMC and the GLFC, by assisting the LMC in the development and distribution of meeting agenda and minutes, and the preparation of briefing materials and reports as required. The Secretariat also assists in making meeting arrangements.

DECISIONS
Decisions will be reached by a consensus of the membership. When consensus cannot be achieved, the concerns of all agencies shall be described in the LMC’s report to the GLFC. Conflict resolution may be pursued as outlined in A Joint Strategic Plan for Management of Great Lakes Fisheries.

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE AND TASK GROUPS
The LMC may, as it deems necessary, establish a technical committee comprised of representatives from agencies that are signatory to the Joint Strategic Plan. Individual task groups may also be appointed to address specific resource issues. The LMC will determine the Terms of Reference for both the Technical Committee and appointed Task Groups.

REPORTING
The LMC shall transmit to the GLFC prior to the GLFC's Annual Meeting, a report of the LMC's annual meeting including agency reports, reports of special committees and resolutions.
The LMC may request endorsement of its recommendations by the CLC and refer to the CLC items which have implications beyond the LMC's jurisdiction.

Approved by the Lake Michigan Committee, March 20, 2007

Subcommittee

Lake Michigan Technical Committee (TOR)

Specialized Task Groups of LMC (TOR)

Working Groups of LMTC (TOR)

Lake Sturgeon Task Group (TOR)

GLFC Interactive Video
Great Lakes Image Gallery

Photo: American Fisheries Society