Unsalted Great Lakes

Declining ice levels can impact everything from water quality to the economy. Hilary Dugan is one of sixteen researchers who published a study in the journal Science examining seasonal ice cover on lakes. The limnologist joins us from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Read the study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl3211

Ice forecasting tool: https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/ice/#forecast

What are whitefish up against? With the population in decline, we’ll hear about the challenges and possibilities. Our guest is Jason Smith, fisheries biologist with Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Want to surf a Great? Meet Tarah Coates, owner of a surf shop in Goderich, Ont. We talk about her sweet routine, surfing on the Great Lakes and its mental health benefits.

Learn about spearfishing and treaty rights in this interview with Kathleen Smith, an enrolled tribal member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She’s joined by her 15-year-old son, Jacob.

Why is the water so clear? Quagga mussels, known as filter feeders, are largely to blame. In their documentary, All Too Clear, Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick use underwater drones and groundbreaking footage to tell the story.

Director Lindsey Haskin is back with another documentary, this one called “Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery.” 

We discuss the sea lamprey, how the doc was made and famous people from the Great Lakes.

Our theme is by Adam Wendler

Tour a City of Detroit fire boat with Captain Scott Reynolds.

Chemist Sherri A. Mason (Sam) is passionate about plastics pollution. She discusses ways to limit your connection to plastic and reduce your ingestion of it.

Our theme is by Adam Wendler.

Each spring, Chantry Island is home to thousands of (noisy) birds. Why do human visitors have to carry sticks above their heads? We'll visit the Lake Huron bird sanctuary to learn more.

****This segment includes profanity (referring to bird poop). Skip 2:30 - 3:30 to avoid it.****

Then, retired University of Minnesota professor Francie Cuthbert shares:

- Why cormorant poop is so problematic

- What population management looks like

- The future of cormorants in the Great Lakes region

Our theme is by Adam Wendler.

Why did a Spotted Gar turn up in Toronto waters? The ancient fish, known for playing dead, is endangered in Ontario. Find out what this discovery means about the health of our lakes with Rick Portiss, Senior Manager of Aquatic Monitoring & Management at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

Our theme is by Adam Wendler.