A newly constructed freshwater reef off the coast of Channel Island in the Saginaw Bay is said to be creating spawning habitats for native fish species and foster resilience in their populations.
According to a press release from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a barge dumped nearly 20,000 tons of natural limestone cobble in a long, narrow line on the Saginaw Bay lakebed. The reef spans about 2.5 acres and reaches heights of about 3 to 4 feet.
Randy Claramunt, chief of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources fisheries, said the bay’s preexisting reefs have been smothered by sedimentation after years of agricultural and industrial advances.
“Great Lakes reefs are really unique,” Claramunt said. “They are really the lifeblood of our native fish in the Great Lakes. They provide both spawning habitat and nursery habitat. But over time, land use practices have really, and invasive species have really impacted the health of our Great Lakes reefs, including ones in Saginaw Bay.”
The GLFC said that without active restoration efforts, the bay’s fisheries will risk losing crucial habitats that many species in the Great Lakes rely on such as lake whitefish, walleye, lake trout, burbot and many others.
The reef restoration project is part of a broader goal to preserve the Great Lakes fisheries for generations to come.
Marc Gaden, executive secretary of the GLFC, said the reef’s construction stems from a collaborative effort between the U.S. and Canada. Organizations from both countries partner in sea lamprey control, various scientific initiatives and fishery management.
“We expect this [the reef] to be, certainly from a natural perspective, very, very important to the ecology and the fish community and the environment of Saginaw Bay as we restore the natural features that were lost,” Gaden said.
Commercial fishing is a vital part of Michigan’s economy, Claramunt said. About $4 billion in economic activity is generated by Great Lakes fisheries each year, including the Saginaw Bay.
“It's a very dynamic fishery,” Claramunt said. “It provides both recreational and commercial services. It also provides incredible tourist and destination fisheries opportunities. It's highly valued and utilized by both local residents as well as anglers and fishers at large. So we expect the reef restoration here with Channel Island to only add to that benefit.”
Claramunt said the Channel Island reef is one of many manmade reefs that have been built throughout the Great Lakes.
Previous restoration projects in Thunder Bay, Grand Traverse Bay and Elk Rapids enabled the DNR and other stakeholders to develop a plan that would maximize the benefits and minimize the potential consequences of introducing artificial reefs into the lakes’ ecosystems.
“With any habitat project, especially when you're doing something at the scale of the Great Lakes, there's always a likelihood that you could have an undesired outcome,” Claramunt said. “The planning and the experience that we built on with the Channel Island Reef, is going to hopefully avoid most of those pitfalls.”
Both Gaden and Claramunt expressed high confidence in the reef’s capacity to meet its goals of fostering healthy spawning habitat. Among their other concerns, however, was how the new reef could affect boaters and anglers.
“Saginaw Bay is relatively shallow compared to other Great Lakes areas,” Claramunt said. “So, that was a huge consideration to make sure that the reef height was going to not impede boating to not be a navigational hazard. We also know that the Great Lakes fluctuate pretty substantially in the water levels.”
Claramunt said the Channel Reef rises 3-4 feet from the bottom of the lakebed, leaving approximately 5.5 feet of water between the reef and the surface, even at low water levels.
“That should be enough to avoid any navigational issues,” Claramunt said.
Maps and other information will be provided to boaters and anglers crossing paths with the new reefs. The GLFC asks that people navigating near the new reef exercise caution.
Officials expect the reef’s location to become widely known as a fishing hotspot.
We note the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is a financial supporter of WCMU. We report on them as we do with any other organization.
