Bills under consideration in the House aim to expand commercial access to walleye and trout as whitefish catch rates plummet. Recreational fishing advocates and state fishing regulators object.
Great Lakes News Collaborative
Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Water’s True Cost
As the nation prepares to pour hundreds of billions of federal dollars into rescuing water systems, the Great Lakes News Collaborative investigates the true cost of water in Michigan. Read the series.
Ready or Not
The Great Lakes region is frequently touted as one of the most climate-resilient places in the U.S., in part because of its enviable water resources. But climate change also threatens our water. The Great Lakes News Collaborative explores what it will take to prepare. Read the series.
Posted inEvents, Michigan Environment Watch, The Center for Michigan
Bridge Listens Issues Watch continues with virtual discussion on the environment
Join Bridge reporters on May 27 as they discuss the issues impacting Michigan’s environment and where candidates stand on everything from data centers to invasive species to climate change.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Take a look inside a Great Lakes sanctuary that protects 200 shipwrecks
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary off the northeast Michigan coast in Lake Huron contains 100 known wrecks and researchers think there’s at least 100 more.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Supreme Court sides with Nessel in Line 5 jurisdiction dispute
Enbridge had sought to move Nessel’s Line 5 shutdown case into federal court, where the company was expected to get more favorable treatment. But justices unanimously ruled that the company missed the deadline to do so.
Posted inThe Center for Michigan
Bridge Michigan’s Kelly House honored by MIT for science, whitefish reporting
Senior environmental reporter Kelly House and her series on declining whitefish in the Great Lakes were honored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Knight Science Journalism Program.
Posted inOutdoors Life
Public may lose access to part of ‘magical’ Lake Michigan trail near Petoskey
The Petoskey City Council is expected to decide Monday if it wants to accept a settlement that would give the city a year to raise millions and seek permissions to repair a damaged section of the Little Traverse Wheelway.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
EPA move on microplastics, pharmaceuticals draws mixed response in Michigan
Trump administration officials said Thursday they’ll add the two pollutants to a federal priority list — but stopped short of enacting monitoring requirements that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has requested.
Posted inOutdoors Life
More people fishing in Michigan as state considers license fee hikes
Today marks the first day of the 2026 fishing season, which means anglers need a new license and need to pay attention to some notable regulation changes.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
The Great Lakes are wasting a massive source of clean energy
Uncover the staggering facts about wasting clean energy in North America’s energy system. Learn how heat is lost every day.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Google inks deal with DTE Energy for another southeast Michigan data center
The company announced Tuesday that it’s exploring a possible data center development in Van Buren Township, west of the Detroit airport, while DTE Energy announced a 2.7-gigawatt energy deal with the company.