IN THIS EPISODE:
On this episode of Great Lakes Now, join researchers racing against the clock to save lake whitefish. Then take a seat at Farrand Hall, a restaurant that serves up truly local flavors. Plus, the Erie Canal celebrates its 200th anniversary.
When to Watch?
Check your local station for when Great Lakes Now is on in your area.
Whitefish are Disappearing. What Can We Do?
SEGMENT 1 | Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, Fishtown (Leland), Muskegon
One of the most valued fish in the Great Lakes is in serious trouble, and the race is on to find a solution and save them.
Once a bountiful species, whitefish populations have plummeted over the last two decades, going from almost seven million pounds harvested in 2009 to less than two million pounds in 2024. Fishing families who once depended on whitefish harvests have had to shift to other, less valuable species or stop operating entirely.
Invasive zebra and quagga mussels are to blame for the decline. Voracious filter feeders, they siphon away the food that baby whitefish need to survive. Researchers are hard at work to find a way to curb the number of invasive mussels that blanket the lakebeds, while others search for ways to preserve existing populations.
This story was produced in partnership with Bridge Michigan.
At this Michigan Restaurant, Chefs Forage For Your Food
SEGMENT 2 | COLON, MI
How the Erie Canal Shaped Our World
SEGMENT 3 | Buffalo, NY ; New York, NY
2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal, the waterway connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River, New York City, and the Atlantic Ocean. The canal slashed the time and cost it took to transport people and products across upstate New York, helping to hasten westward expansion and industrialization and built New York City into the financial capital of the United States.
Matthew Smith, a professor of history at Miami University of Ohio, wrote about the Erie Canal for The Conversation. GLN News Editor Lisa John Rogers spoke with Smith about how the canal shaped the world we live in.
The Fitzgerald’s Legacy and the Power of Tugs
Learn why shipwrecks stopped after the Edmund Fitzgerald and board a century-old tugboat.
Lost Ships and Newsworthy Trees
Explore shipwreck sanctuaries and a forest that fueled a media empire.
Casting Lines and Listening In
Researchers eavesdrop on forests, fishing for lake trout and the rights of nature.
Rescuing Freighters and Busting Swamps
A freighter takes on water in Lake Superior and a lawsuit over farming on wetlands.
Sturgeon Streams and Plastic Pollution
Restoring a threatened fish species and a look at microplastics in the Great Lakes.
Battling Invaders and Exploring Hidden Habitats
Fighting phragmites, lakebed mapping and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Killer Trees and Sacred Waters
How trees are fighting back against the emerald ash borer and restoring a sacred lake.
Too Many Geese and Not Enough Mussels
Managing Canada geese, saving freshwater mussels, and an Ojibwe lens on the fur trade.
Oil Spills and Buried Rivers
Preparing for a Great Lakes oil spill and a look at buried rivers beneath our feet.
Freighters on the Move
Freighter food, mail delivery, and the life of a Great Lakes freighter pilot.
Deep Dives and Rising Waters
The future of rising lake levels, Great Lakes shipwrecks, and the secret lives of fish.
Old Boats and New Adventures
Heritage sailing on Lake Huron and a historic passenger ship returns to its former glory.
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The Fight to Save Lake Whitefish
The race to save whitefish, a restaurant with local flavors and the Erie Canal turns 200.
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