On Feb. 1, Project Leader McClain and Biologist Jim Boase participated in a meeting of the Huron-Erie Corridor Initiative (HECI) Steering Committee in Ann Arbor.  The HECI was initially proposed in 2005 by the U.S. Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC) to initiate and expand collaboration and develop a partnership effort to help prioritize research activities in this important Great Lakes waterway. 

The Huron-Erie Corridor (HEC) includes the southern main basin of Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the western basin of Lake Erie.  Currently there are roughly 40 species of fish that utilize the HEC for some part of their life cycle.  Historically, the HEC provided critical spawning and nursery habitat for numerous native fish species, many of which are now in a significantly depleted state.  As development occurred along the HEC, habitat alteration resulted in the loss of much of this important habitat and the hydraulic characteristics of the system have been greatly altered.  It is felt that much of the spawning habitat for native species such as lake sturgeon and lake whitefish have been lost to dredging and channelization for the movement of commercial shipping through the HEC.  In addition, much of the nursery habitat that existed within the channel and at the mouth of the Detroit River is no longer available to larval fish as they drift out of the system.

A Steering Committee was established to help guide efforts to identify priority habitat restoration and fishery research needs in the HEC.  Currently there are nearly 20 members to the Steering Committee representing federal, state, provincial, tribal and local governments, as well as university and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs).  McClain represents the Service’s Fisheries Program on the Steering Committee and Boase serves as the alternate.  The Alpena FRO participates in numerous fishery research and management projects within the HEC in partnership with the GLSC and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Boase has a lead role for several lake sturgeon restoration projects in the waterway.   

Due to the importance of the HEC to the fisheries in the region, the extensive habitat concerns and issues associated with the system, and the large partnership that continues to grow in the region, McClain has proposed the HECI as a candidate for the National Fish Habitat Initiative (NFHI).  McClain provided a Power Point presentation to the Steering Committee and other participants at the February meeting to explain the history and purpose of the NFHI and to propose the HECI as a candidate for funding consideration in FY 2007 and beyond.  There was unanimous support for the proposal and McClain will be working with Sandra Morrison of the GLSC to develop a draft proposal for Steering Committee review.