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TROY —Troy Mayor Ethan Baker assumed the position of chair of the commission for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in early December.
The GLFC is an international organization that was established by the United States and Canada through the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The commission has the responsibility to support fisheries research, control the invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes, and facilitate the implementation of a management agreement for provincial, state, and tribal fisheries.
U.S. commissioners are appointed by the U.S. president and Canadian commissioners are appointed by Canada’s Privy Council. The chair and vice chair positions rotate between countries every two years.
“Although the commission is made up of commissioners from various locations throughout Canada and the United States, it was created and stationed in Michigan — the only jurisdiction in the basin to have management authority on four of the five Great Lakes,” Jim McKane, the commission vice chair from Canada, said in a press release. “Chairman Baker arrived during a unique time in the commission’s history, working through challenges caused by the pandemic and ongoing governance issues in Canada, but he hit the ground running and quickly assumed a leadership position as the vice-chair. Now as chair, I am confident he will lead the commission with the same inquisitive, determined, and poised demeanor he has demonstrated thus far.”
Baker was appointed to commission in 2021 and is currently the third commissioner from Michigan to chair the Great Lakes Fishery Commission since 1954.
“The Great Lakes are binational treasures and are the major reason why people choose to work and live in this region,” Baker said in a press release. “The commission and its programs are pivotal to the success of the Great Lakes fishery and the hundreds of communities that rely on this incredible resource for employment, sustenance, and recreation. The Great Lakes represent the largest body of freshwater on the planet, and I am honored to have the opportunity to chair a commission that works to protect and improve the $6 billion fishery.”
Baker holds multiple degrees. He was elected as mayor in 2019 and reelected in 2023.
“I am Chair of the Commission — which is comprised of 4 U.S. Commissioners and 4 Canadian Commissioners — for two years,” Baker said in an email. “Aside from my responsibilities in chairing GLFC meetings (the annual meetings, the interim meetings, and any special meetings), I am deeply involved in working with the Executive Secretariat and full time GLFC staff to ensure the fishery of our Great Lakes is protected and thriving. I represent the GLFC in official communications and meetings and speak with our U.S. Members of Congress and the Canadian Members of Parliament and Senators regarding GLFC issues. Additionally, we are in the process of a machine of governance change on the Canadian side and I have been instrumental in working through these diplomatic and international issues.”
Baker shared his immediate goals.
“My main focus is ensuring Canada lives up to its end of the bargain and properly funds the GLFC and properly executes the machine of governance change,” he stated. “I will be working diligently with full-time staff on this matter and expect to continue my advocacy and direct conversations with the Canadian government. I have testified twice before Canadian Parliament — once before the House of Commons and once before the Senate.”
For more information, visit glfc.org.
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