Game fish, recreational anglers win: House Bills 4567-4569 pass House

lschultz • February 6, 2020

Game fish are one step closer to swimming away from commercial nets as the Michigan House of Representatives voted to pass House Bills 4567, 4568 and 4569 on Thursday.

The tie-barred, three-bill package aims to codify decades-old statute, keep game fish out of commercial nets, establish penalties for the illegal sale of game fish, require GPS net marking and reporting net locations for commercial anglers and mandate regular harvest reporting to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

Since the 1960s, our Great Lakes fisheries have been managed with recreational anglers’ and hunters’ monies. Decades of overharvesting, a lack of regulation and the impacts of invasive species led to the collapse of the Great Lakes fisheries in the 1960s.

MUCC Executive Director Amy Trotter said bringing our commercial fishing regulations into the 21 st century is imperative as we look to the future management of our Great Lakes fisheries.

“Modernizing decades-old statute is an important first step in protecting game fish from commercial interests,” Trotter said. “Hunter and angler dollars fund the bulk of fisheries management in our state, and our members have demonstrated they won’t stand for subsiding the commercial industry.”

MUCC and its 40,000 members also would like to thank the bill sponsors: Representatives Lilly (R-Park Township), O’Malley (R-Lake Ann) and Wendzel (R-Watervliet). All three sponsors dug into the issue at hand, spent countless hours talking with stakeholders and poured over the information provided to them.

Lilly spoke on the House floor thanking recreational anglers for their continued support of the resource.

“I’m proud to say Michigan has a vibrant and recovering sport fishery as a direct result of monies collected from the sportfishing community,” Lilly said. “Over the years, recreational anglers have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the restoration of these species.”

Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) thanks its members who utilized its grassroots policy process and took direct action by calling or emailing their representative. Your voice made a difference and helped protect Michigan’s game fish. More importantly, your voice helped make clear that recreational anglers will not stand for subsidizing the commercial fishing industry.

Please check the vote count pictured below and call to thank your representative if they voted to keep game fish out of commercial nets (yes votes are in green). 

The three-bill package now moves to the Michigan Senate. To be notified on activity in the Senate, please click here!

Recent Posts

MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project

By Justin Tomei • June 30, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MUCC Submits Public Comment in Support of Line 5 Tunnel Project Lansing, MI — Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC), the nation’s largest statewide conservation organization, has submitted formal public comments urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve the Enbridge Line 5 Tunnel Project. In a letter submitted today, MUCC emphasized the need to move this critical infrastructure forward to protect the Great Lakes while maintaining safe, reliable energy transportation. “MUCC supports the tunnel project as the best available alternative to reduce the risk of an environmental disaster in the Straits of Mackinac while continuing to deliver essential energy products to Michigan families and industries,” said Amy Trotter, CEO of MUCC. “We believe the tunnel project strikes a balance between protecting the environment and maintaining energy security.” MUCC’s position is backed by a formal resolution passed by its membership, which includes thousands of hunters, anglers, trappers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Michigan. The resolution supports the tunnel as a long-term solution that replaces the aging and exposed pipeline segment currently crossing the Straits, offering greater environmental safeguards through secondary containment. The organization cited the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which acknowledges the tunnel’s benefits, including reduced spill risk and a controlled, buried environment for transporting light crude oil and natural gas liquids. MUCC also rejected the "no action alternative," which would allow the existing line to remain in operation without any new protective infrastructure. “Other alternatives, like transporting fuel by truck or rail, are inefficient and carry greater environmental and safety risks,” Trotter added. “Allowing the current line to operate exposed on the lakebed indefinitely is simply not acceptable.” MUCC’s comment stresses that the organization is not weighing in on the type of energy transported, but rather on the environmental risks and safety benefits of the tunnel itself. Originally approved by the Michigan legislature and governor in 2018, the Great Lakes Tunnel Project represents a once-in-a-generation investment in infrastructure and environmental protection. MUCC urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue the necessary permits and move forward with construction without further delay. For Media Contact: Justin Tomei jtomei@mucc.org 517-346-6488 #####

Michigan Wildlife Conservation Month: MUCC's Impact

By Olivia Triltsch • June 26, 2025
Since its inception, MUCC has made great strides in the conservation of natural resources through advocacy, habitat, youth education, and communications.

On the Ground: Native Plug Planting at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

By Katelyn Helsel • June 25, 2025
On Saturday, June 21, 2025, MUCC’s On the Ground program partnered with the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI) for a native plug planting day in Barry County. Located on 850 acres, the institute offers both environmental education opportunities and serves as a biological field station for conducting research. Many diverse native communities from wetlands to prairies are present at PCCI, and many rare or threatened species in Michigan like the eastern box turtle call the institute home. 
More Posts