Environment Canada and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are pleased to release the Nearshore Areas of the Great Lakes 2009 Report. This report describes the current state of nearshore area environmental conditions and changes in nearshore areas of the Great Lakes since 1996, and it suggests management implications related to nearshore issues.

Nearshore areas of the Great Lakes are important because this is where land-based activities can impact water quality and where humans generally interact with the Great Lakes.

The report includes information on the issues of botulism, harmful algae blooms, viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), and shoreline development, among other stressors. Experts in the United States and Canada contributed the chapters for this report, which was prepared for the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC) 2008.

At the link above, you can read or download the full report or the State of the Great Lakes Highlights.