jeffkart

Big Farms, Shrinking Fish, AI4Shipwrecks

For Friday, Nov. 14, 2025

1 – Environmental groups are celebrating a state decision that would ban farmers from using animal waste from large-scale farms as winter fertilizer. 

Michigan has about 290 CAFOs, known as Confined Animal Feeding Operations by the state and “factory farms” by critics.

According to a 2024 report from the Environmental Law and Policy Center, these facilities generate more than 60 million pounds of waste each day and have been shown to pollute nearby water sources. The decision applies to snow-covered ground in January, February, and the first two weeks of March. 

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy issued the final decision, according to news from Circle of Blue. The move also allows the state to regulate specific CAFOs that operate in watersheds that fail to meet Michigan water quality standards.

While environmental groups are celebrating, agricultural organizations including the Michigan Farm Bureau, have indicated they would explore legal alternatives.

…

2 – Climate change is causing fish to shrink. 

Young, shrunken walleye. Credit: David Kenyon/State of Michigan

A study from the University of Michigan says that change is happening in Michigan’s inland lakes. 

They looked at almost 1,500 lakes over a 75-year period and found that old and young fish were significantly smaller in 2020 compared to 1945. 

Why? There’s a variety of theories. For cold water species, their preferred temperature zones are disappearing or getting squeezed. As a result, conditions for optimal growth are no longer met, so they don’t reach the same sizes they used to.

…

3 – Lake Huron shipwrecks are helping advance artificial intelligence. 

Hydro International magazine reports that a dataset of sonar scans from 28 shipwrecks in the lake are part of a selective pilot project by the National Science Foundation.

The scans were captured by researchers from the University of Michigan and Michigan Tech. 

According to an article in the International Journal of Robotics Research, the AI4Shipwrecks dataset will help spur innovation in machine learning for Great Lakes and ocean exploration.

– Mr. Great Lakes is heard at 6:45 and 8:45 Friday mornings on Delta College Public Radio 90.1 FM WUCX in University Center, Michigan, near Bay City (listen live). Follow @jeffkart on Twitter #MrGreatLakes

(((Shameless plug: Nominate Mr. Great Lakes for a Lakie at purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dmMh8JRVL5xAueG

Nominations close on December 4: https://bit.ly/Lakies25

Brought to you by the Teach Me About the Great Lakes podcast. I’d suggest the bolded one for this radio show/podcast:

  • Great Lakes Science Communication of the Year
  • Great Lakes Outreach Program of the Year
  • Great Lakes News Event of the Year
  • Great Lakes Research Finding of the Year
  • Coolest Thing You Learned Listening to TMATGL in 2025
  • Science Podcast of the Year (Non-TMATGL edition)
  • Great Lakes Animal of the Year
  • Great Lakes Non-Animal of the Year
  • Great Lakes Sandwich of the Year
  • Great Lakes Donut of the Year.)))

Leave a comment