Patty Birkholz was the recipient of the inaugural Howard A. Tanner Award from the Michigan Steelhead and Salmon Fishermen’s Association on Saturday January 28, 2012. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to Michigan’s anadromous fish sport fishery and is named after Dr. Howard A. Tanner, who is regarded as the father of the Great Lakes Sport Fishery. It was his courage and determination that lead to the introduction of Pacific salmon into the Great Lakes in 1966 and the world’s greatest fresh water sport fishery was born.

Patty Birkholz has been an unwavering advocate for the environment and the Great Lakes during her 14 years in the house and senate, having sponsored the “Recreational Passport” legislation that has made funding for the maintenance and restoration of our state parks possible. As a legislator, Birkholz was the author of Michigan’s ballast water law passed in 2006 and it stands as one of the strongest regulatory laws on the books. This was accomplished in spite of the global shipping companies and international trade organizations challenge to law in U.S. District Court.

Patty was appointed director of the Office of the Great Lakes by Gov. Rick Snyder and was responsible for “all things Great Lakes”. Birkholz oversaw the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding provided by the federal government. This $475 million per year appropriation, over five years, was established to fund projects to restore the natural resources of the ecological system in the Great Lakes. Patty has identified 14 areas of concern in Michigan (Kalamazoo River, Muskegon Lake, White Lake, Saginaw River/Bay, St. Clair River, Clinton River, Detroit River, Rouge River and River Raisin) and is working to get these areas “delisted” as areas of concern.

As director of the state office of the Great Lakes, her top priority was preventing invasive species from getting established in the Great Lakes and especially Asian carp. She serves on the Great Lakes Commission. The Great Lakes Commission and Great Lakes St. Lawrence Cities Initiative are trying to alter Chicago’s waterway to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes. She is currently working to put a multi-state compact together to hasten the permanent separation of the Great Lakes Basin and the Mississippi Basin. With private funding from the Fry Foundation, an engineering firm has been contracted to provide a recommendation of the top 3 to 5 best ways of accomplishing this feat.