Local Partners, Statewide Impacts

Lake Erie charter captains have collected more than 600 water samples for Stone Lab researchers since they began collaborating in 2013.

Monitoring the health of Lake Erie is no small task, and it can’t be done by just one person or group. So a few years ago, Stone Lab started working with private charter captains on the lake to help collect water samples and monitor algae, toxin and nutrient levels.

Lake Erie charter boat captains have been helping Stone Lab monitor water quality since 2013, when the lab took over the sampling program from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The captains collect water samples during their regular fishing cruises, greatly expanding the number of water samples available for analysis during the harmful algal bloom season.