Credit: Great Lakes Science CenterBy Maya MooreIf Congress approves President Donald Trump’s proposal to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the operations and science budget of the U.S. Geological Survey, the scale and intensity of Great Lakes environmental restoration will be significantly diminished, experts say. The principal site for lamprey research and control is the agency’s Hammond Bay Biological Station along the shore of Lake Huron. In partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the station’s research focuses on the biology and behavior of sea lampreys and the recovery of native fish populations, while advancing technologies to improve sea lamprey control and fishery management. One noteworthy development was the use of lampricides — chemicals that selectively target sea lamprey without harming most native species. Trump’s budget targets the Geological Service’s Ecosystems Mission Area, the principal scientific research center for the Department of the Interior, and a prime source of funds for lamprey control.