Category: News

Dear HLSIO supporter,

As 2025 draws to an end, we want to share with you the latest update of your Swimmer’s Itch (SI) program. To control SI on Higgins Lake, it is critical to remove Mergansers from the lake. Unfortunately, there was a cancellation of relocation permits for all ducks across the country earlier this year by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) due to concerns about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI, aka Avian Flu). Therefore, no ducks were removed and a few broods took up residence on the Lake. The increase in SI was relatively minimal based on our scientific efforts. However, self-reported SI cases on our website (HLSIO.org) increased markedly this year.

2025 in Review

• The year started off with considerable optimism. Higgins Lake Swimmer’s Itch Organization (HLSIO) had our permits in order, both from the Michigan DNR and the USFWS, with Roscommon County Commissioners concurrence, to allow us to capture and relocate mergansers. Both permits were necessary for us to proceed. All systems go? Nope, our optimism soon faded dramatically, as the USFWS on April 14, 2025 canceled all relocation permits for Michigan (and other states) due to HPAI.  We are actively communicating with the DNR to figure out our options for 2026.  We met with the Deputy Director in September and found a receptive audience to our concerns, but also limited by whatever USFWS decides.  We have outlined different levels of controls, pending potential scenarios.  
• HLSIO researcher completed an 2025 annual report (hotlink) with details on the following areas:
  • Bird Surveys conducted in June and August — showed some mergansers on Higgins Lake this Spring, resulting in four broods on the lake this summer. Many people on Higgins Lake also saw these broods and reported to our website.
  • Snail Infection Survey — this has been done in late June/early July from 2015-2025.  It shows snail infection rates remain low.  We also conducted studies in August/September 2025 to see if we could see a rise in cases.  While a statistical increase can be argued to be occurring, overall infection rates remain low.  Infection rates are expected to increase in 2026 due to broods being present on the lake in 2025.
  • Water exposure study — This research has been conducted for four years now.  This study tracks individuals’ experience of using the water and whether they did or did not get SI. This study more scientifically demonstrate a change in SI infection rates.  In 2025, we had considerably more reports representing more people in the water.  SI cases remained low but did have an uptick later in the summer.  Overall, 1.3% of reported individual water activity, resulted in SI cases among the 277 reports. These reports represented an aggregate of 1143 people, across 21 locations on the Lake.
  • HLSIO Website Merganser and SI reporting — our website had considerable activity this year, with reports of Merganser broods as well as cases of SI.  In fact, reported SI cases increased dramatically relatively to prior years.  There was over a 300% increase in reported cases in 2025 versus 2024 (30 cases in 2024, 99 in 2025).  The good news is people are using the website for reporting!  Clearly, more SI was on the lake even though our long term data trends demonstrated only minor changes.  Many of these cases were from the latter half of the summer. It is unclear why there is a discrepancy between the long term trend data and self reporting data, whether it is due to more HLSIO.org awareness, or other factors such as precautions taken when using the lake. That said, we did expect some increase in SI cases due to the broods on the lake.
  • Praziquantel Ecotoxicology Assessment Report — If administered to Mergansers, Praziquantel will kill the parasites causing SI.  This report demonstrates Praziquantel is effective, has low toxicity and does not damage the environment or other species.  It will be shared with the DNR, as we consider alternative SI controls and is considered only is we can not move broods off the lake.  Unfortunately, it only kills active parasites in the treated Merganser.  Reinfection can occur very soon after treatment, multiple treatments would be ideal, but trapping ducks is difficult as birds become skittish.

Going Forward in 2026

• Merganser Relocation — This is key to reducing SI.  We are meeting with the MI Deputy Director of Michigan DNR and one of her team members in January, as well as communicating with USFWS in order to get clarity on plans for 2026. We have the ability to field test for presence of HPAI, as well as inject ducks with an anti-parasitic drug, Praziquantel, which has been used safely for decades in farm and domestic animals. This would kill the parasites but not prevent reinfection. However, it would reduce the overall cercariae temporarily and should help reduce SI until our relocation program can be reinstated.  Our overall emphasis is: relocating a few migratory birds confirmed not to have HPAI to a location that already has mergansers will not contribute to the avian flu problem.
• Research — all research conducted in 2025 is anticipated to continue for 2026:  bird survey, snail infection survey, water exposure study, HLSIO website reporting and hopefully relocation of Mergansers.  Other research is under consideration that may help us understand SI on the lake.  
• ·Currently, we are waiting for DNR/USFWS feedback for 2026. If no relocation/ praziquantel is authorized for 2026, we expect higher SI cases in 2027. This would be a problem for our area and may impact the desirability of the lake for tourism. We are taking actions to keep communications open and remain hopeful. 

Your Support is GREATLY appreciated!

• The Higgins Lake community has many people to thank for their continued support of the HLSIO and our efforts over the last 10+years. Special thanks can be noted for Jim and Steve Witt for hosting our vital fundraising dinner each summer and to Fred’s of Roscommon for contributing their excellent food and beverage service for the dinner that has provided a delightful evening for all who attend. Thanks to everyone who has donated to HLSIO over the years (if so inclined, visit HLSIO.org, PayPal is available to make it real easy). Quality science is not cheap, nor is it a one time expense.  The success of our program is based on the generosity of our supporters and their unwavering contributions to our fight.  

We hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday Season.

Your HLSIO Board

Melanie Brown, Bill Carey, Phil Czech, Duncan Lawrence, Dale McDonald, John Ogren, Mike Purkey, Greg Semack

This is a short update and request for help from the Higgins Lake Swimmer’s Itch Organization (HLSIO). As we strive to maintain our success in managing Swimmer’s Itch (SI), we need your support. You can make a significant difference in our efforts to understand and mitigate Swimmer’s Itch in our beloved lake.As you know, HLSIO has made great progress in reducing Swimmer’s Itch over the past decade. Unfortunately, the US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) has suspended our Merganser Relocation program for 2025, which is a key piece of our efforts to reduce SI. We are also aware there are at least a couple Merganser broods on the lake. While this increases the likelihood of higher rates of Swimmer’s Itch in 2025, we remain optimistic the impact this year will be relatively low due to our prior efforts. We are talking to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), USFW, as well as our state legislators in hopes of better news. However, the DNR/USFWS have been largely unresponsive and our efforts with government representatives will take time. Please know, we are still doing everything possible to be able to control SI on Higgins Lake!

HLSIO conducts several initiatives that help us track our progress minimizing Swimmer’s Itch. These are all critical steps to understanding the elements impacting Swimmer’s Itch, as well as it’s prevalence.

They include:
Merganser trapping/relocation —as mentioned above, suspended once again by DNR/USFW due to risk of spreading Avian Flu — we are working on alternative solutions to present to DNR/USFW
Bird surveys —tracks quantity and types of birds on the lake
Snail infection rate studies —measures how many snails have the parasite causing Swimmers Itch

Water exposure study —tracks frequency of Swimmers Itch cases among regular users of the lake
Canada Geese Nest/Egg Destruction— Spring removal of nests and eggs has been conducted for several years. No action on hatched/hatching nests.
HLSIO.org website —for communications, as well as reporting of Swimmer’s Itch cases and merganser broods.
Over the past few years, we conducted the Higgins Lake Water Exposure Study. We extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated volunteers who participated in prior years’ studies. Their enthusiasm as citizen scientists has been inspiring. We are gathering valuable insights allowing us to track Swimmer’s Itch outbreaks and better manage their occurrence. Understanding the affected areas helps us identify the causes and works towards effective solutions. However, we are eager to accumulate as much data as possible, as it will help in our efforts to demonstrate to the DNR and our Representatives the impact of Swimmer’s Itch.

So… what can you do?

Participate in our survey! We need more volunteers in 2025, particularly as we are concerned there will likely be an increase in Swimmer’s Itch cases due to more broods of Mergansers on the lake this Spring.

Here’s the process to share your experience:

First, sign up for the study at (https://forms.gle/SkuHfzymrxQnNXZD6).Then, after your time in the water, we kindly ask that you please fill out a short survey at (https://forms.gle/RSRfPVptroXVJ56J9) You should fill out the survey, regardless of how long you were in the water or whether or not you got Swimmer’s Itch.

The survey is quick and easy, and anyone using the lake can participate. Ideally, we encourage you to complete the online survey after each visit or whenever your friends and family spend more than a few minutes in the water.

If you think you are more likely to remember to record data if you had something at the beach or on the kitchen counter, we are offering an old-fashioned paper record! Just let us know and we will send you a paper sheet that you could keep in a convenient place to make your recordings. Then all you have to do is take a photo and send it to us, and we will enter in the data!

Other ways to support our efforts:

Stay informed: For further information on our initiatives regarding Swimmer’s Itch, including results from last year’s Higgins Lake Water Exposure Study, please visit our website at www.HLSIO.org. There, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of our work and the steps we are taking to address this issue. Knowledge empowers us to make informed decisions and drive positive change.

Donate: you can donate to us directly through the www.HLSIO.org or join us at our annual Fundraising Dinner at Witt’s Barn, Thursday August 14th. Tickets are for sale, reach out to Greg Semack at cmak3@msn.com, or higginsswimmeritch@gmail.com. It’s a fun evening with a lovely dinner catered by Fred’s and 100+ of your new best friends. Please join us for a little Swimmer’s Itch education, great food, and some nice music in an amazing place. Here is more information. If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at higginsswimmersitch@gmail.com.

Dear HLSIO Supporter,
The summer season has given way to the Holiday Season and we wanted to give you a wrap up of HLSIO 2024 activities. Let’s start with saying that in 2022 and 2023, the common merganser brood relocation program that we use to control Swimmers Itch on Higgins Lake was suspended by MI-DNR because of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Fortunately, no common merganser broods appeared on Higgins Lake in 2022. In 2023, common merganser broods returned, with two broods observed. Since these broods were not relocated, it was predicted that SI metrics at Higgins Lake would increase in 2024. Waterfowl surveys of the entire shoreline of Higgins Lake were conducted by Swimmers Itch Solutions (SIS) on May 21, 2024, and again July 23, 2024. On May 21 there were a total of 20 Common mergansers found on Higgins Lake. On June 20 SIS captured 1 merganser brood (1 Hen and 9 ducklings) and relocated them to Lake Huron. On July 23, another bird survey was done and no common mergansers were found to be on the lake at that time. Because we found and relocated the ducklings prior to them becoming viable spreaders of the SI parasite, we expect SI cases in 2025 will most likely decrease.

On June 28, 2024 over 2000 snails were collected at ten different locations on Higgins Lake. Each snail was individually analyzed for avian schistosome infections. With two common merganser broods on the lake for the entirety of last summer, we had anticipated a slight uptick in snail infections in 2024. We did not find such an increase, likely due to snail infection being reduced so low in the past that a sample size of over 2000 snails is unable to provide anything of consequence. From the inception of Trap and Relocation work in 2015 the SIS website was able to accept information about SI cases throughout the summer. With the advent of the suspension of the program in 2022 we looked for another method of
monitoring SI cases. At that time the Higgins Lake Water Exposure study was initiated, and we have obtained data from swimmer’s experiences not only in 2022 but also in both 2023 and 2024. This data tells us when and where Swimmers Itch cases occur. We hope to develop patterns to analyze and help us determine how to better combat SI on Higgins Lake in the future.

Results of all monitoring show that cases on Higgins Lake increased a modest 2.34% in 2024, even though there were non-relocated birds on HL in the summer of 2023. In contrast, on Crystal Lake, SI cases increased from less than 1% to over 10% in 2023 and were further elevated in 2024. Additionally, most cases on Higgins Lake continue to be mild while some on Crystal Lake were quite severe. In 2023 and again in 2024 we sponsored research with the goal of knowing more precisely how quickly the parasites in newly infected ducklings became viable and began potentially infecting snails.
As a result:

1. As expected, ducklings at the youngest ages (12, 15, 17, and 18 days old) were negative.
2. Ducklings were first found infected at 3 week (21 days old), but producing parasites at a very minimum.
3. The proportion of infected ducklings continues to increase with age, reaching peak parasite shedding at the 5 to 6 week period.
4. All the oldest ducklings (52, 61, and 65 days old) were positive, and some were shedding very large numbers of parasite eggs, many times higher than younger ducklings and their mother hens.
5. Second-year adults (who don’t yet breed but are present on Higgins Lake and other inland lakes in the summer) can have exceptionally high parasite egg counts, though there is variation. Three juvenile birds that were tested in 2024 were actually parasite free. Speculation was that possibly these birds came from relocation site environments where there were no snails present or possibly parasite production is greater between June 19 and July 1 and lessor between July 13 and July 24. It’s also possible that parasite outlook is somehow related to migration and after the migration period, production subsides, or perhaps parasite creation may be diminished as host immune systems mature. In any case, HLSIO intends to continue with the proven success of our relocation program and is already making plans to structure our program for next summer. Thanks to all our supporters for helping to keep Swimmers Itch to a minimum at Higgins Lake.

Your HLSIO Board,
Melanie Brown, Bill Carey, Phil Czech, Duncan Lawrence, Dale McDonald, John Ogren, Mike Purkey, Greg Semack

A quick update about Swimmer’s Itch (SI) on Higgins Lake. Si remains relatively low although the reported cases have increased slightly from last year. we expected a slight uptick this summer as there were two Merganser broods on the lake last year the we were unable to relocate due to DNR restrictions. HLSIO conducted a snail infection rate study earlier this season in order to evaluate the prevalence of the parasite that causes Swimmer’s Itch. We found virtually no infected snails. Our Water Exposure study of people using the lake indicated only a minor increase in cases, but much lower than 2015 when we began our program. Starting again this summer, the DNR has lifted their prior restrictions about relocating mergansers. On June 20th we were able to remove the only merganser brood we had this summer on Higgins Lake. Here are images of the duck roundup. Overall the news is very good. As you may know other northern Michigan lake have had relatively high cases of Swimmer’s Itch the past couple years. Our relatively low infection rate clearly demonstrates our relocation efforts are on the right track.

Please help us keep Swimmer’s Itch prevalence low by reporting cases to (http://swimmersitchsolutions.com/higginslakereportacase/), or by joining our Water Exposure research team (complete a short survey after spending time in water). If interested, please send an email to higginsswimmersitch@gmail.com.

The Higgins Lake Swimmer’s Itch Organization (HLSIO) is already on its way to a Happy New
Year. Early in January we received word that the suspension of our highly successful common
merganser duck relocation program has ended. In the summer of 2024, we will once again be
able to remove any broods of merganser ducks and relocate them to areas where
the Stagnicola snails are not present.
The system of removing broods of merganser ducks was implemented in 2015 and has greatly
reduced the incident of Swimmer’s Itch on Higgins Lake. The program had been suspended by
the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the last two years due to concerns about the
spread of Avian Flu. Although there is still evidence of the flu in bird populations, the DNR no
longer considers it to be reason enough to stop our program from moving a relatively small
number of wild birds from one wild bird location to another wild bird location. Additionally,
merganser duck behavior is typically not conducive to spreading the disease to other birds.
The HLSIO Board meets year-round in order to work on issues to keep Higgins Lake as free for
Swimmer’s Itch as possible. This news gives us a jump start to our plans for the summer of
2024.