If you are planning to venture onto the Bay of Green Bay you are being urged to use caution this winter, as commercial shipping channels will remain open through January.

U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking operations will continue throughout the winter season to maintain open shipping routes across the bay. These channels are used by commercial ships and will be actively kept clear of ice, creating potentially dangerous conditions for ice-fishing, snowmobiling, ATV riding, and other activities over frozen waters.

The Coast Guard will establish and maintain tracks through the ice extending from the Rock Island Passage South to the Fox River. The maintained routes will pass through or near Escanaba, Marinette-Menominee, Sturgeon Bay, and Green Bay. Officials emphasize that ice near shipping channels can be unpredictable, thinner, or completely open due to ongoing icebreaking activity.

The maintained tracks will remain in place until the Port of Green Bay officially closes in late January. During this time, ships may arrive with little notice, further increasing the risk for those recreating on the ice.

Safety officials strongly encourage you to stay well clear of marked shipping routes and to avoid crossing ice near open channels. Even when surrounding ice appears solid, conditions can change rapidly due to vessel traffic, currents, and shifting ice.

Anyone planning winter activities on the bay is encouraged to stay informed about icebreaking schedules and shipping activity. Updates are available through the Port of Green Bay website.