LANSING – The U.S. Coast Guard is holding three meetings in Michigan on proposed live-fire training zones on the Great Lakes.

The first meeting is Oct. 18 in Spring Lake. The others are Oct. 19 in Port Huron and Nov.3 in Charlevoix Five meetings are scheduled in other states, including recently added meetings in Erie, PA and Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

George Freeman, owner of Freeman’s Charter Service and member of the Ludington Area Charter Boat Association, said the zones area a bad idea.

“I have a lot of stuff going on; the weather, gas prices and now the Coast Guard is live firing. I have to tell the customer that’s where the fish are, but we can’t go there today because of the Coast Guard. Big brother is taking over and you cannot use the lake.

“I think (in Ludington) they should use a protected reef that no one can fish.”

Freeman said he cannot attend the meetings because he will be on a charter boat in Grand Haven.

The Coast Guard decided to equip cutter boats with a mounted M240B medium machine gun, which fires 7.62 mm rounds at a rate of more than 750 rounds per minute. The Coast Guard will practice with the machine gun aimed at targets within these safety zones. Another vessel will act as spotter to make sure no one enters  the safety zone.

The Coast Guard is to warn boaters by posting notices at marinas, and will have a broadcast message via marine radio channel 16. Messages also will play on regular broadcast stations radio four to six hours before firing commences. Entering these zones is a misdemeanor punishable up to 90 days in jail or a fine.

“We need training and we aren’t militarizing the Great Lakes. We need a peaceful solution so people can use the Great lakes,” said Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier assistant public affairs officer of the 9th Coast Guard District Office in Cleveland.

There are 27 proposed zones near Michigan, including Alpena and off the Thumb. Many of the zones are five miles off shore and not in shipping lanes according to the Coast Guard. Lake Huron has a total of six zones starting off the coast of Port Sanilac, north to Port Austin, Tawas, Alpena and east of Bois Blanc Island. There are 14 zones in Lake Michigan including Grand Haven, Ludington and Charlevoix. Lake Superior has seven zones where the last known live-fire exercise was conducted, in September.

The hearings will include an information sessions on where the proposed live-fire exercises will take place. Anyone interested can speak at these meetings. The Coast Guard will record the comments and use them to help determine the proposed zone.