Sea Grant Electronic Newletters: 2006 Updates Archive

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• December 21

December 21, 2006

Contents
1) Events
- MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Bowl Set for February
- OH Sea Grant - Friends of Stone Laboratory Annual Winter Program
- OH Sea Grant - Baitfish Production Workshop Set for January 19
- MN Sea Grant - Re-establishing Connections to Our Waterways Speaker Series
- IL-IN Sea Grant - You're Invited to Help Stop Invasive Plants in Indiana 
2) GLSGN - GLOS Making Progress
3) COSEE Great Lakes -Inspire Student Learning and Stewardship in Your Community Through an Innovative Web site
4) OH Sea Grant - Sen. Voinovich Proposes Funding for VHS Testing
5) OH Sea Grant - Ohio Clean Marinas Program Gains Headway During 2006
6) OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Program Shrink-Wrap Recycling Participants Survey Completed
7) OH Sea Grant - Ashtabula Businesses Surveyed
8) IL-IN Sea Grant - Ruddiman Creek Remediation Project Awarded a Success Story
9) NY Sea Grant - Salmon make surprise appearance at SUNY Oswego
10) Publications
- Aquatic Invaders - Vol. 17 Issue 4
- MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings
- PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - http://pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/publications/newsletters/December2006.pdf
11) Web News
- PA Sea Grant - Flathead Catfish site
- PA Sea Grant - Invasive Species Management Workshop Proceedings Now Available Online
12) Staff News
- MI Sea Grant - Interim State Coordinator for Michigan Sea Grant Extension
- MI Sea Grant - Staff Fill National Leadership Roles
- WI Sea Grant - Historic Preservation Award
- OH Sea Grant - Stone Laboratory to Get Renovation Funds
___________________________________________________________________________________

1) Events
MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Bowl Set for February
The tenth annual Great Lakes Bowl, a regional competition of National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2007 at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

OH Sea Grant - Friends of Stone Laboratory Annual Winter Program
The Annual Ohio Sea Grant/Friends of Stone Lab Winter Program and Silent Auction will be from 7 - 9 p.m. on Wednesday (2/28) the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow on Ohio State University's main campus. State Representative Chris Redfern will speak at the event. Attendees will also be able to support Stone Lab by bidding on dozens of donated items during the Silent Auction. All auction proceeds go directly to supporting existing programs.

For more information about this free event call 614.292.8949.

OH Sea Grant - Baitfish Production Workshop Set for January 19
The impacts of USDA-APHIS’ VHS federal order on baitfish shipments and supplies, baitfish production methods, market outlooks and current bait culture research will be covered at the Northern Ohio Aquaculture Workshop focusing on baitfish production on January 19, 2007.  Speakers from Ohio Sea Grant, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and private industry will cover potential impacts of the federal rule along with culture methods and species, infrastructure requirements and new developments.

For more information contact Shawn McWhorter, mcwhorter.31@osu.edu.

For more, contact Frank Lichtkoppler, Frank.Lichtkoppler@lakecountyohio.gov

Chicago and northwest Indiana educators, grades 4-10, recently attended an all day workshop in East Chicago, Indiana. Through presentations by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant scientists and educators, the 22 participants discovered how to incorporate problem-based learning about invasive species into their curriculum. Through a hands-on tour of the “Nab the Aquatic Invader!” Web site, educators learned about 10 Great Lakes invasive species and gathered new ideas on how to involve their students in a community service learning project to heighten awareness about invasive species problems. These projects will identify prevention and control methods so that citizens can take appropriate action to play an essential stewardship role. The final community stewardship projects will be shared globally. On an afternoon field trip led by a National Park Service educator, attendees got up close and personal with phragmites, purple loosestrife, and invasive cattails. The director of the Hammond Marina shared information on ways they control zebra mussels to prevent damage to their piers and docks. For more information, contact Terri Hallesy at 217-244-8809 or thallesy@uiuc.edu

4) OH Sea Grant - Sen. Voinovich Proposes Funding for VHS Testing
Ohio Senator George Voinovich has proposed an amendment to the 2007 Agriculture Appropriations Bill to provide funding to the Great Lakes states to establish VHS testing facilities in support of the fishing and aquaculture industries.  In an editorial he wrote:

…“Doing the right thing in this case means taking on the challenge of balancing both the environmental and economic needs of the Great Lakes.  Hearing the concerns from industry, I introduced an amendment to the 2007 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would have provided $1.5 million to Great Lakes states to help establish testing facilities. I will continue to fight for the funding needed for Great Lakes states to comply with the emergency order. 

I am a long-time friend of the Great Lakes and Ohio’s commercial and sport fishing industries.  VHS is a threat that needs to be dealt with immediately.  As an avid fisherman, it’s important to me that we ensure the long-term stability of the Great Lakes. APHIS needs to work closely with the Great Lakes states to develop a final rule that provides balance to the region and quickly solves this problem, so we can all enjoy the lakes for years to come.”

5) OH Sea Grant - Ohio Clean Marinas Program Gains Headway During 2006
Ohio’s Clean Marina Program (OCMP), administered and coordinated by the Ohio Sea Grant Program, began conducting workshops in the fall of 2004, and certifying marinas as ‘Ohio Clean Marinas’ in 2005.  During this period, six clean marina workshops resulted in nine Ohio Lake Erie marinas becoming certified clean marinas.  During 2006, three workshops resulted in an additional 15 Lake Erie marinas receiving their certifications as Ohio Clean Marinas, with an additional 12 marinas taking the pledge to become certified.  These additional certifications bring the total number of Ohio Clean Marinas to 24.  During the spring of 2006, the Ohio Clean Boater Program (OCBP) was integrated into the OCMP through Ohio certified clean marinas.  Twelve certified marinas were able to offer boaters in their marinas incentive items in exchange for taking the Ohio Clean Boater Pledge.  During the 2006 Ohio boating season, 484 Lake Erie boaters took the pledge at an Ohio Certified Clean Marina in order to become an Ohio Clean Boater.

The OCBP was funded in part by the Lake Erie Protection Commission and the ODNR Division of Watercraft.  For more information contact Dave Kelch at kelch.3@osu.edu.

When asked if the collection period (April 16-June 9) was adequate, 84 percent indicated favorably, with 16 percent asking to extend the 2007 collection period into late June or early July, and 59 percent asking for pick-up every 2-3 weeks.  All but two of the 42 marinas returning the survey indicated they would participate in 2007.  Not only has this recycling program turned over 50 tons of boat shrink-wrap plastic into usable products, but it has saved over 228 cubic yards of space in area landfills equivalent to the space taken by three 54 passenger school buses.

For more information contact Dave Kelch at kelch.3@osu.edu.

7) OH Sea Grant - Ashtabula Businesses Surveyed
Marina, recreational business and boater surveys were initiated in Ashtabula, Ohio by Ohio Sea Grant Extension to help develop baseline economic data prior to the cleanup dredging of the Ashtabula River by the USEPA. The data will be used to document economic development following the environmental dredging of the Ashtabula River.

For more, contact Frank Lichtkoppler, Frank.Lichtkoppler@lakecountyohio.gov

8) IL-IN Sea Grant - Ruddiman Creek Remediation Project Awarded a Success Story
The clean up of Ruddiman Creek began as a grassroots effort in Muskegon, Michigan many years ago. Recently, this project, which resulted in the removal of nearly 90,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment, was awarded as a 2006 "Success Story" at the State of the Great Lakes Ecosystem Conference (SOLEC).  The Ruddiman Creek Great Lakes Legacy Act Sediment Remediation Project combined the resources of U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality-Water Bureau, which teamed with the Muskegon Lake PAC, Ruddiman Creek Task Force, City of Muskegon, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), who all share in this award.

This project has received much of its funding from the Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA), which authorizes $270 million to clean up hundreds of tons of contaminated sediment that has built up over the years and left some local waterways severely polluted. U.S. EPA has identified 31 “Areas of Concern” in the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes. So far, four other communities are benefiting from this federal funding.
 
Susan Boehme, IISG coastal sediment specialist in U.S. EPA GLNPO, works closely with communities as they go through this process. “I make sure that citizens have all the information they need as the project goes forward and that any concerns are heard,” said Boehme. She also helps the community take the next step, which is to take ownership of their rehabilitated environment. “EPA GLLA cleans up these sites, but this is not the end of the process," said Boehme. “The community needs to own the project and initiate long-term restoration plans.”  In Muskegon, where residents have seen their neighborhood pond transformed, that has been an easy sell for Boehme. “This community fought for this project so they are enthusiastic about being involved,” she said. “One resident said this project is a dream come true.”
   
"The seven SOLEC Success Story recipients exemplify a strong commitment to improving the environment within the Great Lakes basin," said Stacey Cherwaty, Environment Canada science liaison officer. The recipients are chosen by members of the SOLEC Steering Committee, which includes representatives from provincial and state agencies, federal agencies, municipalities, academia, industry, First Nations and Tribes, environmental non-governmental organizations and others in the Great Lakes region. The committee ranks nominations using criteria that include strong partnerships, links between economy, environment and community, and broad stakeholder involvement.  

9) NY Sea Grant - Salmon make surprise appearance at SUNY Oswego
Excerpt from The Post-Standard.  Wednesday, December 13, 2006.  By Fred A. Mohr
Michael Ameigh, an assistant provost and avid birder, likes to look for avian visitors along the lakefront.  In late November he spotted something strange: 14 carcasses and two live chinook in the campus' Glimmerglass Lagoon outlet leading to Lake Ontario.  The sightings of between 20 and 30 chinook by Ameigh and others surprised two marine biology experts from New York Sea Grant's office in Mackin Hall on campus. "It was interesting and a bit surprising," said David MacNeill, a fisheries specialist. "I've never heard of it happening here."  The outlet's small size and silty bottom wouldn't be conducive to 20- to 30-pound salmon looking for a place to spawn, he said. But weather may have been a factor.  "This has been a very wet fall," said Mary Penney, a river and dune steward coordinator. "This little outlet is larger than it typically would be, so it makes it more attractive to migratory fish."  She and MacNeill said salmon usually return to the streams where they spawned, but chinook are known occasionally to stray.  MacNeill said any anomalies in fish migration are worth noting.  "I don't know that it (deserves) any detailed scientific study, but I think it would be interesting to keep an eye on," he said. 

10) Publications
Aquatic Invaders - Vol. 17 Issue 4
Due to funding issues, Aquatic Invaders has gone to an electronic-only format. 
Highlights in this issue:

• Invasive Species Definition Clarification and Guidance White Paper
• Secretary Kempthorne Announces New Members of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee
• Building an Aquatic Invasive Species Response through Partnership and Collaboration
• TOPICAL INDEX 2006
• WebWatch
• Whirling Disease Initiative Web site - http://whirlingdisease.montana.edu
• NISBase - http://www.nisbase.org
• MERHAB-LGL - http://www.merhab-lgl.org
• NorthEast Water Chestnut Web - http://www.waterchestnut.org/
• New Papers available through the Clearinghouse Library
  

MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings

• Indicators Reflect Health of Detroit River, Western Lake Erie
• Detroit River Event Draws Hundreds of Paddlers
• Soft Engineering: Partners Transform Industrial Waterfront
• Researchers to Study Return of Lake Erie Dead Zone
• What is an Ecological Tipping Point?
• Pistis to Lead Michigan Sea Grant Extension
• Sea Grant Staff Fill National Leadership Roles
• Great Lakes Bowl Set for February
• Michigan Educators Join Online Workshop
• 2006 Reader Survey

PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - http://pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/publications/newsletters/December2006.pdf

• COSEE Great Lakes: Connecting Educators and Scientists throughout the Great Lakes
• Removing Obstacles to Improve Fourmile Creek
• Sea Grant Helps Penn State Behrend Correct Soil Erosion along Fourmile Creek
• So What’s the Big Deal About Flathead Catfish? New Web Site Has the Answers Eastern Pennsylvania Needs
• Have a Bilge in Your Boat? Make Sure You Use a Bilge Sock!
• Invasive Species Management Workshop Proceedings Now Available Online
• Educational Opportunities at the Regional Science Consortium
• Youth Boating and Fishing Programs Begin with Donation from Friends of Fish Foundation
• Erie’s Tom Ridge Environmental Center Now Open
• Gaining Consensus at the Third Fish Tumor Workshop
  

Chuck Pistis will begin a three year appointment as Interim State Coordinator for Michigan Sea Grant Extension effective January 1, 2007.  Chuck will provide leadership and coordination among the Michigan Sea Grant Extension team for program needs assessment, priority setting, planning, development, implementation and evaluation and will be responsible for developing, delivering and evaluating Michigan Sea Grant Extension programs. He will also be liaison between the Michigan Sea Grant management team, Michigan Sea Grant Extension educators, Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) specialists and educators, and the MSUE administrative team.   

Since 1977, Chuck has served Michigan Sea Grant Extension as district educator in southwestern Michigan.  He has also been a statewide, regional and national leader in Michigan Sea Grant’s work with fisheries, the marina industry and coastal community development.  He is an advisor to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and is a member of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ citizen advisory committees for lakes Michigan, and Erie.  He has won state and regional awards for programs such as CoastWatch, Clean Marinas, and a national Sea Grant award for his work with the charter fishing industry.  In 2002, he received Michigan State University’s Distinguished Academic Staff Award, the highest honor the university bestows on MSU Extension staff members.

Chuck says, “I’m excited about working with my Sea Grant Extension colleagues to continue our long standing tradition of being one of the premiere Sea Grant Extension programs in the Great Lakes region. I look forward to putting our resources in play to deal with issues of importance to the Great Lakes resources and to our Great Lakes constituencies.”

Chuck will have offices on the MSU campus in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, in the Ottawa County MSU Extension office and, as of mid-2007, in the MSU Extension Central Region office in Grand Rapids. His e-mail remains pistis@msu.edu.

Michigan Sea Grant Extension
334 Natural Resources Building
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI  48824-1222
Phone:  (517) 353-5508
Fax:  (517) 353-6496

MSU Extension
Ottawa County
333 Clinton Street
Grand Haven, MI  49417
Phone: (616) 846-8250
Fax: (616) 846-0655

MI Sea Grant - Staff Fill National Leadership Roles
Two Michigan Sea Grant staff members will play important Sea Grant leadership roles at the national level in 2007 and 2008. Education Co-leader Steve Stewart begins his term in January 2007 as Chair of the Sea Grant Educators Network. Communications Director and Education Co-leader Elizabeth LaPorte begins her term in 2007 as Chair-elect of the National Sea Grant Communicators Network.

WI Sea Grant - Historic Preservation Award
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute has been awarded the 2006 Historic Preservation Award from the Wisconsin Historical Society.  In presenting the award, State Historic Preservation Officer Michael Stevens cited Sea Grant’s “unwavering material and financial support for the preservation of Wisconsin’s rich maritime heritage.” That support has helped make possible dozens of dozens of archaeological surveys of shipwrecks and public outreach efforts since 1988, according to Historical Society Underwater Archaeologist Keith Meverden. The archaeological surveys have lead to 25 shipwrecks being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, more than any other state, Meverden said. Sea Grant and Historical Society staff have made many of the archaeological findings accessible to the public at its Web site, “Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Shipwrecks” (www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org).  The work has also contributed to Wisconsin’s Maritime Trails (www.maritimetrails.org), which highlight lighthouses, shipwrecks, maritime museums, and other testaments to the state’s rich maritime heritage, Meverden added.  A six-member panel of judges representing the Historical Society and other preservation professionals selected UW Sea Grant Institute for the award, citing its role in changing recreational divers' viewpoint on the removal of artifacts from shipwreck sites.  Wisconsin Sea Grant Assistant Director Mary Lou Reeb accepted the award on behalf of the institute on Dec. 18.

OH Sea Grant - Stone Laboratory to Get Renovation Funds
The recently passed State Capital Budget included $500,000 for renovations to the Stone Laboratory Research Building on South Bass Island and classrooms, offices, and computer rooms in Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island.

November 17

Contents
1. Upcoming Events
- OH Sea Grant -National Steering Committee to Explore Benefits of National Scenic Byway Designation
- New York Sea Grant - Science Input to Ecosystem Based Management
- Michigan Sea Grant - Michigan Clean Marina Workshop
- GLRRIN - Communications Committee
- COSEE Great Lakes - College of Exploration Partnership
- MI Sea Grant - State of the Strait Conference
2. Recent Events
- Ohio Sea Grant - National Estuarine Research Reserve Association and System Conference
- MN Sea Grant - Making a Great Lake Superior 2007
- Ohio Sea Grant - OSU Metro High School Students Attend Stone Lab Workshops on Lake Erie
- COSEE Great Lakes - Teachable Moments workshop spotlights Waves and Beaches
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Workshop Highlights New Waste Disposal Resource Kits
- Pennsylvania Sea Grant - Best Management Practices workshops
3. GLSGN - Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia
4. New York Sea Grant - Use Common Sense in Dealing with Fish and Birds on Shoreline
5. NY Sea Grant - Botulism Research Project Profile: Prevalence of Botulism in the Food Chain of the Lower Great Lakes
6. MI Sea Grant - Botulism in Michigan and the Great Lakes
7. MI Sea Grant - Michigan’s first public marina to receive Clean Marina designation
8. MI Sea Grant - Eco-tourism Project Highlighted
9. Publications
- New York Sea Grant - New Fact Sheet
- Ohio Sea Grant - New Youth Fishing Fact Sheets
- Michigan Sea Grant - Poster, Book and Fact Sheet - http://www.miseagrant.com
- Minnesota Sea Grant - "Seiche" http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - the HELM - http://www.iisgcp.org/news/helm/helm.htm
- WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Summer/Fall 2006 - http://www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle
10. Staff News
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Director Search
- OH Sea Grant - New Tourism Director
- Ohio Sea Grant - New Associate Editor
- New York Sea Grant - New Coastal Communities Specialist
- PA Sea Grant - New AIS Coordinator
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Invasive Species Program Wins Coastal America Partnership Award
______________________________________________________________________________________

1. Upcoming Events
OH Sea Grant -National Steering Committee to Explore Benefits of National Scenic Byway Designation
Nov. 20-21 Cleveland, OH
Melinda Huntley, Tourism Program Director, is leading an America’s Byways Economic Impact Steering Committee to assist the America’s Byways Resource Center and the Federal Highway Administration as they explore the development of possible tools for identifying the economic benefits of national scenic byway designation. The first committee meeting of byway leaders from throughout the country takes place Nov. 20-21 in Cleveland. This 2-year project is designed to be led by byway leaders. The goal is to determine whether or not a tool is available for assessing various economic impacts within byway communities and what that tool might resemble for use by a varied assortment of byway leaders.

New York Sea Grant - Science Input to Ecosystem Based Management
Syracuse, NY (Tuesday, November 28, 2006, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm)
Stony Brook, NY (Thursday, November 30, 2006)

Ecosystem-based Management in New York State-- Taking steps to find short-term research needs
The New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Act that became state law in late July has spawned a number of activities aimed at shifting the paradigm of resource management from a single species to an integrated ecosystem focus. In response to a request from the Division of Coastal Resources of the NYS Department of State, New York Sea Grant agreed to help the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Council by developing a research agenda to advance ecosystem-based management (EBM). NYSG is looking for a broad representation of scientists to contribute to this shift in resource management paradigms that promises to influence resource management decisions in NYS for some time to come.

Two workshops, each of 20 or more researchers, will be held in Syracuse, NY (Tuesday, November 28, 2006, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm) and Stony Brook, NY (Thursday, November 30, 2006) to consider demonstration projects in the Sandy Creeks’ watershed on Eastern Lake Ontario and the Great South Bay on the south shore of Long Island, respectively. With descriptions of the site and summaries of information gaps and needs by the project and resource managers for each area, the researchers at each workshop will be asked to: a – identify priority research that will contribute to developing and/or improving ecosystem-based management of the local site; b – provide the rationale and justification for the proposed research; c – estimate the direct costs of the research recommended; and d – indicate which of the research might produce results that would/might apply generally to other sites.

Representation of a broad range of scientific expertise and experience at each workshop will be important to cover all aspects of EBM. Several organizational approaches have been proposed to consider the information that will be needed to advance EBM, but all of them include consideration of: 1) the biotic and abiotic components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and the natural processes that interconnect and affect them, 2) the influence of anthropogenic structures and activities (e.g., land uses, point and non-point pollution) on the natural systems, and 3) the economic valuation of ecosystem services and industry/business uses to allow cost-benefit evaluations to make knowledgeable trade-off decisions. Expertise needed includes the fields of hydrology, biogeochemistry, physiological, community and systems ecology, land use and land water interactions, human dimensions, and various sub-fields (agriculture, ecology, fisheries, recreation, tourism) of economics.

Participants will be helping to form a base for a shift in resource management paradigms, a shift that will move ecosystem-based resource management from wish toward reality. Participation also will ensure that all the important fields of research to support EBM will receive consideration in the discussions of research needs. Workshop participation will not have any influence on an individual’s eligibility to compete for future funds made available by NYS to support EBM.

Michigan Sea Grant - Michigan Clean Marina Workshop
Nov. 28, 2006, see http://www.mbia.org
Major sponsors are the U.S. EPA, the Lake Superior Binational Program, and the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network.

GLRRIN - Communications Committee
Nov 29-30
Erie, PA
Strategic Planning for GLRRIN Communications
Contact Jill Jentes (jentes.1@osu.edu) for more information.

COSEE Great Lakes - College of Exploration Partnership
Online Workshop – What's So Great About The Great Lakes?
December 3-9, 2006
See: http://www.coexploration.org/coseegreatlakes/

MI Sea Grant - State of the Strait Conference
December 5, 2006
Detroit River & Western Lake Erie
Flat Rock, MI, see http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu

2. Recent Events
Ohio Sea Grant - National Estuarine Research Reserve Association and System Conference
Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve staff recently hosted the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association and System Conference, Oct. 14-20. The NERRA annual meeting attracts estuarine scientists, educators, resource managers, and coastal community supporters from around the U.S. Participants toured Stone Laboratory, and they had an opportunity to attend two sessions presented by Ohio Sea Grant. Dr. Jeff Reutter, Director, participated in a plenary addressing Great Lakes issues and management, while Melinda Huntley, Tourism Program Director, provided a presentation on the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail and the importance of our natural areas, historic sites, and cultural stories to community economic development.

MN Sea Grant - Making a Great Lake Superior 2007
Oct 29-31, 2007
Duluth, MN
A conference linking research, education, and management
For more information and to sign up for conference updates online, visit the conference Web site: http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/superior2007

Ohio Sea Grant - OSU Metro High School Students Attend Stone Lab Workshops on Lake Erie
Stone Laboratory, Ohio Sea Grant’s research and education facility, hosted 99 ninth-grade students from the Metro High School, a Columbus-area school emphasizing math, science, and technology, for a two-day aquatic science workshop in October. Students participated in hands-on activities such as Lake Erie cruises on research vessels, fish seining, invertebrate and bird hikes, and a fish and plankton lab session. The sessions began in the morning and ran through the afternoon, with students spending the night on Gibraltar Island and completing their instruction the next afternoon. The students will return as sophomores in Fall 2008 to take a college credit introductory course.

COSEE Great Lakes - Teachable Moments workshop spotlights Waves and Beaches
Teachable Moments workshops are designed to provide in-depth information on current marine and freshwater research topics to formal and informal educators. Dr. David Cacchione, Senior Scientist Emeritus for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park, California, recently led an all day workshop for regional educators at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. The workshop covered topics such as water waves and currents, beaches, sediment transport, the bathymetry of Lake Erie, and beach processes of Presque Isle. Participants learned that many of the processes which occur in the ocean occur in the Great Lakes as well. They also learned how to create a beach profile with two 2 x 4’s and how to demonstrate longshore current to students by tossing an orange into the surf and watching it quickly move along the shore whichever way the current was moving. For more in formation contact Marti Martz at (814) 217-9015 or mam60@psu.edu <mailto:mam60@psu.edu>.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Workshop Highlights New Waste Disposal Resource Kits
Two new community awareness campaigns on backyard burning and medicine disposal were highlighted in a workshop at the State of the Lakes Conference (SOLEC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, November 1-3. New resource kits developed by the U.S. EPA and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, under the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration provide key tools for communities that want to address these waste disposal concerns.

During this three hour workshop, Erin Newman of the U.S. EPA Air Resources Division spoke about the environmental concerns of backyard burning, offered alternatives to burning, and provided resources that can be used by communities and tribes to build infrastructure to provide burning alternatives. Susan Boehme of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant introduced the emerging issue of unwanted medicine disposal. "Approximately 4,600 tons of drugs are discarded annually in this country," said Boehme. "Pharmaceuticals make their way to our local lakes and streams, posing a potential environmental concern. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey sampled downstream from wastewater treatment plants in 30 states and found at least one pharmaceutical in 80 percent of 139 streams."

In addition, representatives from several cities and states explained their programs to provide effective alternatives for disposing of unwanted medicine. Participants had opportunity to ask them directly about how to start similar programs in other communities.

On November 2, during the afternoon session focused on chemical integrity, scientists from the U.S and Canada presented current research on the impacts of pharmaceuticals on aquatic species and ecosystems.

For more information about the new resource kits, contact Erin Newman at 312- 886-4587 or Susan Boehme at 312-353-4383.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant - Best Management Practices workshops
County Conservation District, Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Coastal Zone Management office, the Erie County Planning Office, French Creek Project, Ernst Conservation Seed, PENNDOT, PA Sea Grant staff recently hosted a Best Management Practices (BMPs) workshop for professionals and contractors who work along the Lake Erie shoreline and Erie County waterways. Funded by the Great Lakes Commission, the goal of this workshop was to provide an overview of the economic and environmental damage caused by soil erosion and sedimentation as well as provide current, science-based BMP information on these topics. Working under the assumption that better information should lead to better decision making in the field, local engineers, landscape architects, township officers, excavators and surveyors spent one day in the classroom followed by one day in the field where they saw first-hand many of the projects that were detailed in the classroom the day before. Presenters included staff from the ErieVenango Township, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania Sea Grant. The opportunity to speak with regulators first hand, determine who the appropriate contact is for what issue, the depth of knowledge of the presenters and the ability to see completed projects were common themes in workshop evaluations. A second workshop will be held in the spring of 2007. Those interested in attending should contact Marti Martz @ (814) 217-9015 or mam60@psu.edu <mailto:mam60@psu.edu>.

3. GLSGN - Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia
Several fish kills in the Great Lakes region this past summer have been attributed to viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). Outbreaks have been confirmed for Lakes Ontario and Erie as well as Conesus Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. A fish kill in Lake Huron has yet to be diagnosed as to whether or not VHS was involved. The strain of VHS in the region appears to be a new variant, closely related to the east coast marine strain.

On October 24, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) banned shipments of 37 species of live fish from eight Great Lakes states in order to contain VHS. This ban has serious economic consequences for aquaculture, bait, live hauling industries throughout the region. Stocking programs may be impacted if they depend on trading of stocks across state lines. Secondary impacts may affect the recreational fishery. Sea Grant fisheries extension staff throughout the region are working to coordinate available scientific and economic information and to make such available to the agencies, public and affected industries.

4. New York Sea Grant - Use Common Sense in Dealing with Fish and Birds on Shoreline
Just when you thought you had enough to worry about… along come botulism and VHS – viral hemorrhagic septicemia – to New York’s freshwater shoreline. New York Sea Grant coastal education specialist Helen Domske suggests using common sense to put fears at bay. "Knowledge is power and learning what botulism and VHS mean in terms of human and environmental health issues can help ease unnecessary fears,” Domske says.

Botulism is caused by the toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The naturally occurring toxin has caused health issues in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Botulism outbreaks in fish and fish-eating birds have been recorded for Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. One theory under study suggests that outbreaks in fish and waterfowl may occur when quagga mussels help transfer the toxins from lake sediments up the lake’s food chain. Ingesting the toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum type E bacterium can harm humans who eat infected birds or fish.

“Hunters, anglers, shoreline users and property owners can apply common sense by not handling fish or birds that appear sick. We encourage people to get in the habit of wearing gloves when filleting fish or processing wild game,” Domske says, “and just as good practice we suggest developing a routine of not allowing fillets to come in contact with the fish’s digestive organs that will be discarded.

Another common sense suggestion for safely enjoying time and recreation along New York’s freshwater shoreline is to keep an eye on children and dogs. Do not let them play with dead fish or birds. If children do come into contact with carcasses, thoroughly wash their skin with an antibacterial soap. Such precautions are appropriate in the case of any fish, bird or other wild animal that is found dead or behaving in an abnormal manner. The general public should avoid contact with such animals and report observations to authorities.

New York Sea Grant is currently funding botulism research by Cornell University’s Dr. Paul Bowser and Dr. Rod Getchell, who are credited with developing a faster, safer, more affordable method for detecting botulism in fish. More information on botulism is on the New York Sea Grant website at www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/botulism.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a virus affecting fresh and saltwater fish. VHS has been attributed to fish kills in Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The only way to confirm VHS in fish is by laboratory testing. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) says VHS does not pose a threat to human health.

To reduce the spread of VHS, anglers should not transport bait fish from one body of water to another. All fishing gear and vehicles should be cleaned by careful application of an oxidizing solution such as a 10 percent chlorine/water solution or strong detergent before leaving a water area. This is especially needed in areas where the virus has already been found. Fish carcasses should be properly disposed of and not thrown into any body of water.

The state DEC is working with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine on a fish sampling program that tests fish from several bodies of waters for a variety of diseases. To learn more about VHS, see the NYSDEC website at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/fish/vhsv.html.

Whenever you see a large mass of sickly or dead fish or birds, contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Fisheries.

See also: Sunday, 11-5-06, Syracuse Post-Standard article: Experts link lake diseases to influx of invasive species quotes Helen Domske. Link:
http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1162720631155590.xml&coll=1

5. NY Sea Grant - Botulism Research Project Profile: Prevalence of Botulism in the Food Chain of the Lower Great Lakes
Drs. Paul Bowser and Rodman Getchell of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Cornell University have focused on the role of the food chain in the recent documented outbreaks of botulism in which waterfowl and fish of the Lower Great Lakes have died of type E botulism. Field observations suggest that quagga mussels and other benthic invertebrates may become infected and/or intoxicated by the presence of vegetative cells and /or spores of type E Clostridium botulinum in the sediment immediately beneath or within the mussel beds. The fish species that feed on the benthic invertebrates then contribute to the movement of type E toxin up the food chain. The specific objectives of this New York Sea Grant funded project were to determine the prevalence of type E C. botulinum in the near shore sediments; in invertebrates such as quagga mussels; and in fish such as round gobies, freshwater drum, and smallmouth bass from areas of the Lower Great Lakes where type E C. botulinum levels are high in the sediments and invertebrates. The species of fish tested had been shown in the researchers’ previous work to be the most likely species affected.

With cooperation with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the researchers examined sediment and collected invertebrate and fish samples from locations of previous type E botulism outbreaks in fish and waterfowl. The research team also sought to better understand the circumstances under which piscivorous birds become intoxicated with type E botulinum toxin from eating live or moribund fish, which in turn had consumed prey that contained the type E botulinum toxin.

Samples were tested with a real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assay for the type E botulinum toxin gene. The researchers had previously cloned a small fragment of DNA located in the type E toxin gene for the quantitative PCR assay.

Other than a limited number of freshwater drum and round goby samples, the project failed to demonstrate the presence of the type E C. botulinum toxin gene in the sediments and benthic invertebrates collected during this study. However, work with project collaborators Mark Clapsadl and Alicia Perez-Fuentetaja (formerly of SUNY Fredonia, now of Buffalo State University), has measured significant levels of type E C. botulinum in a few sediment and benthic invertebrates collected in 2002 (Pérez-Fuentetaja et al. 2006). The results of this collaborative work show that the occurrence of the type E toxin gene can vary widely in terms of presence/absence and also in numbers, indicating a patchy distribution that can differ in space and time. When botulism outbreaks occur, it is likely that most of the bacterial C. botulinum type E production is taking place in certain “hot spots” in the sediment that meet the bacterial requirements for optimal growth.

The research in 2004 and 2005 has been unable to clarify the role that the benthic food chain may play in the C. botulinum type E intoxications that have recently struck the live-fish-eating birds of the Lower Great Lakes. Whether the environmental conditions in the sediments have changed or the level of C. botulinum type E in the lakes has declined is unknown at this time. The presence of C. botulinum type E had been successfully documented in previous years at the same locations near Dunkirk, NY.

The inability to find vegetative DNA in the samples that were collected could be the result of localized bacterial activity that may occur under very specific sediment and microbial conditions. If this is the case, it is likely that only a very intensive spatial and temporal sampling protocol would result in the detection of vegetative cells.

For more information, contact Dr. Paul Bowser (prb4@cornell.edu) or Dr. Rodman Getchell (rgg4@cornell.edu) of the Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, Cornell University.

6. MI Sea Grant - Botulism in Michigan and the Great Lakes
Botulism has been identified as a problem for fish and birds in Lakes Ontario and Erie, and now along Lake Michigan. Removing dead birds and fish immediately and properly disposing them may help prevent the spread of botulism. You can help:
- Do not handle dead fish or birds with your bare hands.
- Dispose of carcasses by double bagging and placing in the trash.

In response to thousands of birds dying along Lake Michigan, Michigan Sea Grant developed a Botulism Web page, based on content from PA and NY Sea Grant. See: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/habitat/avian.html

For more information about botulism in the news, see GLIN News archive: http://www.glin.net/dailynews/search.html?searchkey=botulism&op=seen&duration=365 <http://www.glin.net/dailynews/search.html?searchkey=botulism&op=seen&duration=365>


7. MI Sea Grant - Michigan’s first public marina to receive Clean Marina designation
Port Austin State Harbor is the first public marina in Michigan to receive the honorable designation of a “Michigan Clean Marina” by the Michigan Clean Marina Program (CMP) Committee. The Clean Marina Program (CMP) is a joint undertaking by the Michigan Boating Industries Association, Michigan Sea Grant, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. It is the policy of a “clean marina” to protect the health of boaters, staff, and the environment by preventing the discharge of pollutants to the water, land, and air.

The clean marina designation begins with a pledge to participate in the program, followed by workshops where the marina management and staff receive a marina handbook, overview of the designation process, and a review of best management practices. The facilities then conduct self-evaluations of their environmental practices to determine their strengths and weaknesses. After implementing improvements and reaching a level of competencies, the marina requests a visitation by a CMP consultant, which serves as an evaluation of the facility’s environmental stewardship. When the facility reaches established goals, they receive their designation. The Clean Marina designation is applicable for a three-year period at which time the facility must be re-designated.

The Michigan Clean Marina was developed to protect water resources and wildlife habitat by promoting environmentally sound marina and boating practices. It is a voluntary stewardship program open to all public and private marinas in the state. For more information about the Michigan Clean Marina Program visit http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/cmp.

8. MI Sea Grant - Eco-tourism Project Highlighted
New Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Project Web page, see http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/coastal/ecotourism.html

This project is a partnership of the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance (IWRA) and Michigan Sea Grant, supported by Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. Pathways to Nature®Conservation Fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

9. Publications
New York Sea Grant - New Fact Sheet
Giant Hogweed fact sheet now available from New York Sea Grant: Should you be walking along a damp abandoned railroad right-of way, a wet roadside ditch or a stream bank and stumble upon a plant that looks like Queen Anne’s Lace with an attitude—more than 10 feet tall and with two-inch thick stems, flowers two or more feet across and leaf clusters as wide as you can stretch your arms—stay clear! You have just become one of an increasing number of New Yorkers who have met the state’s most striking, and dangerous, invasive plant, the giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)… So begins the informative and rather humorous fact sheet written by NYSG’s Chuck O’Neill and is available in pdf by contacting NYSG’s SUNY Brockport office at 585.395.22638 or SGBrockp@cornell.edu;or cro4@cornell.edu.

Ohio Sea Grant - //New Youth Fishing Fact Sheets
Basic Fishing Equipment for Kids and Where to Take your Kids Fishing fact sheets are new publications now available from Ohio Sea Grant. The fact sheets map out how you can get started fishing; what basic equipment you will need, and where the hot fishing spots are around the Lake Erie shoreline. In addition to kid-friendly fishing locations and directions, Where to Take your Kids Fishing provides readers with typical species located at each location. The new fact sheets are part of a new series developed by Ohio Sea Grant Extension’s Kelly Riesen. To receive free copies of the publications, contact Nancy Cruickshank at cruickshank.3@osu.edu <mailto:cruickshank.3@osu.edu> or go to www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/publications <http://www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/publications> for a downloadable pdf.

Michigan Sea Grant - Poster, Book and Fact Sheet - http://www.miseagrant.com/

   * Fins, Tails, and Scales: Learning about Great Lakes Fishes (poster) From the distinctive Lake sturgeon to popular fish, such as walleye and smallmouth bass, Michigan Sea Grant’s new Fins, Tails and Scales poster highlights some of the distinctive traits that separate Great Lakes fish families.
   * A Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants (book) This is the definitive book for identifying Great Lakes coastal plants and learning about their habitat. Easy to understand descriptions of sixty-seven plants found in the Great Lakes region. Each plant is illustrated with color photographs and line drawings for ease in identification.
   * Fact Sheets - MSG recently updated it’s online library of PDF fact sheets, see : http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/library

Minnesota Sea Grant - "Seiche" http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche

   * Young Eagles Tell Story of Great Lakes Pollution - The National Park Service is getting a bird's eye view of some persistent toxins that accumulate towards the top of aquatic food chains.
   * Unsolved Mystery: Lake Superior's Missing Carbon - Experts are baffled about where huge amounts (possibly half) of organic carbon in Lake Superior come from and are working to discover the sources.
   * Readers Want to Know? -What are those small goo balls that washed ashore on beaches around Lake Superior?
   * Building Superior Coastal Communities - This 26-page booklet helps Lake Superior's residents understand the landscape and consider options for community development.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - the HELM - http://www.iisgcp.org/news/helm/helm.htm

   * Pharmwaste: A Prescription for Troubled Water
   * Moving Forward with New Leadership
   * One Stop Shopping for Great Lakes Information
   * Vitamin E Relieves the Effects of Aquaculture Stress

WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Summer/Fall 2006 - http://www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle

   * Long Distance Assistance - Ties to New Orleans help professor chart new UW course.
   * Keep It Cool - Prized Wisconsin trout streams need steady supply of groundwater.
   * A Passage for Boats, a Barrier for Invaders - The State of Wisconsin is working to reopen a historic Fox River passage for boats while keeping out invasive species.
   * Special Section: Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant
   * Featured Web Site: interactive Project Reporting Online (iPRO) - An easy way for principal investigators to manage their projects online.
   * Wisconsin’s Water Library: Aquaculture - A Wisconsin Sea Grant Resource Guide for current and prospective aquaculturists in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region.
   * Education News: Educators and scientists connect on Lake Superior.
   * Carlson awarded Weston Fellowship.
   * Program & People News:
         o Cammen named director of NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program.
         o Hurley appointed chair of program leaders for the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network.
         o Earthwatch Radio changes its production schedule.
         o Biennial Report wins Council for the Advancement and Support of Education award.
         o Rueben Lorenz, 1922-2006
   * Know Your Water Lab: Center for Limnology, UW-Madison

10. Staff News
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Director Search
Search #10876
The University of Illinois and Purdue University seek a director for the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program, headquartered at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant sponsors and conducts research, education, and outreach that empower citizens and communities in the Lake Michigan region to secure a healthy environment and economy. The program includes 23 staff members located at six institutions in Illinois and Indiana that are supported through partnerships with over 11 departments, organizations, or administrative units.

The director will serve as the full time (100%, 12-month) administrative leader for the program. This position may be filled at the associate or full professor level with a tenure/tenure-track appointment in an appropriate academic department at University of Illinois. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Start date: May 2007 or as soon as possible thereafter.

To ensure full consideration, all application materials must be received by December 15, 2006 at 5:00 PM. For a full job description, minimum requirements and information regarding the application process, go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/careers/current.cfm or contact Irene Miles at (217) 333-8055 or miles@uiuc.edu <mailto:miles@uiuc.edu>.

OH Sea Grant - New Tourism Director
Melinda Huntley is the new Tourism Program Director with Ohio State University's Sea Grant College Program. She coordinates the newly-designated Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail national scenic byway, a driving route that connects Conneaut to Toledo. It is one of 126 routes designated by the Federal Highway Administration as an America’s Byway.

Her goal is to increase the economic impact of tourism within the Lake Ere region while also promoting and preserving those places and stories that make Lake Erie so unique, such as its natural areas, historical sites, and cultural offerings. Her office is located in Sandusky at the East Sandusky Bay Preserve on Route 6, right along the national scenic byway.

Melinda is currently the 2006-07 president of the Ohio Travel Association, and she serves as national coordinator of the America’s Byways Economic Impact Study Steering Committee and a board member for the National Scenic Byway Foundation.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree from The Ohio State University. She was previously director of the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau, and she’s held marketing and public relations positions with the Sandusky/Erie County Visitors and Convention Bureau and Cedar Point.

Melinda can be reached at: Melinda Huntley, OSU Ohio Sea Grant, Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, PO Box 1639, Sandusky OH 44870, 419.609.0399 (phone and fax), huntley@coastalohio.com <mailto:huntley@coastalohio.com>

Ohio Sea Grant - New Associate Editor
Ohio Sea Grant would like to announce that the program has a new Associate Editor. Abbie Basile comes to Sea Grant with a background in writing, public relations, and higher education. Previously, she was Community Relations Director at The Salvation Army in Columbus, where she produced a quarterly newsletter for 10,000 readers, managed public relations and marketing, and planned events. She also has been a freelance writer and editor, most recently for the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. Abbie will be working on many communications projects including program news releases, the Aquatic Invasive Species Report, Stone Lab marketing and promotion, the newsletter Twine Line, and program web sites. Abbie can be reached at basile.12@osu.edu or 614-292-8949.

/*New York Sea Grant - New Coastal Communities Specialist
*/New York Sea Grant welcomes a new Coastal Communities specialist: At the NYSG office at SUNY at Buffalo, John Herring will develop the Coastal Communities program for NY’s Great Lakes region, working with local officials and community decision-makers to help protect coastal resources. His training includes an MS in Public Health as well as BS and PhD in natural resources, both from Cornell.

Although new to Sea Grant, Herring has worked with many NYSG staff over the years having taught at two SUNY campuses (Cortland and Plattsburg), worked as a county agent with Cornell Cooperative Extension, coordinated the Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control program with NY Department of State’s Coastal Management Program, and been an environmental consultant. In 2000-2001, Herring taught environmental management in Kyrgyzstan as part of the US Fulbright Program and he recently completed a second stint in central Asia, where he was the founding Dean of the School of Adult and Continuing Education for the newly formed University of central Asia. That position required extensive travel to rural areas of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, allowing him to develop both familiarity with the cultures of the area and an inexplicable affection for Soviet era jeeps, uncomfortable as they are. John can be reached at: John Herring, New York Sea Grant,229 Jarvis Hall, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260-4400, phone 716-645-3610, temporary email: jhherring@juno.com

PA Sea Grant - New AIS Coordinator
Pennsylvania Sea Grant is happy to welcome their newest employee, Sara Grise. Sara has been hired as the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator for Pennsylvania Sea Grant. She attended Penn State Behrend and graduated with a bachelors of science in Biology with a minor in Psychology. Sara began working part-time at Sea Grant during the summer of 2006, assisting with brown bullhead tumor research which used radio telemetry equipment to track brown bullhead catfish in Presque Isle Bay and Thompson Bay. She also participated in Environmental Rediscoveries, an education program that utilizes shipboard and shoreline activities onboard the Momentum, a 42-foot Friendship Sloop. The goal of this program is to teach elementary and middle school age children about Presque Isle Bay’s ecosystem and how their actions impact this environment. Sara came onboard full time as of November 2006 as the Aquatic Invasive Species coordinator. She will be working with the Pennsylvania Invasive Species Council to help implement the Pennsylvania AIS management plan, and to help develop annual AIS work plans. To reach Sara call (814) 217-9011 or email sng121@psu.edu <mailto:sng121@psu.edu>.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Invasive Species Program Wins Coastal America Partnership Award
Aquatic Invaders, an entertaining, educational program that demonstrates simple steps to prevent the spread of invasive species, was honored by Coastal America during a recent national meeting of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The project is a partnership between the Sea Grant network and AZA.

"Through this outstanding team effort, nearly 140 million people annually may learn how to protect our environment from aquatic invasive species, which cost our nation nearly $138 billion per year to control,” said Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, U.S. Department of Commerce, who presented the 2006 Coastal America Partnership Award to the Aquatic Invaders Toolkit Team. He presented the award on behalf of President George W. Bush and the 12 federal agencies of the Coastal America Partnership.

The introduction and spread of non-native species in waterways contributes to a costly ecosystem imbalance, often destroying populations of native species. In the Great Lakes region, common invasives include zebra mussels, round gobies, and in wetland areas, purple loosestrife.

Aquatic Invaders is a 20-minute program designed for use at zoos and aquariums around the country to arm audiences with knowledge that helps them avoid contributing to the spread of invasive species. "The presentation is highly interactive," said Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) associate director for education. "For example, through the game of musical chairs, participants roleplay as invaders and native species while learning how invasives displace native species and how people can play an integral role in the process."

Goettel provided content for the Aquatic Invaders project based on IISG's Nab the ‘Aquatic Invader!’ Web site (www.sgnis.org/kids <http://www.sgnis.org/kids>). She also served as a program reviewer and is a member of the advisory committee.

October 19, 2006

Contents
1. Events
- OH Sea Grant - Storm Water Management
- MI Sea Grant - Dunes Conference
2. Publications
- OH Sea Grant - New Publications
- MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - September 2006
3. Staff News
- Minnesota Sea Grant -New Director
- IISG - Moving Forward in Illinois Extension
- IISG - AIS Program Wins Coastal America Partnership Award
_____________________________________________________________________________________

1. Events
OH Sea Grant - Storm Water Management
Ohio Sea Grant is co-sponsoring a workshop entitled “Managing Storm Water in Your Watershed- Pathways To Action” on October 30, 2006 in cooperation with the Erie County Commissioners, Erie County Soil and Water District, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Coastal Training Program, the ODNR Ohio Coastal Management Program and Ohio State University Extension. Topics will include: Lake Erie, Smart Growth and Watershed Based Planning, Community Based Watershed Management and Stakeholder Participation, Meeting Diverse Purposes By Integrating Storm Water Management Tools and NPDES Phase II Stormwater Requirements and Lessons Learned on Cost, Efficiency and Implementation. For more information, please contact Joe Lucente <mailto:lucente.6@osu.edu>.

MI Sea Grant - Dunes Conference
Excerpt from Muskegon Chronicle, "Dunes getting some high-powered friends", Tuesday, October 03, 2006, by Jeff Alexander

A new coalition of government agencies, scientists and conservationists in the U.S. and Canada plans to bolster existing efforts to preserve Great Lakes sand dunes, saying the "world class" natural features need more protection. The additional focus on the dunes is warranted, according to scientists and government officials in Traverse City this week for a three-day conference on Great Lakes dunes. The conference, the first of its kind, was designed to coordinate a number of efforts to protect and restore freshwater coastal dunes found along sections of all five Great Lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded the dunes conference, part of an emerging effort to map and document the health of all Great Lakes dunes.
Full text at: http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1159974975218180.xml?muchronicle?NEM&coll=8 <http://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1159974975218180.xml?muchronicle?NEM&coll=8>

2. Publications
OH Sea Grant - New Publications

   * Kelch, D., Lichtkoppler, F., Sohngen, B., and Daigneault, A. 2006.  The Value of Steelhead (Onchorhynchus mykiss) Angling in Lake Erie Tributaries. J. Great Lakes Res. 32:424-433
   * Kelley’s Catch – A monthly sport fishing column written by Kelly Riesen is now distributed to 144 news outlets in Ohio and surrounding states.
   * Lake Erie Facts - fact sheet prepared by M. Huntley and F.Lichtkoppler, Ohio Sea Grant

MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - September 2006 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html

   * Editorial: Fish Tales
   * COSEE Workshop Immerses Educators in Great Lakes Science
   * Fins, Tails & Scales: Identifying Great Lakes Fish
   * Researchers Test Shoreline Sand for Genetic Pollution
   * Science Night Out
   * Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Conference
   * New: Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants
   * New: Great Lakes Fishes poster

3. Staff News
Minnesota Sea Grant -New Director
Dr. Stephen Bortone joined the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program today, becoming the research and outreach organization's fifth director. After over 30 years of working in the coastal subtropics, Bortone moved to Duluth to focus on Lake Superior and Minnesota's inland lakes. "Minnesota Sea Grant has a history of achievements and a national reputation for being effective," said Bortone. "I'm excited about combining my experiences with academia, ecological research, and coastal communities to guide the future of this program. "I'll probably miss Floridian winters but I won't miss the hurricanes. Lake Superior is so vast and dynamic, I'm looking forward to getting to know this unique system and to teaching again," Bortone said. Bortone, who directed the Marine Laboratory at the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation on Sanibel Island in Florida since its inception in 2002, brings a wealth of research and leadership achievements to the program and to the University of Minnesota Duluth's Department of Biology, where he is a tenured faculty member. Bortone earned a Ph.D. in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and spent most of his career as a faculty member in the biology department at the University of West Florida. His research has focused on the biology of fish and seagrasses in brackish water, and most lately on how the growth patterns of an economically important sportfish (the spotted seatrout) might be used to monitor environmental trends. Inheriting international, national, and regional responsibilities along with the Minnesota Sea Grant director title, Bortone succeeds Carl Richards, who directed the program for almost six years before accepting the directorship of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mid-Continent Ecology Division in Duluth.

IISG - Moving Forward in Illinois Extension
The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program has officially joined University of Illinois Extension. IISG has resided in the U of I Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research since 2002. Now, with this move to Extension, the program will have enhanced opportunities for connecting with audiences and collaborating on new and existing outreach projects. "Illinois Extension looks forward to working closely with Sea Grant," said Dennis Campion, Extension director. "Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has a distinguished record of impact-oriented outreach and research, and of successful partnerships that help sustain these impacts over the long term. We expect that the alignment of Extension and Sea Grant will benefit both organizations and, ultimately, the citizens of Illinois and Indiana." More than 2.5 million Illinois residents take part in Extension programs each year, including nearly 300,000 who participate in 4-H youth programs. Each month, U of I Extension Web pages draw more than 10 million page views, and people in more than 200 countries access to Extension’s Web-based information. U of I Extension is based in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

IISG - AIS Program Wins Coastal America Partnership Award
Aquatic Invaders, an entertaining, educational program that demonstrates simple steps to avoid the spread of invasive species, was honored by Coastal America during a recent national meeting of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The project is a partnership between the national Sea Grant network and AZA.
"Through this outstanding team effort, nearly 140 million people annually may learn how to protect our environment from aquatic invasive species, which cost our nation nearly $138 billion per year to control,” said Timothy R.E. Keeney, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, U.S. Department of Commerce, who presented the 2006 Coastal America Partnership Award to the Aquatic Invaders Toolkit Team. He presented the award on behalf of President George W. Bush and the 12 federal agencies of the Coastal America Partnership. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) shares in this award through Robin Goettel, the program's associate director for education, who provided background content for the project based on IISG's Nab the Aquatic Invader Web site. She served as a program reviewer and is a member of the advisory committee. Funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program, Aquatic Invaders is a simple and engaging 20-minute program that includes audience participation. During the program the audience is shown how one person can bring invasive species to an ecosystem and how these species can impact that ecosystem. The program is designed for all ages and can be presented indoors or outdoors.

September 18, 2006

Contents
1. Upcoming Events-
- Great Lakes Sea Grant - First Great Lakes Dunes Conference to Consider Collaboration, Management Strategies
- MN Sea Grant - Minnesota Water 2006
2. Recent Events
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Illinois and Indiana Teachers Get Immersed in Great Lakes Issues
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Help Solve Indiana's Invasive Plant Problem
- OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Open House
3. OH Sea Grant - Research Summaries
- Research Finds Heat Tolerance Not Genetic in Zebra Mussels
- Endangered Water Snakes Feed on Invasive Round Gobies in Lake Erie
- New Research Investigates Why Eurasian Watermilfoil Not in Lake Erie Wetland
- Invasive Phragmites Can Be Decreased in Lake Erie Wetland with Controlled Flooding
- Effect of Round Gobies on Smallmouth Bass Decline in Lake Erie Studied
- Genetic Diversity and Large Invasive Groups Result in Successful Invasions
- Mini Dead Zone in Sandusky Bay Larger and More Depleted of Oxygen than Originally Thought
- New Ohio Sea Grant Research Uses Fluorescent Alga as Bioindicator for Heavy Metals
- Presence of Round Gobies Decrease Smallmouth Growth by 50 Percent
- Research Finds Fish Otoliths May Provide Historical Map of Fish Migration
4. OH Sea Grant - OSU Researcher Finds New Methods to Remove Harmful Algae Toxins from Lake Erie Drinking Water
5. MN Sea Grant - Great big gobs of... Holopedium gibberum wash up in Lake Superior
6. NY Sea Grant - Study Shows Natural Chinook in the Millions in NY's Salmon River
7. New Publications
- MI Sea Grant - Coastal Plants Guide
- MN Sea Grant - Building Superior Coastal Communities
- OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Fact Sheet
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
8. Staff News
- PA Sea Grant - Anne Danielski moves on
- MN Sea Grant - Awards

1. Upcoming Events
Great Lakes Sea Grant - First Great Lakes Dunes Conference to Consider Collaboration, Management Strategies
For the first time, researchers, educators and resource managers from eight states and Ontario, Canada, will gather October 2-4 in Traverse City, Mich., to discuss the systemwide needs of the Great Lakes dunes system.The dunes system is vital to Great Lakes Basin environmental, ecological, tourism and economic interests. Formation of a Great Lakes Sand Dunes Ecosystem Coalition and the beginnings of a basinwide strategy for environmentally responsible management of the dunes systems are the hoped-for outcomes of the first Great Lakes Dunes Conference.

"The Great Lakes dunes system is vital to environmental, ecological, tourism and economic interests," says conference organizer Sandra E. Bonanno, New York Sea Grant. "Many organizations and individuals have been active in Great Lakes dune research, management and education. What we have not had is a structure to share knowledge, experiences and lessons learned that will help us develop a basinwide strategy for managing this resource."

"We're pleased to be able to host this key event here in Traverse City near some outstanding Great Lakes dune ecosystems," says Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant Extension district educator in northwestern Michigan. "Participants will see The Nature Conservancy's Point Betsie region and the CMS/Arcadia area. More important, though, will be discussions leading to collaborative basinwide conservation strategies for these unique systems."

The October 2-4 conference at Northwestern Michigan College's Hagerty Center will address the current state of dunes research, education and resource management efforts. Participants will brainstorm needs, threats and opportunities to begin a strategic management plan. "We need to learn what has and hasn't worked in our different political and cultural settings. Multistate and binational cooperation is needed to focus political attention on the Great Lakes dunes system. This conference isthe first step toward building a broad coalition," Bonanno says.

Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes National Program Office Director Gary Gulezian is the keynote speaker. Noted Michigan environmentalist Tanya Cabala opens the conference at The Hagerty Center at Northwest Michigan College with a presentation on the history, lore and legends of the Great Lakes dunes. Speakers from Wilfrid Laurier University and Nipissing University in Ontario, Canada; and from Michigan State University, Hope College, and Calvin College in Michigan will talk about research efforts. Speakers from The Ontario Dune Coalition in New York State, Wisconsin State Parks, Ontario Parks, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will join university representatives to talk about dune management. National Parks Service, Ontario Parks, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and Michigan Sea Grant representatives will talk
about educational outreach.

Field trips are planned to The Nature Conservancy's Point Betsie area and to the Arcadia area of the Grand Traverse Conservancy. A preconference field trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is scheduled for the afternoon of October 2 (Monday), followed by a presentation on Great Lakes dunes history, lore and legends.

Michigan Sea Grant is a conference co-host, along with the New York and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Coastal Zone Management Program, the Lake Huron Center for Coastal Conservation, the National Park Service, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Northwestern Michigan College and Wilfred Laurier University. The conference is supported by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes National Program Office, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Additional support is provided by New York Sea Grant and the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute of Northwestern Michigan College.

To learn more, submit a poster or register ($50 U.S. conference fee), go online to www.nysgdunes.org or contact dunes conference coordinator Sandra E. Bonanno, New York Sea Grant, Oswego, N.Y., 315-598-4063 or 315-312-3042, or seb84@cornell.edu. Local contacts are: Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant, 231-922-4628 or breederl@msu.edu, and Becky Ewing, Northwestern Michigan College, 231-995-1793 or bewing@nmc.edu. The conference rate for rooms at the Bayshore Resort (next to the Hagerty Center) is good for reservations made through Friday (September 15); call 1-800-634-4401.

MN Sea Grant - Minnesota Water 2006
October 24-25
Earle Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Center, Minn.

Dr. Robert Glennon, author of "Water Follies: Groundwater Pumping and the Fate of America's Fresh Water" will be a keynote speaker at this annual conference that draws over 500 water professionals, practitioners, researchers, and students from around the region. Participants will explore innovative water management techniques and cutting-edge research. Call the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center at (612) 624-9282 or visit http://wrc.coafes.umn.edu for more information.

2. Recent Events
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant - Illinois and Indiana Teachers Get Immersed in Great Lakes Issues
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant co-sponsored this year's Great Lakes Institute, a workshop that took place August 15-17 and included the participation of 19 educators from schools and educational institutions in Illinois and Indiana. The Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center hosted the workshop, which was funded in part by COSEE Great Lakes. In this lakefront environment, teachers learned about current Lake Michigan issues, including water quality and beach contamination, aquatic invaders, and wetland degradation. Scientists from the National Park Service, USGS, Annis Water Resources Institute and educators from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the NPS Great Lakes Research and Environmental Center, and the Alliance for Great Lakes engaged teachers in discussions about lake research and management.

IL-IN Sea Grant - Help Solve Indiana's Invasive Plant Problem
In Indiana, as in most states, invasive aquatic plants are taking root. One example is Eurasian watermilfoil, which you can find growing in dense beds in lakes throughout Indiana, shading out native plant species, and making boating, fishing and swimming nearly impossible. Eurasian watermilfoil was introduced as an aquarium plant, but has escaped and infested waters throughout the nation.
Aquatic plant growers, retailers and enthusiasts (including aquarists and water gardeners) were invited to a half-day workshop to share ideas on what Indiana should do to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic plants that are commercially available. "Who better to come up with ideas than those who know how the plant and aquarium industries work? Their input is vital to the process of creating a management plan," said TePas. "At the workshop, we began with an overview of the issues related to invasive species and described what is currently being done in Indiana and other Great Lake states," said Kristin TePas, IISG aquatic invasives extension associate. "Then workshop participants had an opportunity to propose ideas on how we might further address the problem."

The workshop was sponsored by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), the Great Lakes Commission and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Interested parties had two opportunities to attend the workshop--on September 11 in Indianapolis and on September 18 in Porter.

OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Open House
The F.T. Stone Laboratory held its ninth annual Stone Lab Open House on September 9. Over 1,100 visitors came to Gibraltar Island to see first hand how research and education work together in a field station setting.

3. OH Sea Grant - Research Summaries
Research Finds Heat Tolerance Not Genetic in Zebra Mussels

Sea Grant researchers Drs. Curt Elderkin and David Berg of Miami University found that preliminarily, zebra mussels could not pass heat tolerance onto their offspring. Using full-sib families, half-sib families (different mother, same father), and their offspring, they exposed each group to lethal temperatures of heat to determine an individual time-to-death. They found among the groups, there was no "survival of the fittest" heat tolerance trait passed onto the offspring. This research will help better determine whether using high heat could be a means to control zebra mussels in the Great Lakes.

Endangered Water Snakes Feed on Invasive Round Gobies in Lake Erie
New research by Kristin Stanford of Northern Illinois University finds that the state endangered Lake Erie water snake's diet has drastically changed over the past 15 years-;from mostly native fishes to now nearly all round gobies (92% in 2004). This is one of the first cases where a harmful and devastating invasive species is resulting in positive effects for a native and threatened species.

New Research Investigates Why Eurasian Watermilfoil Not in Lake Erie Wetland
New research by Drs. Robert Whyte of Antioch College and David Franko of Miami University investigated why the invasive Eurasian watermilfoil is absent from Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve (OWC) near Lake Erie. The researchers found that although the species has been introduced repeatedly since 1992, the invasive has never taken hold. The research found several possible reasons for this: the plant may be susceptible to freezing temperatures of OWC with the plants and their root crowns being sheared off by ice movement; the wetland's turbidity may hinder the plant's growth and access to light; the American water lotus may produce an alleleopathic agent or natural herbicide that reduces the invasive's growth; and the estuary's barrier beach may protect it from the invasive.

Invasive Phragmites Can Be Decreased in Lake Erie Wetland with Controlled Flooding
Dr. Craig Davis and graduate student Jennifer Morgan, of The Ohio State University, have found that deep water may provide a means of controlling or eliminating non-native Type M Phragmites grass, which is negatively impacting animal and plant diversity in the Midwest and New England. Working in marsh plots in Lake Erie's East Harbor, David and Morgan found that the fewest plants grew in Phragmites plots that were plowed, inundated to 70 cm, and had any emerging stems cut. This research, which duplicated what others have found in the lab, will aid land managers who are currently seeking ways to both protect native Phragmites and to control the invasive Type M.

Effect of Round Gobies on Smallmouth Bass Decline in Lake Erie Studied
Working under Ohio Sea Grant researchers Drs. Roy Stein, Elizabeth Marschall and Susan Fisher, Ohio State University Ph.D. candidate and John R. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, Gene Kim, is studying the simultaneous rise in Lake Erie's newly introduced round goby population and the decrease in native smallmouth bass. To date, he has found that smallmouth bass prefer gobies over minnows, their traditional favorite prey. Gobies, who also eat zebra and quagga mussels, may be aiding in the transport of PCBs from the bottom-dwelling mussels up the food chain. Kim's research will provide data on PCB concentrations existent in the lake's smallmouth bass population.

Genetic Diversity and Large Invasive Groups Result in Successful Invasions
Research by Ohio Sea Grant's Dr. Carol Stepien proved that introductions of invasive species in the Great Lakes, such as round gobies, and zebra and quagga mussels, were successful due to the size and genetic diversity of the transplanted populations. By studying characteristics of invaders and their native populations, she predicts that future invaders will also be successful if they exhibit these same characteristics. In addition, possessing traits of their native relatives will enable invasive species to expand their territories, such as gobies successfully moving from fresh to brackish waters, an environment in which their home-based populations thrive. Dr. Stepien's predictions point to the importance of ballast water regulation enforcement and of preparation for the arrival of invasives in new habitats.

Mini Dead Zone in Sandusky Bay Larger and More Depleted of Oxygen than Originally Thought
Water samples taken by Ohio Sea Grant researchers Joe Conroy and Dr. Culver from Lake Erie's Sandusky subbasin indicate that nearly the entire subbasin below 40 feet contained no oxygen by mid-July and that this remained in effect until late-August. Scientists believe that, similar to the well-known Dead Zone in the Erie's central basin, low oxygen concentrations in the Sandusky dead zone, which is roughly the size of Aruba, is caused by high phosphorus loading, which stimulates excess algal growth. Further research will be done to determine the effect of algal growth on timing and duration on low oxygen concentrations. With its detrimental impact on deep-dwelling game fish, such as yellow perch and walleye, the mini dead zone will need to be countered by watershed remediation.

New Ohio Sea Grant Research Uses Fluorescent Alga as Bioindicator for Heavy Metals
Research by Ohio Sea Grant's Drs. Richard Sayre and Sathish Rajamani could help better identify and measure heavy metals in Lake Erie water. Through their use of the engineered alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the researchers expressed a protein indicator, which when heavy metals are present, causes the protein to become fluorescent yellow. The result of the project should be portable fluorescence devices that efficiently identify and quantify bioavailable heavy metal at the sites of contamination.

Presence of Round Gobies Decrease Smallmouth Growth by 50 Percent
New Sea Grant research finds that round gobies have an adverse effect on smallmouth bass growth rates. Drs. Jeff Miner and Chris Winslow at Bowling Green State University discovered that when round gobies are present with smallmouth bass, the size of the juvenile smallmouth decreased by 50 percent. The decrease in growth rate is attributed to the physically aggressiveness of the round goby and its ability to force the bass high in the water column with less food. Knowing how invasives affect sport fish growth will offer fisheries managers predictive tools to better sustain the smallmouth fish population.

Research Finds Fish Otoliths May Provide Historical Map of Fish Migration
Sea Grant-funded research by Drs. John Farver and Jeffrey Miner from Bowling Green State University are investigating whether the otolith, a bone-like structure in the heads of fish, could track where sport and commercial fish spawn and travel during their life. Otoliths are distinctive because they incorporate trace metals as the fish grows that reflect the chemistry of the environment in which the fish are living. Like tree rings, otoliths grow more in the summer but they also record what is in the fishes' environment at that moment in time. If the researchers can match an otolith's chemical make-up with that of a specific area in Lake Erie, they will be able to use these water signatures to track the migration of the fish throughout its lifetime. By knowing fish migration, fish managers will be able to better prioritize conversation and clean-up efforts.

4. OH Sea Grant - OSU Researcher Finds New Methods to Remove Harmful Algae Toxins from Lake Erie Drinking Water
Excerpt from Press Release

Ohio Sea Grant researcher Dr. Hal Walker has discovered an efficient method to remove 95% of harmful microcystins from Lake Erie drinking water, using a combination of powdered activated carbon and ultrafiltration technologies.

Microcystis, a form of blue-green algae, which occur in Lake Erie during the warm summer months, generate toxins called microcystins that can cause health problems if consumed by humans or animals.

Water treatment facilities, however, do not specifically treat drinking water for microcystins and many of the conventional removal processes are ineffective on them.

"With 13 million people relying on Lake Erie for their two billion gallons of water annually, microcystin toxins in drinking water have become a growing concern," says Dr. Walker, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University's Civil and Environmental Engineering and Geodetic Science Department.

To remove the toxins, Walker coupled two removal processes: microcystin first attached to small powdered activated carbon (PAC) particles; and a membrane filter then separated the PAC and microcystin from the water. The result of the two technologies was a 95% removal of the toxin from the water.

For more about this Ohio Sea Grant funded research, go to Twine Line's research feature at www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_documents/twineline/v28i2.pdf.
5) MN Sea Grant - Great big gobs of... holopedium gibberum wash up in Lake Superior
Excerpt from "ENVIRONMENT: No-longer-mysterious goo balls make a Lake Superior comeback." Duluth New Tribune by John Myers

Little gobs of clear goo washing up on Park Point this month, like these found Monday, are harmless shells cast off by zooplankton. The last such local outbreak occurred in 2001. The gobs of clear gelatinous goo that briefly baffled scientists around Lake Superior in 2001 are back again this month. Thousands of transparent pea-sized balls are showing up along Park Point in Duluth and in several other locations around the lake -- including near Bad River in Wisconsin, along the Keewenaw Peninsula in Michigan and Michipicoten Bay in Ontario.

But don't panic, there's a natural explanation. The goo balls are the cast-off shells of a zooplankton called holopedium gibberum, said Marie Zhuikov, communications coordinator for Duluth-based Minnesota Sea Grant. Zhuikov found some of the goo balls firsthand Sunday. "I was out there playing on the Lafayette Beach on Park Point with my kids.... They asked me what the blobs were and, luckily, I knew," Zhuikov said. "We're getting reports from all over the lake now.... This is the first time we've seen it like this since 2001."

Holopedia are native and the balls are harmless, experts say. Adult holopedia create a gelatinous mantle or shell that encases a pea-sized amount of water, and then leave the small glob when they reproduce. That leaves the empty blob of mucous-encased water floating in the lake.

In 2001, before scientists confirmed the gobs' nature, several News Tribune readers guessed the gobs may have been from disposable baby diapers or even tapioca that spilled off a ship. It's not clear why the goo balls appear only in some years. Some scientists have surmised that a rising population of spiny water fleas, an exotic species, has been feasting on smaller zooplankton, which leaves more to eat for larger zooplankton such as holopedia. Zooplankton are tiny little critters that make up the backbone of the ecosystem and food chain for fish.

"Holopedium are native, but it's thought that spiny water fleas and their feeding patterns are making the holopedium more abundant," Zhuikov said. "And the weather and water action may be a factor in when and if we find them in large numbers like this year."

6) NY Sea Grant - Study Shows Natural Chinook in the Millions in NY's Salmon River
Excerpt from Press Release

Fisheries managers are excited but cautious about the finding that five to ten million Chinook salmon were naturally reproduced in the Salmon River in 2005. A five million- fish finding comes from a New York Sea Grant-funded project carried out by State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry (SUNY ESF) graduate student Dustin Everitt. In fact, SUNY ESF Dean of Research Dr. Neil H. Ringler says, "The calculations are actually quite conservative, and the number of juvenile Chinook for 2005 could easily have been close to ten million fish." Everitt worked under the guidance of Ringler, assisted by Michael Connerton, and with hydroacoustic analysis expertise from Cornell University's Dr. Lars Rudstam.

New York Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist David B. MacNeill says the finding comes after a litany of meaningful research conducted on the Salmon River by SUNY ESF, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and New York Sea Grant since the late 1970s.

"The good news now is that the Salmon River obviously has good habitat for natural spawning, but this number of naturally-produced salmon may create additional pressure on prey fish populations. More research is needed to better understand how many of the wild fish are surviving to 'fishable' size," MacNeill says.

The NYSDEC and USGS began conducting an annual seining (netting) fish index count on the Salmon River in 1999. NYSDEC Regional Fisheries Manager Daniel Bishop says the potential for the Salmon River to naturally produce Chinook salmon began to improve in 1997. "We have seen naturally-spawned Chinook in the Salmon River since the late 1990s, when a stable year-round water flow on the River was instituted by the power companies. Before that the flow would be shut off at night and leave the River 'high and dry'," Bishop says. Ringler says, "Because of the stabilized flows in the Salmon River, the magnitude of reproduction is far higher today than during our initial studies (30 years ago). The recognition that wild fish matter will greatly enhance future management decisions in Great Lakes fisheries."

"Using a seining technique at four stations in recent years, we could say that there were a lot of wild fish in the River," says James Johnson, a USGS fisheries researcher, "but we needed the more detailed assessment that Dr. Ringler and Dustin Everitt undertook to actually quantify the number." Bishop notes that all five million of the naturally-spawned fish will not make it out of the River that is the largest cold water tributary to Lake Ontario. Still, he says, "These natural Chinook have the potential to have an extremely significant impact on the numbers of adult stock in Lake Ontario and on the long-term sustainability of the lake and river fishery. Their survival could depend upon an historical low level of the prey fish, alewife." The researchers all say the next step is to collect adult Chinook from Lake Ontario, the Salmon River and the Hatchery to assess their survival rate. Johnson notes that the wild fish can be as much as one-third smaller than the stocked fish entering the Lake.

At Cape Vincent, NYSDEC Lake Ontario Unit Leader Steve LaPan says the NYSDEC and SUNY ESF are now cooperating on another Sea Grant project using microanalysis of fish scales to distinguish the wild Chinook from stocked salmon in Lake Ontario, a technique also being assessed by Canadian fisheries managers. "This technique analyzes the rings on fish scales to assess differences in growth at early life stages, similar to counting the rings of a tree trunk. Wild versus hatchery-raised fish are thought to grow differently so we are evaluating this technique as a way to count the two populations," LaPan explains. He cautions, however, "One year's data will not provide a definitive snapshot. Survival rates vary year to year. Counts could be ten percent one year and eighty-five percent the next depending on many factors in the fishery."

Johnson, who, as Dr. Ringler's first student, discovered Pacific salmon in the Salmon River's tributaries, says, "Fisheries managers in Michigan conducted a marked fish survey and were shocked at the high survival rate of wild salmon in their fisheries. The five million count of young natural Chinook in the Salmon River has our attention in New York so that we are now ready to look at marking hatchery-raised fish so we can scientifically calculate a relative survival rate of the wild salmon compared with the stocked salmon. We will probably need at least two years' worth of comparison counts before we can get excited here."

The NYSDEC Salmon River Fish Hatchery at Altmar and Caledonia Fish Hatchery produces 1.8 million Chinook salmon each year from eggs collected from wild broodstock that return to the Salmon River to spawn. The young fish are hand fed, monitored daily for health problems, and later released into Lake Ontario.

Salmon River Program Coordinator Fran Verdoliva says Chinook salmon are unique in that they do not require two years of residence in the River before they grow large enough to enter the Lake. "The Chinook spawn in October and the fry are ready to go to the lake in June or July. With the regulated water flow, the River is now more functional for spawning and for juvenile fish survival. The question is how many of the wild fish will survive in the lake and return here to spawn their own young," Verdoliva says.

Another of Dr. Ringler's SUNY ESF students, Mary Penney, is finishing her master's thesis on the Salmon River's critical habitat factors for wild salmon survival. Penney, the Stewards Program Coordinator with New York Sea Grant, says analysis is underway on such factors as water depth, temperature, velocity, and river bottom substrate. "This research adds to the work that Dr. Ringler and his students have conducted for many years by providing the first study and the baseline data on the water conditions that wild salmon need to survive," Penney says.

"The information from both studies coupled with past and current research provides sportfishery stakeholders with valuable information in support of a pastime and a livelihood that has a positive impact on New York's freshwater shoreline economy," MacNeill says.

The 2001 New York Sea Grant report on "The Economic Contributions of the Sport Fishing, Commercial Fishing, and Seafood Industries to New York State measures the value of freshwater recreational fishing at $2.3 billion and nearly 11,000 jobs.

7) New Publications
MI Sea Grant - Coastal Plants Guide
If you think of a beach as just a good place to build a sand castle and get a tan, think again. For a number of plants, it's home, an ecosystem that lasts at least until the next towering wave, high water or severe winter wipes it off the landscape.

Ellen Elliott Weatherbee's new book, "Great Lake Coastal Plants'' will tell you a lot about the thistle, rush and wormwood that gain a "roothold'' along the edges of lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. The soft-cover book includes a photo of the plant and of its flower, along with a botanical drawing that shows the specific characteristics of each part of each specimen. A map shows where the plant can be found along the Great Lakes coasts, and there's a written description of the stems, leaves and flowers. The book also includes an explanation of the Latin names, along with uses and similar plants.

"I hoped to make the book botanically correct, but usable for everyone,'' says Weatherbee, who's taught botany at the University of Michigan for 33 years and set up the adult education program at the U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens. She also does consulting and wrote the book "Edible Wild Plants: A Guide to Collecting and Cooking'' with co-author James Bruce. The plant descriptions in the book are straightforward and scientific, but Weatherbee says she wanted to do more than give people a botanical sketch of the coastal flora. In the introductory pages, she explains beach topography and plant characteristics. "I wanted to write about the dynamics of what makes beach plants special,'' Weatherbee says. If you ask what's so special about these plants, she'll tell you: They have to survive many different conditions. The plants have to hang on despite pounding waves, cold weather and lake levels that vary annually and can leave the coastline flooded or high and dry. For example, says Weatherbee, this is a year with low lake levels, so seedlings from nearby woods might sprout along the shore. But the wimpy ones won't last long, she says. They'll get knocked out by high waves or crushing winter ice. "There are not too many weedy plants that last for many years on those beaches,'' says Weatherbee. "They can't handle those conditions.'' Plants that survive have adapted to the conditions. For example, Weatherbee explains, woody plants send down huge root systems, holding the soil in place so other plants can get a foothold. Once people recognize the plants and understand the ecological system, they might think twice about clearing all shrubs, reeds and other flora from the beaches, says Weatherbee. "I understand that people want to boat, and they want to sunbathe,'' she says. "So I say cut a path 25 or 30 feet wide (along the shore) and leave the rest of it, because (the plants) are really pretty and they keep the sand from eroding.'' Weatherbee's favorite coastal plant is probably the low calamint (Calamintha arkansana). "You can smell them before you see them in flower,'' she says. Even with the pages of coastal plants, Weatherbee still can think of a few plants that didn't make it into the book. "I've thought of a couple different plants to add,'' says Weatherbee. "We're thinking of doing a follow-up volume.''

The new book is the first in a planned series about the Great Lakes coasts, a project backed by the University of Michigan Press and Michigan Sea Grant. Contact Michigan Sea Grant Communications, at msgpubs@umich.edu, for information about obtaining a copy of the Guide to Great Lake Coastal Plants.

MN Sea Grant - Building Superior Coastal Communities
Changed and changing. That's the nature of communities around Western Lake Superior. Recognizing the need for better and more planning, this 26-page booklet helps Lake Superior's residents understand the sensitive landscape and consider options for community development that can help protect natural resources. "Building Superior Coastal Communities" provides ideas and techniques as well as proof that environmentally sound development has regional momentum.

Written by Minnesota Sea Grant and University of Wisconsin Superior staff, the full-color booklet captures the thoughts of municipal officials and others about their coastal communities. Thanks to grants and partnerships, these first-run editions are free. To order, contact Minnesota Sea Grant at (218) 726-6191 or email seagr@d.umn.edu.

OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Fact Sheet
A new fact sheet developed for the Coastal Ohio program provides an array of useful Lake Erie facts. Huntley, M . and F. Lichtkoppler. 2006. Lake Erie Facts. Ohio Sea Grant Fact Sheet Series.

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

* Screening Out Nature -- People are sitting in front of televisions and computers more and getting out into nature less, according to a new study. (8/21/2006)
* Ticks on the Move -- Lyme disease and the ticks that carry it are spreading into more parts of Europe and North America. Climate change might be the reason. (8/22/2006)
* Lost and Found -- Frustration and panic can be your worst enemies when you're lost in the wilderness. (8/23/2006)
* Naturally Honest -- A writer says Mother Nature is one of the best guides through a world full of social chaos and deceptive messages. (8/24/2006)
* The Washington Elm -- According to legend, George Washington gathered his troops under a big elm tree in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the tree became famous. The fact that it didn't really happen is beside the point, says the author of a book about landmarks. (8/25/2006)
* Drama of the Deep -- Some of the biggest predators in the deep ocean are large colonies of jellyfish. They sweep the water with "a curtain of death" and disintegrate when anyone tries to take their picture. (8/28/2006)
* Farewell, Alvin -- A U.S. research vessel that has been in service since the 1960s is headed toward retirement. (8/29/2006)
* Story Time is Timeless -- An Abenaki storyteller from New York State keeps an ancient tradition alive and conveys timely lessons about people and nature. (8/30/2006)
* Fear Pressure -- Some people push themselves too hard to keep up with others on outdoor excursions. An author says that can be dangerous for everyone. (8/31/2006)
* Change in Earthwatch Radio schedule -- The Earthwatch Radio program is changing its production schedule until spring 2007. (9/1/2006)

8) Staff News
PA Sea Grant - Anne Danielski moves on
Anne Danielski has left Pennsylvania Sea Grant to become the Director of Education for the Future Fisherman Foundation in Alexandria, VA. Within the organization she is Program Coordinator for Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs [HOFNOD]. HOFNOD is a national program that teaches youth all the basics of safe and ethical angling and combines long-term mentoring and positive life skills with conservation education to help keep them away from drug use. Anne's office has funding from the Department of Justice to do an urban youth fishing initiative. Pennsylvania Sea Grant staff will miss her innovative approach to education and her many contributions to the team.

Anne can be reached at Anne Danielski, Program Coordinator, Future Fisherman Foundation, 225 Reinekers Lane Suite 420, Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone: (703) 519-9691 Ext 254 Fax: (703) 519-1872, www.futurefisherman.org

MN Sea Grant - Awards
Minnesota Sea Grant presented $250 each to two University of Minnesota students who won honors from the Minnesota Chapter of the American Fisheries Society during its annual meeting earlier this year. Dave Caroffino won the best paper award for "One year of parental hatchery experience reduces success of steelhead fry stocked into their naturalized environment." Jessica Koehle won the best poster award for "Effects of high temperature, low oxygen, and Asian tapeworm on Topeka shiners."

August 17, 2006

Contents
1. Events
- PA Sea Grant - Streambank Restoration Workshop
- OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Sport Fishing Workshop
- Synopsis on Fish School Workshop 2006 at Shedd Aquarium
2. WI Sea Grant - Mercury pollution threatens health worldwide, scientists say
3. MN Sea Grant - Spiny Waterfleas Found in Rainy Lake
4. OH Sea Grant - Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling Pilot Project
5. OH Sea Grant - FEE Expands Fishing Audiences
6. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Shipwreck Trail
7. OH Sea Grant - Shoreline Angler Survey
8. PA Sea Grant - Web Redesign
9. Publications
- NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders, National ANS Clearinghouse Digest
- OH Sea Grant - Twineline - Spring/Summer 2006 - http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/publications/twineline/
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
10. Staff News
- MI Sea Grant - Award
- MN Sea Grant - Award

___________________________________________________________

1. Events
PA Sea Grant - Streambank Restoration Workshop
Erie County Conservation District, 1927 Wager Road, Erie
Wednesday, August 16th, 7-9 pm

Presentations include:

* Stream Hydrology and Mechanics -Erie Conservation District
* Soft Stabilization Techniques -Ernst Conservation Seeds
* Hard Stabilization Techniques -PA Fish & Boat Commission
* Restoration Project Funding -Western Pennsylvania Conservancy

OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Sport Fishing Workshop
The F.T. Stone Laboratory offered a special non-credit workshop July 21-23 aimed at increasing adult participation in educational programs. The Lake Erie Sport Fishing Workshop, styled after the similarly-named physical education course offered at Stone Lab, offered its first ten attendees instruction in sport fish behavior, Internet access to fishing information, and three days of on the water training.

Synopsis on Fish School Workshop 2006 at Shedd Aquarium

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant partnered with Shedd Aquarium on June 28th to offer a one-day workshop to teachers in grades 6-12. Participants updated their scientific knowledge about an important health issue-;learning about the risks and benefits associated with fish consumption and how good consumer choices can improve health. Presentations by scientists, hands-on activities, and a fish cooking demonstration by one of Shedd Aquarium's chefs provided tools for teachers to understand this issue.

An important project outcome is that students will develop school/community-based awareness projects to increase understanding of the potential risks of fish consumption among populations who fish for subsistence and for women of childbearing age. This workshop demonstrated that everyone is responsible for caring for our waterways and that people can make informed decisions based on a clear understanding about this complex issue. Visit www.iisgcp.org/edk-12/FishSchool to learn more.

This project is funded through a COSEE Great Lakes grant from NSF and NOAA/Sea Grant and through a grant from U.S. EPA-GLNPO.

2. WI Sea Grant - Mercury pollution threatens health worldwide, scientists say
Excerpt from Press Release

Mercury pollution can threaten the health of people, fish, and wildlife everywhere, from industrial sites to remote corners of the planet, but reducing mercury use and emissions would lessen those threats, according to a declaration recently ratified at an international conference on mercury pollution.

The "conference declaration" was released on the final day of the Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, hosted by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse River Studies Center. The scientists also declared that a significant portion of the mercury deposited near industrial sources comes from those sources rather than from natural sources and that evidence of mercury's health risks is strong enough that people, especially children and women of childbearing age, should be careful about how much and which fish they eat.

"The declaration essentially says that mercury pollution is a problem of global magnitude," says James Hurley, assistant director of the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and a co-chair of the conference.

David Krabbenhoft, a research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey and also a co-chair of the conference, adds that the document declares that the social and economic costs of mercury are probably higher than currently estimated, because they don't take into account mercury's impact on wildlife.

Krabbenhoft says the conference declaration summarizes a yearlong effort of 37 top scientists to review the last decade of mercury science. All 37 scientists endorsed the declaration in full, Krabbenhoft says. He added that all participants at the conference were invited express their opinion of the findings, and a large majority of those who did so agreed with the conclusions.

"The declaration summarizes what we know about mercury in the environment, from a wide array of expertise," Krabbenhoft says.

Grouped into four major topics, other points of the declaration included:

• Sources of atmospheric mercury deposition:
  • On average, three times more mercury now falls out of the sky than before the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago.
  • For the last 30 years, emissions from developing countries have increased, offsetting decreased emissions from developed nations.
  • The amount of mercury in the atmosphere is apparently not changing. Thus, new findings of a shorter atmospheric lifetime suggest greater movement of mercury to and from the earth's surface.
  • Understanding of the global mercury cycle is being confounded by climate change, increasing ozone levels and other non-mercury factors that may affect how long mercury stays in the atmosphere and how and where it falls.
• Risks to humans, fish, and wildlife:
  • There is solid scientific evidence to show that methylmercury has toxic effects, particularly to the developing fetus. New evidence indicates that methylmercury exposure may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in humans, particularly in adult men.
  • To increase the benefits and reduce the risks, consumers should choose fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and low levels of methylmercury.
  • There is no evidence that selenium in the diet protects people from the neurological and developmental effects of methylmercury.
  • Reductions in local and regional point-source mercury emissions have lowered mercury levels in the fish and wildlife affected by them. However, increasing mercury concentrations are now being found in a number of fish-eating wildlife in remote areas.
  • Methylmercury exposure may lead to population declines in birds and possibly in fish and mammals as well.
• Recovery of mercury-contaminated fisheries:
  • The concentration of methylmercury in fish in freshwater and coastal ecosystems can be expected to decline with reduced mercury inputs. The rate of decline ranges from years to centuries, depending on the characteristics of a particular ecosystem.
• Socioeconomic impacts of mercury use and pollution:
  • Mercury use and pollution from human activities has had, and continues to have, documented adverse social and economic consequences.
  • More information is needed about methylmercury contamination levels in marine fishes, the ingestion of which is the main way most people are exposed to methylmercury.
  • The use of mercury in small-scale gold mining is polluting thousands of sites around the world, posing long-term health risks to up to 50 million inhabitants of mining regions and contributing more than 10 percent of the mercury in Earth's atmosphere resulting from human activities.

3. MN Sea Grant - Spiny Waterfleas Found in Rainy Lake
Excerpt from Press Release

A Duluth teenager vacationing on Rainy Lake last week found more than fish on his line. Matt Gunderson (18) caught an invasive species known as the spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus). More than a dozen collected on his fishing line on July 18 while he was trolling for walleyes off Blueberry Island in Voyageurs National Park. Gunderson immediately recognized the mass of tiny animals because he's been educated to watch for invasive species most of his life. His father works for the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program, which funds research and conducts public education programs about aquatic invasive species. Waterfleas collect in masses on fishing lines and downrigger cables. The masses can resemble gelatin or cotton batting with tiny black spots, which are the creatures' eyes. Individual animals are difficult to distinguish without magnification because they are only 1/4 to 5/8 inch long.

According to Steve Windels, terrestrial ecologist for Voyageurs National Park, this is likely a recent infestation because the Park Service periodically sampled Rainy Lake and other lakes in the park in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey through 2005 and did not find any spiny waterfleas. The agencies cooperated again to respond quickly to the sighting. "Since we received the initial report, we've confirmed the presence of spiny waterfleas at seven different sites throughout the U.S. side of Rainy Lake," said Windels. The finding has implications for how the National Park Service conducts operations in the park, specifically, taking extra precautions to ensure that staff and visitors do not spread the species to uninfested waters. To combat the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species, Voyageurs National Park will step up efforts to promote a campaign called Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! (www.protectyourwaters.net), which features a logo and prevention messages targeting boaters and anglers. Staff will post water accesses and distribute brochures and identification cards to boaters and anglers to inform them how to prevent the spread. The Minnesota DNR is working to designate Rainy Lake as an infested water. The designation means it will be illegal to transport water or harvest bait from the lake, similar to zebra mussel-infested waters.

The discovery also has international implications as more than 75 percent of Rainy Lake is in Ontario, Canada, and will impact how the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources operates in that area. The waterfleas now have the potential to spread downstream to Lake of the Woods (Minnesota's largest lake) or upstream to Kabetogama, Namakan, Sand Point, and Crane lakes. The finding brings the number of infested lakes in Minnesota to ten (excluding Lake Superior).

"Spiny waterfleas can spread when boats and fishing gear become contaminated with egg-laden females," said Doug Jensen, coordinator of the Minnesota Sea Grant's aquatic invasive species program. Although the females might die between fishing trips, they might be carrying resting eggs that can begin a new infestation. "It's like dry soup mix," said Jensen. "Just add water and you've got more spiny waterfleas. That's why boaters and anglers need to be especially careful about draining water and cleaning their equipment before going from one lake to another."

Experts believe spiny waterfleas originally arrived in the U.S. from Eurasia in the ballast water of cargo ships when they were found in Lake Ontario in 1982 and Lake Superior in 1987. Boaters and anglers have most likely spread them to inland waters since then. Spiny waterfleas can foul angling gear, causing anglers to lose hooked fish. Several other traits make this species of zooplankton particularly vexing:
- They compete with small fish for the same zooplankton.
- Small fish generally do not eat them due to their long spiny tails.
- They can shift the natural balance of a lake's plankton community, disrupting food web dynamics.

4. OH Sea Grant - Boat Shrink Wrap Recycling Pilot Project

More than fifty tons of plastic shrink wrap used for nonseasonal boat storage escaped deposit in Ohio landfills this spring and instead was recycled into 21,000 highway guardrail components thanks to a new pilot program among Lake Erie marina operators, the Ohio Clean Marinas Program and Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc.

Shrink wrap was recycled from approximately 2,000 boats earlier this year along the Lake Erie shoreline yielding 101,000 pounds of the plastic product that generally is disposed of in Ohio landfills. An additional 23 tons of greenhouse plastics generated by growers in the Lake Erie region also were collected and recycled through the pilot program.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to work in partnership with Ohio Clean Marinas on the boat shrink wrap recycling program," said Mark Mondo, president of Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc. "This pilot program will be significantly expanded next year and our company appreciates the efforts of all the boating industry partners involved, particularly the leadership of the Ohio Clean Marinas Program."

The two-year recycling pilot program that began in January results from a partnership among the Ohio Clean Marinas Program, which is coordinated and administered by the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, Mondo Polymer Technologies, Lake Erie Marie Trades Association and Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Participating Lake Erie marinas that have been certified as an Ohio Clean Marina and provided a large portion of the recyclable plastics include Huron Lagoons Marina, Lakefront Marina, Sandusky Harbor Marina, Beaver Park Marina, Cedar Point Marina, Marina Del Isle, Spitzer Lakeside Marina, Spitzer Harbor Walk and Rack Storage Marina, Beaver Park North Marina, and the Edgewater Yacht Club. An additional eighteen Lake Erie region marinas have pledged to join the program and become certified through the Ohio Clean Marinas Program (www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/cleanmarinas/).

5. OH Sea Grant - FEE Expands Fishing Audiences

One goal of Ohio's Fisheries Extension Enhancement (FEE) program is to recruit historically underrepresented audiences into the Great Lakes sport fishery. Recent educational efforts for this program include:

* Women's Fishing Day and Fun Tournament on Lake Erie - Nearly 40 women turned out for the Women's Fishing and Fun Tournament on Lake Erie, a new event coordinated by Kelly Riesen of Ohio Sea Grant, Mike Matta, Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, and Jen Dennison, ODNR Division of Wildlife. Eight boats left the East Harbor State Park Marina on a sunny morning and returned with over 300 pounds of walleye. A fish fry and prizes for the largest walleye and sheepshead followed the ladies' time on the water. The success of the women's fishing day has prompted the coordinators to make it an annual event.
* Kid's Fishing Camps at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center - During the month of August, the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center holds its annual string of summer camps. This year Kelly Riesen, Fisheries Extension Program Coordinator for Ohio Sea Grant, has added some new additions to camp. In all, nearly 50 kids participate in three camps geared for kindergarteners, first/second graders, and fourth/fifth graders. The children are taught about Lake Erie and the fish that live there, and then are given a chance to fish in Lake Erie from a break wall. These summer programs will continue annually.

6. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Shipwreck Trail

The Ohio Sea Grant College Program recently received grants of $10,000 from the Ohio Lake Erie Commission's Lake Erie Protection Fund and $5,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Coastal Management for the creation of "Ohio's Lake Erie Shipwrecks" web site and promotional guides.

The goal will be the development of a 16-20 page, four-color guide and a dedicated website. The website and guide will be designed to help Ohio residents and visitors locate the many historical, cultural and recreational shipwrecks and unique underwater habitats in Ohio's Lake Erie waters, and to promote eco-tourism and economic development. Both products will not only effectively serve to promote cultural and eco-tourism as tools to expand Lake Erie tourism revenues, but will also be valuable assets in the conservation and protection of important shipwreck sites.

A shipwreck advisory committee has been formed consisting of knowledgeable Lake Erie scuba divers and historians with the first meeting date of July 20, 2006 yielding 34 Ohio shipwrecks that were identified for research. Both the guide and the website will highlight known, popular shipwrecks in four separate sectors of Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline. The four proposed underwater areas are: (1) The Erie Islands, (2) Vermilion-Lorain, (3) Cleveland, and (4) Fairport Harbor.

This program consists of a partnership between the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, the Great Lakes Historical Society Peachman Shipwreck Center, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management, Lake Erie Coastal Ohio and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission. For more information, please contact co-project directors Dave Kelch or Joe Lucente.

7. OH Sea Grant - Shoreline Angler Survey
The ODNR Division of Wildlife, Fairport and Sandusky Fisheries research stations have added five economic items to the shoreline creel survey begun May 2006. These items will allow Ohio Sea Grant investigators to estimate the economic value and fiscal impact of the Lake Erie shoreline fishery. This type of fish creel is conducted only once every 10 to 12 years.

8. PA Sea Grant - Web Redesign
New look to the PA Sea GRant website. Check it out: http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/seagindex.htm

9. Publications

NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders, National ANS Clearinghouse Digest
The winter issue for 2006 of Aquatic Invaders (Volume 17 No. 1) was published in March and distributed at the 14th International Conference for Aquatic Invasive Species, Key Biscayne, FL in May. This issue marked a first for Aquatic Invaders since it contained the workshop proceedings from the 2006 Northeast Water Chestnut Summit.

The feature article for this issue is:

• Assessment for Potential Range Expansion of Zebra Mussels on the Western Edge of their Distribution in the United States, Britton DK, McMahon RF

Papers from the Water Chestnut Summit:

• Sea Grant Water Chestnut Educational Project, O'Neill CR
• Water Chestnut Impacts on Oxygen in the Tidal Hudson River, Caraco NF
• Fish and Invertebrate Sensitivity to the Aquatic Herbicide AquaKleen®, Paul E, Johnson S, Skinner JM
• Biocontrol of Waterchestnut, Blossey B
• Water Chestnut Chemical Treatment Control: Three Rivers System - Oswego and Onondaga Counties, Nemecek R
• Stopping Water Chestnut at the Landscape Scale in the Connecticut River Watershed, Boettner C, Goettel B
• 2005 Water Chestnut Management Program: Lake Champlain and Inland Waters of Vermont, Hunt T
• Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) - Invasive Plant Monitoring, Management, Education, Oles H
• Remote sensing and mapping of submerged aquatic vegetation and Trapa natans in the Hudson River estuary, Barnaba J, Hoskins SB, Smith S, Bain M, Findlay S, Strayer D, Nieder C, Blair B

The volume 17 number 2 issue is also in print. The feature articles for this issue are:

• Ecology of Type E Botulism Within Dreissenid Mussel Beds, Getchell RG, Bowser PR
• Exploring the Coexistence of the Hydroid Cordylophora caspia and the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha: Counterbalancing effects of filamentious Substrate and Predation, Folino-Rorem N, Stoeclel J

The Clearinghouse is in the process of converting from a print-based publication to exclusively PDF format with electronic delivery. We feel this will allow us to maintain the high quality of the publication while reducing costs. It also offers opportunities to add hyperlinks, color images and more rapid production and delivery of the publication. Look for other new and exciting changes as we progress through this period of transition.

The National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse quarterly digest, "Aquatic Invaders," publishes papers on research and policy initiatives relating to all types of freshwater, estuarine, and marine aquatic invasive and nuisance species issues. The digest is published quarterly, and is aimed at a technically literate audience, researchers, resource managers, utility managers, and policy makers. We welcome submissions. Please contact Diane Oleson (djo5@cornell.edu) for details.

OH Sea Grant - Twineline - Spring/Summer 2006 - http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/publications/twineline/

• Something in the Water
• FYI
• Educators have Numerous "Firsts" Aboard Research Vessel
• Frogs and Blogs: Students Chat Online about Stone Lab Experience
• Bloggin' on a Lake Erie Island
• The Lake Erie Discussion Board
• New Ohio Clean Marinas Recycling Program Saves Tons
• Stone Laboratory Open House
• Friends of Stone Laboratory
• Now Ready to be Reeled In . . .

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Antarctica's Hidden Watershed -- There appears to be a network of rivers and lakes underneath the ice that covers Antarctica. (7/17/2006)
• Shorelines on the Move -- Coastal geologists look at the erosion of shorelines in a world that's getting warmer. (7/18/2006)
• Toxic Bodies -- A group in the state of Washington tests people for toxic substances in their bodies, and it finds all kinds of chemicals from everyday products. (7/19/2006)
• Resentful Dependents -- Teenagers often have some pretty bad attitudes. Life in the suburbs might make them worse. (7/20/2006)
• Eco-Efficient Business -- Economic experts look at ways to integrate environmental awareness into all aspects of industry. (7/21/2006)
• Social Lobsters Shun the Sick -- Some lobsters can sense illness among their kind long before any symptoms appear. (7/24/2006)
• Moving to the Center -- An author advocates stepped-up efforts to redevelop cities and suburbs to house America's rapidly growing population. (7/25/2006)
• Antarctica's Negative Balance -- Scientists say a lot of ice is slipping off Antarctica and into the sea, and there's more ice disappearing than new ice accumulating. (7/26/2006)
• Fat Coral Survive Lean Times -- One species of coral can shift its diet to survive hard times in warm water. (7/27/2006)
• Poor Man's Horse -- The invention of the modern bicycle brought mobility to all levels of society. (7/28/2006)
• Avoiding the Big Chill -- Scientists run computer predictions to see what a warmer world means for great ocean currents that run through the North and South Atlantic. (7/31/2006)
• Canine Friends of Trees and Trout -- As populations of wolves grow in Wisconsin and other places, a ripple effect is raising numbers of some trees and fish. (8/1/2006)
• Lessons of the Natural Life -- A biology professor says the students in his classes today need more education about the natural world than the students he saw years ago. (8/2/2006)
• The Center of the World -- Most of us connect with landmarks that make us feel at home. But those landmarks don't last forever. (8/3/2006)
• When Waves Meet Wells -- The tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean two years ago flooded many wells with salt water, and attempts to clean up the wells didn't always work. (8/4/2006)
• Doctor's Orders -- The health impacts of global warming could be the deciding factor in doing something about the issue, according to a medical researcher. (8/7/2006)
• Forces of Nature -- Nature is often more powerful than we think it is, and that can mean tragedy for hikers, boaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts. (8/8/2006)
• Problems for the Low Life -- A survey of coastal areas around the world that have low elevations finds that a lot of people are vulnerable to storms and rising water. (8/9/2006)
• Strange Behavior by Polar Bears -- Scientists have evidence of unusual cannibalism by polar bears, and they say this might be related to stress from changes to their habitat. (8/10/2006)
• The Present Ice Age -- The world is warming up, yet we're stuck in an ice age. An earth scientist explains. (8/11/2006)
• Glow in the Deep -- A lot of sea creatures that live in deep, dark water make their own light. It's the rule rather than the exception in these environments. (8/14/2006)
• A Dry Future on the Prairie -- Some scientists say the western prairies of Canada face a shortage of water so severe that they call it an "impending water crisis." (8/15/2006)
• Beyond the Tailpipe -- Automobiles emit a lot of toxic materials, and not all of them come from the tailpipe. (8/16/2006)
• The Sacred and the Profane -- Scientists usually avoid using spiritual terms, but David Suzuki says that sometimes keeps important ideas out of the discussion. (8/17/2006)
• Slang in the Sails -- Shop talk that helped sailors run their ships two hundred years ago is still used by landlubbers today. (8/18/2006)

10. Staff News

MI Sea Grant - Award
Michigan Sea Grant Extension Specialist Mike Klepinger's work gained national recognition when he received an Outstanding Coastal Community Development Award from Ron Baird (Emeritus Director of the National Sea Grant College Program) and Geoffrey Anderson (Environmental Protection Agency's Division Director, for Development, Community and Environment). Hawaii Sea Grant Director E. Gordon Grau presented the award at the biennial meeting of Sea Grant Extension Program leaders. The award was bestowed "in recognition of his leadership and tireless efforts to promote the principles of Smart Growth and sustainable community development, and for his outstanding and continuing contributions to the work of Sea Grant's Coastal Communities and Economies Theme Team."

Klepinger helped develop the strategy for the national Sea Grant Coastal Communities and Economies Theme Team and contributed significantly to a Smart Growth training session for local land use decision-makers being produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center. The new training session will be rolled-out nationwide this fall.

In addition to his contributions to national Sea Grant community development efforts, Klepinger recently guided Marquette, Michigan's, successful application for USEPA/Sea Grant funding and technical assistance. Sea Grant and a team of national planning experts will help the Lake Superior city gather public input and create an innovative "form-based" zoning ordinance. The new land use law will help assure physical and visual linkage between Marquette's historic central business district with its revitalized working waterfront.

MN Sea Grant - Award
Cindy Hagley, environmental quality educator, and Jesse Schomberg, coastal communities educator, along with staff from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, earned an environmental stewardship award in the community group for their View From the Lake Project. The project was noted for its "outstanding efforts to restore or protect the natural environment in the Lake Superior basin." The Lake Superior Binational Forum presented the award during July at a ceremony in Superior, Wisc.

July 14, 2004

Contents
1) MI Sea Grant - Grand Traverse Bay Observing System
2) NY Sea Grant - Water Chestnut Educational Materials Development
3) Great Lakes Sea Grant Network - Dunes Conference
4) OH Sea Grant - Fisheries Extension Enhancement (FEE) Benefits Women
5) OH Sea Grant - 4-H Sea Camp Trains Young Anglers
6) MN Sea Grant - Local Rip Current Education Continues
7) OH Sea Grant - Stone Laboratory Students Offer Personal Accounts of Lake Erie Courses Through Blogs
8) COSEE Great Lakes - R/V Lake Guardian Completes Maiden Voyage for COSEE Great Lakes
9) Publications
MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - June 2006 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html
MN Sea Grant - July-August 2006 "From Shore To Shore" Newsletter - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
MN Sea Grant - Seiche - June 2003 - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/
WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
10) Staff News
IISG - New Interim Director
Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Award
MN Sea Grant - Awards
_________________________________________________________________________

1) MI Sea Grant - Grand Traverse Bay Observing System

In an effort to better understand and manage the coastal resources and processes that exist in the Grand Traverse Bay area, the University of Michigan's Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories (UM-MHL) formed a partnership focusing on creating the links between researchers, managers, and industry to provide the tools needed to study, monitor, predict, and disseminate the state of the bays and waterfront regions of northwest lower Michigan.

The Grand Traverse Bay Observing System (GTBOS) is made possible only through the support from the University of Michigan's participation as the Great Lakes partner in the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT). This is a NOAA-funded partnership of research institutions, state and regional managers, and private sector companies interested in developing and applying sensor technologies for monitoring coastal environments.

In July of 2005, through a partnership with the Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Water Studies Institute (WSI) and the Michigan Sea Grant Extension Program, the Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories deployed its Aanderaa Coastal Monitoring Buoy approximately 2 miles off the Great Lakes campus of NMC in the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay.

For the first time ever, real time, continuous environmental monitoring of the wind, waves and current inside the bay was provided to the general public over the internet. The launch of this Coastal Monitoring Buoy and its automated data collection was part of the first step in a three part process to gather greater awareness and information on the natural dynamics of Traverse Bay.

With the addition of DTE Energy as a sponsoring partner in the 2006 field season, the Grand Traverse Bay Observing System will now be home to a second, "state of the art" environmental monitoring buoy. This new Aanderaa Coastal Monitoring Buoy will provide a second, key data point for researchers, the community and other resource users to aid in their understanding of the dynamics of Grand Traverse Bay. This second buoy will join the observation network to provide vital information about Grand Traverse Bay and the influence of Lake Michigan on the bay dynamics.

This $70,000 buoy was made possible by a $35,000 grant provided by DTE Energy, a $13,000 grant provided by Michigan Sea Grant Extension/Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, and the remaining funds will be provided by the University of Michigan's Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories/Alliance for the Coastal Technologies.

The next step is for researchers within the University of Michigan's Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories to develop a very detailed numerical model that will predict the current flow within the entire Grand Traverse Bay region in response to both the wind and the general circulation of Lake Michigan. This capability could be utilized in predicting the spread of pollution throughout Grand Traverse Bay, as well as potentially aiding law enforcement officials during search and rescue operations.

The third and final step will be to utilize the products developed as a result of this research effort in programs to educate children, citizens and visitors around the Grand Traverse Bay area. It is hoped that these products will be especially useful in K-12 classrooms as an educational tool when teaching children about environmental stewardship and the vast resources of the Great Lakes. The data generated from the buoy will be used during the summer of 2006 by teachers, community organizations and students who participate in the WSI's DTE Energy Freshwater Institute for Teachers, a program made possible under a grant from the DTE Energy Foundation. As this initial project meets with success, the hope is that more buoys can be placed within Northern Lake Michigan and information can be gathered in developing a holistic view not just of Grand Traverse Bay but of Northern Lake Michigan with the ultimate goal of keeping this environmentally sensitive area pristine for future generations to enjoy.

Contacts:

* Marine Hydrodynamics Lab, University of Michigan, Guy Meadows or Hans VanSummeren 734-764-9432 or gmeadows@engin.umich.edu or vansumer@engin.umich.edu
* Northwestern Michigan College, Water Studies Institute, Becky Ewing or Tim Ervin 231-995-1787 or bewing@nmc.edu or tervin@nmc.edu
* Michigan Sea Grant, Mark Breederland 231-922-4628 or breederl@msu.edu

2) NY Sea Grant - Water Chestnut Educational Materials Development

Water chestnut (Trapa natans), a rooted invasive aquatic plant with floating and submersed leaves that was introduced to North America as a water garden plant, grows in nutrient-rich freshwater lakes, ponds and slow moving streams and rivers. Uncontrolled, it creates impenetrable mats across wide areas of water, making those areas inaccessible and creating a boating hazard. The plant severely limits light penetration and cuts off sunlight to native plants. Resultant changes in dissolved oxygen levels contribute to fish kills.

Preventing the introduction and spread of water chestnut could save millions of dollars of public and private economic losses and control activity funds annually. Water chestnut in a water body can degrade shoreline property values by more than $12,000 per lot, negatively impacting property tax revenues.

Stakeholders need quality, science-based educational materials and activities to empower them to prevent the spread and minimize the impacts of this invasive plant. Utilizing NSGCP grant funds, New York Sea Grant and the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Project developed a variety of educational products and activities directed toward establishing and supporting a coordinated water chestnut prevention and management outreach effort across New York State and the Northeast.

One such activity was the January 2006 Northeast Water Chestnut Summit attended by water chestnut researchers, outreach educators and resource managers from NY and throughout the Northeast. The participants stated that the summit was a valuable tool for bringing such diverse groups together to share information about each others' water chestnut efforts. The proceedings of the summit were published in the National ANS Clearinghouse Digest, Aquatic Invaders, Vol. 17, No. 1, Winter 2005/2006.

The project also developed a Web site: "NorthEast Water Chestnut Web," www.waterchestnut.org to act as a clearinghouse for water chestnut information and links to efforts for its mitigation. Participants of the summit reported that they have been using the Web site to check on water chestnut information from other states and as an entry portal to link to other water chestnut sites. The interactions at the summit are certain to foster new collaborations in research and management. The attendees also requested that another summit be held next year. This Web site will continue to be maintained by the Brockport regional office of NYSG or the National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse after the conclusion of this grant.

Information on this project has been presented to the Central NY Water Chestnut Task Force; the Northeast Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species; the national Invasive Species Advisory Committee; the NYS Invasive Species Task Force; and, the 2003, 2005 and 2006 Cornell Cooperative Extension Conferences.

3) Great Lakes Sea Grant Network - Dunes Conference
Great Lakes Dune Conference: "Developing a Basinwide Coalition for Research, Management and Education"
October 3-4, 2006
The Hagerty Center at the Great Lakes Campus of NW Michigan College; Traverse City, Michigan

Great Lakes dune conservation has been pursued with great dedication by a great many workers in the eight Great Lakes States and Ontario. Never have such workers gathered together to pool knowledge and formulate a common cause for their efforts. The goal of this first ever Great Lakes Dune Conference will be to establish a Great Lakes Sand Dune Ecosystem Coalition that will bring together all persons in the US and Canada currently involved in sand dune related research, education efforts, management, monitoring and other activities, in an effort to share information and increase the awareness of this unique ecosystem.

The Great Lakes National Program Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency has provided funding administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for this conference. Additional support has been provided by the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute of Northwestern Michigan College and NY Sea Grant. Conference hosts also include the Coastal Zone Management Program of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, National Park Service, Northwestern Michigan College, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, Sea Grant Programs in NY, MI, and WI, and Wilfred Laurier University.

Come and share your expertise and get in on the ground floor to develop a basinwide strategy for environmentally responsible Great Lakes dune management.

Registration fee: $50 US
Accommodations: $65 US/night

To learn more, submit a poster, and register: www.nysgdunes.org

4) OH Sea Grant - Fisheries Extension Enhancement (FEE) Benefits Women
On June 25 a small group of women were escorted by Ohio Sea Grant and Stedke Brothers Charter Service onto Lake Erie for a day of steelhead fishing. The ladies caught nearly a boat limit of steelhead. This small charter was held in preparation for a larger women's fishing awareness event coming up on August 4, where 50 women will hit the water for a Lake Erie fishing day and fun tournament. Fewer than 20 percent of Ohio fishing licenses are purchased by women, making them a targeted audience for FEE efforts. Contact Kelly Riesen, riesen.4@osu.edu .

5) OH Sea Grant - 4-H Sea Camp Trains Young Anglers

Ninety Ohio middle and high school students hit Lake Erie from June 26-30 for the 2006 4-H Sea Camp Held on Kelleys Island. As part of Ohio Sea Grant's FEE program, the camp taught participants about aquatic environments and recreational opportunities on the water. Students learned lure-making, aquatic biology, and took part in a full-day fishing charter. Contact Kelly Riesen, riesen.4@osu.edu .

6) MN Sea Grant - Local Rip Current Education Continues
Excerpt from News Release

Instead of, "How's the water?" beachgoers on Park Point may be asked a few different questions this summer. "How often have you visited a beach on Minnesota Point in the past five years?" and "Have you seen the signs along the beach that show how to get out of a rip current?" are questions from a short survey that will be conducted by the UMD Minnesota Sea Grant Program and the City of Duluth. The questions are part of an effort to understand people's perceptions about rip currents and refine educational efforts. The survey will be conducted by Kelsey Paxson, a UMD environmental studies student for his summer internship with Sea Grant. Sea Grant is also sponsoring a Shorelink interpreter who will inform tourists about rip currents as part of a series of roving naturalist programs in Duluth and the North Shore. Sugarloaf: The North Shore Stewardship Association organizes the Shorelink program.

For those who take their swimming class skills to the beach, the Duluth Parks and Recreation Department is posting rip current education signs at all city pools. They are also distributing rip current brochures at neighborhood sites and training lifeguards in rip current rescue techniques. On June 15 and similar to last summer, the Duluth National Weather Service began including information in their daily morning hazardous weather outlook if conditions favor rip currents. According to Michael Stewart, meteorologist-in-charge, this involves winds 25 miles per hour or more from the east.

Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving channels of water that sweep out from shore. Formed under windy weather conditions, they are powerful enough to carry away even the strongest swimmers from beaches or around piers. Panicked swimmers who try to swim straight back to shore against the current, put themselves at risk of drowning because of fatigue. Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually.

"Nobody should be afraid to go to the beach," said Jesse Schomberg, coastal communities educator with Minnesota Sea Grant. "We want people to have a good time, but be informed about rip currents. Swimming on guarded beaches and knowing how to escape a rip current can be life-saving. If caught in a rip current, don't fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you're out of the current, then swim back to shore at an angle." Schomberg described a rip current as having a different wave pattern than the rest of the beach. Other signs are foam or debris moving away from shore and a plume of dirty or muddy water.

To find out more about rip currents, visit Minnesota Sea Grant's Lake Superior Rip Current Web Site: www.seagrant.umn.edu/rip, or order the free "Break the Grip of the Rip" brochure (call 218-726-6191).

7) OH Sea Grant - Stone Laboratory Students Offer Personal Accounts of Lake Erie Courses Through Blogs

Students and educators interested in The Ohio State University's Lake Erie campus at Stone Laboratory can now view first-hand accounts of students' experiences on line. Lauren Makeyenko of the Center for Great Lakes Environmental Education is the first of many Stone Lab students who has been busy blogging this past week.

"Everyone was able to participate in the water sampling this morning. Techniques used were the Rosette Sampler (conductivity, temperature, chlorophyll, and dissolved oxygen), Box Core Sampler, Ponar Grab, and Plankton Net," writes Lauren on the first day of her blog. Shipboard and Shoreline Science on Lake Erie is Lauren's daily journal of her experiences while taking the course Natural Resources 611: Great Lakes Education Workshop. Throughout her blog, Lauren quotes her classmates, uploads pictures of her activities, and documents her experience aboard the U.S. EPA's R/V Lake Guardian.

"Lauren Makeyenko did a great job of capturing not only what was happening with the science but also with the environments we encountered," says Dr. Rosanne Fortner, director of COSEE Great Lakes. "The storms, the mayflies and the canoes all contributed to that experiential aspect that is the most memorable way to learn. I think you can see from the photos how involved and enthusiastic the participants were."

As part of a new Ohio Sea Grant Communications project, Lauren's blog is just one of many student blogs now available on the web. One student representing each of the 30 science courses offered at Stone Laboratory has been selected to write a detailed account of their experiences while at the Lab this summer. Courses with blogs now include Sports Fishing, Geology, and Marine and Aquatic Education. These blogs will serve as a visual and written record of student experiences to use in the following years for promotion. Future students will be able to click and see what they would be doing in class from another student's perspective. From important items to bring to Lake Erie, to how to catch bigger walleye, anyone can see that these blogs are meant to prepare and intrigue future students.

To see Lauren's blog about her experience with COSEE Great Lakes' Lake Guardian course, visit www.coseegreatlakes.blogspot.com. To read about other students' adventures while at Stone Laboratory, visit the Stone Lab Students blog at www.stonelaboratory.blogspot.com.

8) COSEE Great Lakes - R/V Lake Guardian Completes Maiden Voyage for COSEE Great Lakes

Saturday morning in Cleveland saw the return of 16 educators, six scientists and four Great Lakes Sea Grant education leaders from a week of Shipboard and Shoreline Science on Lake Erie sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Their ship was the 180-foot long U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office research vessel, the R/V Lake Guardian, contributed for this education workshop and staffed by EPA scientists. The cruise was the first major event of the Center for Oceanic Sciences Education Excellence [COSEE] in the Great Lakes, a consortium of educators and scientists assembled to promote science literacy through study of the Great Lakes, America's inland sea.

Exhilarated and exhausted, the sailors reported stories of science learned first-hand beside noted researchers from four states. Elbow to elbow in hard hats, work vests and steel-toed boots, they collected information about the water quality, physical conditions of the lake, and living things in and below the water. When the samples came on board, the work gear was traded for lab coats as the educators learned how to interpret new information and identify lake plankton and benthic invertebrates. Their data will be contributed to the EPA's log of the changing Lake Erie system, but more importantly will become part of curricula in grades 4-10 and informal education in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

In addition to the science immersion, the intrepid crew of the Lake Guardian experienced Lake Erie's notorious sudden storms, the mayfly swarms, and the intricate interrelationships of wind, water, land and life in and around the lake. They made flags depicting their adventures, learned and wrote songs and got to know teacher colleagues with great ideas they can use for teaching. And importantly for COSEE goals nationally, they developed professional relationships with scientists who now understand their classroom needs and potential. The collaborative relationships will be cemented over the coming months as educators develop plans for using their new knowledge in teaching.

This summer's Shipboard and Shoreline Science cruise began and ended at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. The voyage took its eager crew of learners through critical science areas of Lake Erie, with shoreline activities at Stone Laboratory in Put-in-Bay, a visit in Toledo from representatives of the Maumee River Remedial Action Plan Committee, exploration of Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Huron, OH, a tour of the Tom Ridge Environmental Research Center in Erie, PA, with a Living Seas IMAX presentation. Canoeing and kayaking in a lagoon off Presque Isle Bay capped the shoreline experiences with first-hand views of wetland vegetation and beaver lodges.

Each summer for the next four years, the COSEE Great Lakes program and U.S.EPA Great Lakes National Program Office will support another Shipboard and Shoreline Science workshop. In 2007 the voyage will be on Lake Ontario, and following summers will include Lakes Superior, Huron and Michigan. A Great Lakes Education Summit in 2010 will bring these and other COSEE Great Lakes efforts into focus for their impact on science literacy in the Great Lakes region.

9) Publications
MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - June 2006 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html

* Sea Grant Testimony Informs Beach Grooming Debate
* New rip current beach signs in English and Spanish
* Expansion of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan
* Clean Boats, Clean Waters
* Sturgeon Confirmed at Detroit River Spawning Reefs
* Bohling Chosen as Extension Educator for SE Michigan
* Summer Workshop

MN Sea Grant - July-August 2006 "From Shore To Shore" Newsletter - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html

* Revised and Updated! ("Lake Home and Cabin Kit")
* Fish and Aquatic Plants - What's the Connection?
* Legislative Happenings Affect Water Resources
* Shoring Up Minnesota's Shores
* Plan to Attend "The Changing Landscapes of Minnesota's Lakes and Rivers"
* Algae - Essential for a Healthy Lake

MN Sea Grant - Seiche - June 2003 - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/

* Basic Instinct: Plant Chemicals Found that Attract Insect - Too bad for Eurasian watermilfoil. The invasive plant smells delicious to a hungry species of weevil and now scientists know why.
* New Zealand Mudsnails Found in Duluth-Superior Harbor - Egad! Tiny cloning snails are the newest invader in the Twin Ports.
* Bile isn't Vile: Identifying the Scent that Lures Trout Home -We already know that migratory fish identify their home streams by smell. University of Minnesota researchers have found that a major portion of the smell that attracts Kamloops trout emanates from fish excrement.
* Readers Want to Know...Why is mercury more of a problem in the gamefish of Minnesota's northerneastern lakes than in other areas?
* Updated Minnesota Shoreland CD -The latest edition of The Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource Guide Web site, www.shorelandmanagment.org, is available on a CD.

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

* Passing the Cost - Electric bills keep rising, but an author says they still don't cover the environmental and social cost of coal mining in the Southeast. (6/19/2006)
* Lessons from the 70s - The energy crises of the 1970s taught people how to conserve and be more efficient. An author says we need a refresher course. (6/20/2006)
* Tossed in Space - Our exploration of space has left all kinds of litter in orbit, and it could become a health hazard for astronauts. (6/21/2006)
* More Fuel for Hurricanes - Researchers say the number of particularly intense hurricanes is growing, and it appears to be linked to the warming of the ocean surface. (6/22/2006)
* High-Traffic Habitat - Roads disrupt the lives of wild animals in all kinds of ways - some of them subtle and surprising. (6/23/2006)
* Plague on the Prairie - Plague is killing prairie dogs in the West, depriving an endangered mammal of its favorite food. (6/26/2006)
* Conservation Comes First - Some advice from an energy consultant: cut your energy waste before investing in solar panels or other renewable energy technologies. (6/27/2006)
* Flu Among the Felines - Experts who study the spread of viruses say we need to pay more attention to the way cats might spread avian influenza. (6/28/2006)
* Vulnerable Offspring -- Some practices used to raise fish in captivity might leave them vulnerable when they're released into the wild. (6/29/2006)
* Rabbit Feat - The up-and-down fortunes of European rabbits demonstrate the law of unintended consequences when humans try to manipulate nature. (6/30/2006)
* Plants and Weather Predictions -- Plants can release a lot of water vapor into the atmosphere, and weather experts say that's one of the ways plants can affect the behavior of severe storms. (7/03/2006)
* Safe Seafood Shopping -- Consumers in Europe seem to prefer seafood that's brought to market with minimal impact on the environment. (7/04/2006)
* A Very Viny Future -- Add this to the list of climate change woes: bigger poison ivy, and more potent, too. (7/05/2006)
* Overweight by Design -- Does suburban sprawl add to America's obesity crisis? This doctor thinks so. (7/06/2006)
* Hurricane Blues -- Some of the wreckage of hurricanes is psychological, and many survivors carry an emotional burden years after the storms have faded away. (7/07/2006)
* Out to the Exurbs -- Sprawl doesn't end with suburbs. "Exurbs" are even farther out into the countryside. (7/10/2006)
* Allergies on the Rise -- Experiments on plants show that more carbon dioxide in the air will mean more pollen, too. (7/11/2006)
* Special Treatment for Salmon -- Scientists in California go to great lengths to save the genetic legacy of fish in a river near San Francisco. (7/12/2006)
* Commercial Fishing Chronicle -- A documentary film chronicles life in a small fishing village and economic pressure on residents who have worked at sea for generations. (7/13/2006)
* Building without Borders -- A charitable group revives traditional building methods to help provide housing in the world's poorest countries. (7/14/2006)

10) Staff News
IISG - New Interim Director
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is pleased to announce the appointment of Phil Mankin as the program's new interim director. As a researcher for many years with the University of Illinois, Dr. Mankin has studied the interaction of human activity and wildlife from many perspectives. In urban and agricultural settings, he has explored relationships between ecosystems and land use management. For the past four years, Mankin has been Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant's research coordinator. "Dr. Mankin is a well known and highly respected member of the Sea Grant community and in many other communities of practice that connect to natural resource management," said Dick Warner, U of I Extension assistant dean and former IISG director. "His well-honed people skills and leadership style will be of great benefit to Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant in coming weeks and months; we are delighted that he has accepted this responsibility."

Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Award

Barb Liukkonen (MNSG), Mike Klepinger (MISG), Nick Zlonis (MNSG), and Eleanor Burkett, (MN Extension Service), Mandy Beall (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), and Wendy Strombeck (oneD.design) were awarded the Sea Grant Program Leaders' Outstanding Program Award at the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Conference in Alpena, Mich., during June for their project to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species via water gardening.

MN Sea Grant - Awards

Jeff Gunderson, acting director, was part of a Great Lakes coaster brook trout restoration project that was recognized for "outstanding leadership and personal stewardship" during the White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation, which was held in St. Louis, Mo., in August 2005.

Barb Liukkonen, water resources education coordinator, received two gold awards from the Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals (ANREP). The first was for her work as part of an outstanding E. coli volunteer monitoring project team along with members from Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa. The second gold award was for mixed materials created for the "Prevent the Introduction of Aquatic Invasive Species Through Water Gardening" project. Eleanor Burkett, University of Minnesota Extension Service, shared in this award. The awards were given during ANREP's biannual business meeting in Park City, Utah, during May.

Nick Zlonis, communication designer, was honored for his work on the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Great Lakes Web site (www.coseegreatlakes.net) by the Great Lakes Information Network as Site of the Month for June.

June 15, 2006

Contents
1. Great Lakes Sea Grant Network - Network Conference
2. GLRRIN - Networking in the Great Lakes
3. Events
- OH Sea Grant - GLFLI 2006
- MN Sea Grant - Conference Focuses on Great Lakes Rip Currents
- OH Sea Grant - Fishing for Credit
- OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Guest Lectures
- MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Family Fun and Science Activity Night
- COSEE Great Lakes - Hands-on education adventures this summer
4. MI Sea Grant - New beach signs in English and Spanish warn swimmers to be aware of dangerous rip currents.
5. OH Sea Grant -Ashtabula Harbor Dredging
6. MI Sea Grant - Expansion of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan Adds to Food Web Uncertainties
7. MI Sea Grant - Sturgeon Confirmed at Detroit River Spawning Reefs
8. MI Sea Grant - Testimony Informs Beach Grooming Debate
9. MI Sea Grant - Clean Boats, Clean Waters
10. Publications
- NY Sea Grant - Coastlines - Summer
- MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - June
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio
11. Staff News
- MI Sea Grant - Ann Arbor Office is Moving
- MI Sea Grant - New Extension Educator for Southeast Michigan
- MI Sea Grant - New Extension Educator for Southeast Michigan
- MI Sea Grant - Ann Arbor Staff Earns National Awards
_________________________________________________________________________
Reminder: Any Sea Grant staff from the Great Lakes can submit items to me (rochelle.sturtevant@noaa.gov) for the monthly update...please let us know what's new with your program.
_________________________________________________________________________
1. Great Lakes Sea Grant Network - Network Conference
This year's network conference was held in Alpena, Michigan at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Program organizers indicate this is the first network conference ever held on Lake Huron. The agenda included major segments on Maritime Heritage and Regional Initiatives. Thanks to all the organizers and presenters and participants for making this a great meeting!

2. GLRRIN - Networking in the Great Lakes
A regional proposal was funded beginning 1 June 2006 for five years and is titled: Great Lakes Regional Research and Information Network (GLRRIN). This will create research coordinating teams for each of the lakes patterned after the Lake Erie Millennium Network, i.e. a person from academia from each side of the border and a person from a federal or provincial agency from each side of the border (four people for each lake). It will also create an overall group of four of the same makeup for the region. For more information contact Jeff Reutter, reutter.1@osu.edu.

3. Events
OH Sea Grant - GLFLI 2006
Ohio Sea Grant conducted its second Great Lakes Fishery Leadership Institute at Stone Laboratory June 2-4, 2006. The eleven participants learned about the status of Ohio's Lake Erie fisheries, the Great Lakes Commission sea lamprey control program, Lake Erie issues, aquatic invasive species issues, and more. Kelly Riesen, Ohio Sea Grant Fisheries Extension Enhancement Program Coordinator, led the participants in hands on learning on a two hour science cruise, and in a fish anatomy and plankton laboratory exercises. She also instructed participants in how to expand sport fishing outreach to women and youth. For more information, contact Kelly Riesen, riesen.4@osu.edu <mailto:riesen.4@osu.edu>.

MN Sea Grant - Conference Focuses on Great Lakes Rip Currents
The third Great Lakes Rip Current Conference waw be held on June 6 in Manitowoc, WI. The annual conference is organized to share scientific and public awareness information about these life-threatening currents that periodically form on some Great Lakes shorelines.

Topics included:
-Rip current science and prediction
-Rip currents in the Duluth area of Lake Superior
-Case studies
-Strategies for educating the public
-Research and awareness discussion

The conference coincided with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Rip Current Awareness Week (June 4-10). By focusing research and public attention on rip currents, NOAA expects to reduce related fatalities.

Co-sponsors of the conference included Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota Sea Grant Programs, the National Weather Service, and others.

OH Sea Grant - Fishing for Credit
The Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant are once again offering a unique physical education course June 11-17, 2006 - PAES 140.07: Lake Erie Sport Fishing. In addition to daily instructional fishing excursions on Lake Erie, students learn to construct an array of fishing lures and gain background in aquatic ecology, marine electronics, fish behavior and more. Students passing the course receive three credit hours from OSU's School of Physical Activity and Educational Services. For more information contact Fred Snyder, snyder.8@osu.edu <mailto:snyder.8@osu.edu>.

OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab Guest Lectures

• 6/15 Jeff Tyson, ODNR Division of Wildlife "Managing Lake Erie's Fisheries Resources"
• 6/22 Drs. Elena Irwin and Jeff Reutter, Ohio State University "Farms, Factories, Fish, and Sprawl: A Recent History of Land Use and Water Quality in the Lake Erie Region"
• 6/29 Dr. Harvey Shear, University of Toronto "The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement 35 Years Later- Success or Failure. Using Indicators to Assess the State of the Great Lakes."
• 7/6 Dr. Joe DePinto, Senior Scientist, Limno-Tech, Inc. "The Use of Models to Support Management Decisions in the Great Lakes"
• 7/13 Dr. Russ Kreis, Large Lakes Research Laboratory, US EPA, Grosse Ile "Interaction and Impacts of the Detroit River on Lake Erie"
• 7/27 Dr. Joan Herbers, Dean, College of Biological Sciences, Ohio State University "Dysfunctional Families in the Insect World"
• 8/3 Dr. Laura Rush, Diplomat, American College of Veterinary Pathologists, Ohio State University "Cancer Treatment is Going to the Dogs: Using Humans as a Model of Canine Cancer"
• 8/10 Dr. John Gannon, International Joint Commission "Lake Erie and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement: Past, Present, and Future"
• 9/9 Open House-;11:30-4:00 Saturday-;Open to Public

MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Family Fun and Science Activity Night
Tuesday, July 25
Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room 7:00 - 8:30 pm

This Event Is Co-sponsored by the Michigan Sea Grant, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey Great Lakes Science Center, Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Great Lakes Commission.

A summer evening celebration of the Great Lakes with songs and music by Mustard's Retreat, a short slide show of the beautiful Great Lakes, and several science activities for preschool through eighth grade, the event, held in conjunction with the July/August exhibit* *"Great Lakes Science Today!" promises to be a fun way to explore what is so special about Michigan's water wonderland and to meet some very knowledgeable Great Lakes scientists, look at fantastic images of the Lakes, listen to fabulous songs about our state and try hands-on science experiments. The exhibit (which runs July 17 - August 16) will include two displays, with 3-D maps of the Great Lakes, photography, examples of scientific instruments, educational posters, live lamprey and more.

COSEE Great Lakes - Hands-on education adventures this summer
One of the first COSEE Great Lakes events, the Lake Superior Exploration Workshop, is scheduled for July 29 - August 4, along the shore of Lake Superior, in MN, WI and/or MI. Participants from Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin will participate in engaging classroom and field activities. Contact: Jim Lubner, Education Coordinator, UW Sea Grant Institute, 414-227-3291 jflubner@aqua.wisc.edu

Another exciting COSEE Great Lakes event, the Tropical Marine Ecology Workshop, will be in Central America from August 12-19, 2006. Participants will study the biodiversity of a coral reef ecosystem and the related habitats that support its complex structure. This exotic 8-day educational expedition will be located on a tropical reef in the Bay Islands, Honduras. New York Sea Grant and the AQUARIUM of Niagara will lead this Caribbean workshop. Contact: Helen Domske, COSEE Education Coordinator, New York Sea Grant, hmd4@cornell.edu

These workshops are among the first of many that will be offered annually throughout the Great Lakes over five years to facilitate scientist and educator interactions. Sponsored by NSF, NOAA and the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, COSEE Great Lakes connects educators, students and the public with the science of the Great Lakes and world oceans. COSEE Great Lakes is one of 10 Centers in a national network for ocean science literacy.

In addition to the COSEE Great Lakes - sponsored activities above, COSEE Great Lakes is offering support for teachers to attend related events, described below.

Lake Superior Workshops

• Ecology: July 9-15, Houghton, MI
  • Michigan Technological University and U.S. EPA - Working cruise on Lake Superior. Participants earn 3 credits from MTU.
• Educational Adventure: July 16-20, Keewenaw Peninsula, MI
  • Michigan Technological University and the Keweenaw Land Trust - Sail along the Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale National Park on board the tall ship Denis Sullivan.
  • Contact: Joan Schumaker-Chadde, jchadde@mtu.edu, 906-487-3341

Stone Laboratory Summer Courses

• June 11 - July 29, Gibraltar Island, Lake Erie
  • Stone Laboratory, Ohio State University - Science courses for educators, college and high school students.
  • Earn 1 to 17 credits in just a few weeks.
  • Contact: Bonita Cordi,_ cordi.2@osu.edu_, 614.292.8949

For more information about educator stipends a complete listing of all COSEE Great Lakes sponsored and COSEE Great Lakes partner activities, see http://coseegreatlakes.net

4. MI Sea Grant - New beach signs in English and Spanish warn swimmers to be aware of dangerous rip currents.
Excerpt from Press Release
Visitors to lakes Michigan and Superior this summer will notice new beach signs publicizing the dangers of rip currents---powerful currents that can develop in the Great Lakes and oceans. Michigan Sea Grant is coordinating placement of the signs, produced in English and Spanish, in west Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. The new signs are designed to increase awareness of the dangers of rip currents by describing how to recognize them and how to escape if caught in a rip current.

"We want people have a good time, but be informed about the danger of rip currents," said Chuck Pistis, one of three Michigan Sea Grant educators facilitating the distribution of the new signs before this coming swimming season. In addition to providing beach signs, Michigan Sea Grant distributes rip currents brochures and maintains a Web page with information about rip currents.
Rip currents are narrow, fast-moving channels of water that move away from shore and are rarely more than 30 feet wide. They are powerful enough to sweep away even the strongest swimmers. Nationally, more than 100 people die annually from rip currents. Experts believe a number of drownings in lakes Michigan and Superior probably happened because people panicked when a rip current pulled them from shore.

Sea Grant, in cooperation with the NOAA National Weather Service, offers these tips to swimmers to break the grip of a rip current:
--Don't fight the current.
--Swim parallel to shore to get out of the current then head back to shore at an angle.
--If you can't escape, float calmly until the current slows.
--Call or wave for assistance if you need help.

Rip currents typically form at breaks in sandbars and also near structures, such as piers, regardless of weather conditions. Warning signs of rip currents may include:
--A channel of churning choppy water.
--A difference in water color.
--A break in the incoming wave pattern.
--Foam or debris moving away from shore.
For more information, visit: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/rip, call (734) 764-1118 or e-mail msgpubs@umich.edu <mailto:msgpubs@umich.edu>.

5. OH Sea Grant -Ashtabula Harbor Dredging
The USEPA in cooperation with the Ashtabula City Port Authority will clean up 500,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from a one-mile stretch of the river, a $50 million project. Costs are being split evenly by EPA and the Ashtabula City Port Authority and its partners. The state of Ohio is providing $7 million as part of the Port Authority's cost share. Ohio Sea Grant is a founding partner of the Ashtabula River Partnership (ARP). It was the persistent efforts of the ARP and al of the ARP partners that made the clean up possible. For more information, contact Frank Lichtkoppler, Frank.Lichtkoppler@lakecountyohio.gov.

6. MI Sea Grant - Expansion of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan Adds to Food Web Uncertainties
During spring sampling in southern Lake Michigan, Sea Grant biologist David Jude unexpectedly hauled in several trawl nets filled with invasive quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis). A 10-minute trawl at 100 meters depth off Lake Michigan coast at Muskegon resulted in 11 tubs of the small mussels weighing an estimated 315 pounds. See complete article in Michigan Sea Grant's Upwellings, http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings

7. MI Sea Grant - Sturgeon Confirmed at Detroit River Spawning Reefs
A five-foot male lake sturgeon turned up at spawning reefs in the Detroit River this spring, raising scientists' hopes that the ancient species will find the habitat suitable for spawning. See complete article in Michigan Sea Grant's Upwellings, http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings

8. MI Sea Grant - Testimony Informs Beach Grooming Debate
An important part of Sea Grant's mission is to provide science-based information to decision makers at all levels of government. Most recently, we had the opportunity to inform upcoming legislative action governing beach grooming activities carried out on Great Lakes bottomlands.

Michigan Sea Grant's independent review of the methods, results, and interpretation of the environmental studies justifies the legislators using them as a solid basis for understanding the environmental impacts of beach grooming. See complete article in Michigan Sea Grant's Upwellings, http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings

9. MI Sea Grant - Clean Boats, Clean Waters
As boating season begins, newly trained volunteers are gearing up to assist boaters in identifying aquatic invasive species. They'll be sporting blue t-shirts and stationed at selected launch sites around the state. The activities are part of the pilot program, Clean Boats, Clean Waters, being conducted this year by Michigan Sea Grant with support from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Specifically, volunteers will talk with boaters about the importance of preventing the spread of invasive plants and animals. See: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/cbcw

10. Publications
NY Sea Grant - Coastlines - Summer - http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/Coastlines/SprSum06.pdf

• Studying Sturgeon
• Estrogenic Compounds in Urban Waterways: An Interview With Anne McElroy
• Youth on the "Line"
• North America's New Form of Biological Pollution: Invasive Species
• Hudson River Dredging: Problems and Solutions
• NYSG Fellow is Recognized with Prestigious Award

MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - June 2006 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html

• Sea Grant Testimony Informs Beach Grooming Debate
• New rip current beach signs in English and Spanish
• Expansion of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan
• Clean Boats, Clean Waters
• Sturgeon Confirmed at Detroit River Spawning Reefs
• Bohling Chosen as Extension Educator for SE Michigan
• Summer Workshop

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Regulating Monitors -- A growing number of states are following California's lead and tackling the issue of electronic waste.
  (5/22/2006)
• Fueling a Debate -- Even experts can't agree whether ethanol produced from corn is worth the energy that goes into it. (5/23/2006)
• Right Whales Phone Home -- Scientists work on ways to protect right whales along the Atlantic Coast, and their new warning
  system uses cell phone technology and the Internet (5/24/2006)
• A Movement's Changing Face -- Public opinion polls show a marked change in the types of people who are active environmental advocates. (5/25/2006)
• Missing the Mark -- Government policies have succeeded in removing lead and other toxic pollutants from the environment. But some communities still face a disproportionate share of these risks. (5/26/2006)
• The Beauty of Survival -- Our love of natural beauty might be based on our survival instincts, according to a Washington biologist. (5/29/2006)
• Record Attempt -- An effort to pull together weather records from around the world could help measure changes in the global climate. (5/30/2006)
• Tiny Brain, Amazing Memory -- Hummingbirds have a lot of memories packed into their tiny bird brains. (5/31/2006)
• The 30-30 Rule for Summer Safety -- Lightning can be dangerous, and weather experts have some simple rules for staying out of the way. (6/1/2006)
• Commercial Fishing After Katrina -- Commercial fishing is underway off the shores of Louisiana, but a lot of boats are still in the
  marshes where hurricanes left them last year. (6/2/2006)
• Growing Pains - China's economy is developing at an unprecedented rate, and that might force everyone to change the way we use natural resources. (6/5/2006)
• Top-Down Operations - A growing amount of the coal we burn for electric power comes from Appalachian mountains that are being blasted away. (6/6/2006)
• Largemouth Virus Movement - An aquatic disease known as "largemouth bass virus" can pass from sick fish to healthy fish if
  anglers keep them together in holding tanks. (6/7/2006)
• Prehistoric Dentistry - An anthropologist examines human teeth that are 9,000 years old and says they show signs of a trip to the dentist. (6/8/2006)
• Safe Crossing - Wildlife managers in Canada have dramatically reduced roadkill by creating safe passages for animals over and
  under highways. (6/9/2006
• The Long Reach of Lightning -- Lightning can travel sideways as well as up and down, and it can reach across the sky 100 miles or more. (6/12/2006)
• Importing Viruses - Scientists say the international trade in wildlife should be regulated more closely to limit the
  international exchange of disease. (6/13/2006)
• Saving Energy Begins at Home - Things you can do to help keep those rising utility bills in check. (6/14/2006)
• Rocky Road for Ferrets - Black-footed ferrets are the most endangered mammal in the U.S., but a concerted effort has brought them back on the Great Plains. (6/15/2006)
• Miles from their Moorings - Commercial fishing boats that once worked in the Gulf of Mexico are still strewn across the marshes
  of Louisiana.(6/16/2006)

11. Staff News
MI Sea Grant - Ann Arbor Office is Moving
PLEASE NOTE NEW STREET ADDRESS:
Samuel T. Dana Building
440 Church Street, Suite 4044
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1041

MI Sea Grant - New Extension Educator for Southeast Michigan
Mary E. Bohling joined Michigan Sea Grant June 1 as Extension educator for southeastern Michigan, a seven county district that covers Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac, St. Clair, Macomb, Wayne, and Monroe counties. Bohling brings six years' experience in environmental planning to the district with shoreline along Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie.

MI Sea Grant - Ann Arbor Staff Earns National Awards
Michigan Sea Grant recently received three awards for product excellence from the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC), and the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences (ACE).

Recognition from NAGC includes a Gold Screen Award for Fisheries Learning on the Web, an online curriculum about the Great Lakes ecosystem; and a Blue Pencil Award for the classroom poster series Great Lakes Most Unwanted, which highlights the problem of aquatic invasive species. The poster series also received a Silver Award from ACE, earning high marks for effective design and communication. Michigan Sea Grant staff who contributed to the products include: Todd Marsee, senior graphic artist; Elizabeth LaPorte, project director; Anuja Mudali, program assistant; Joyce Daniels, scientific editor; and Anna Switzer, education specialist.

See:
Fisheries Learning on the Web: www.projectflow.us
Great Lakes Most Unwanted: www.miseagrant.com
Michigan Sea Grant College Program: www.miseagrant.umich.edu

May 17, 2006

Contents
1) Events
- WI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Rip Current Conference
- MN Sea Grant - Lake Superior Cruises Offered
- OH Sea Grant - Public Tours at Stone Lab This Summer
- OH Sea Grant - Summer Guest Lecture Series at Stone Lab
- COSEE - Workshop Aboard R/V Lake Guardian
- OH Sea Grant - State Legislature/Congressional Day Set For July 14
2) WI Sea Grant -Federal Review of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program
3) MI Sea Grant - Sturgeon Update
4) MN Sea Grant - New Zealand Mudsnails Found in Duluth-Superior Harbor
5) MN Sea Grant - Chemical Attractants Draw Weevil to Invasive Aquatic Plant
6) Ohio Sea Grant - Research Finds Fish Otoliths May Provide Historical Map of Fish Migration
7) OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail
8) OH Sea Grant - Ashtabula River Clean Up Begins
9) OH Sea Grant - Scholarships and Fellowships
10) Publications
- NY Sea Grant - The National ANS Clearinghouse
- OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie -Ohio's Great Lake
- WI Sea Grant - New Reprints and Technical Pubs - order at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications
- WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - http://www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
11) Staff News
- MI Sea Grant - New Extension Educator
- IL-IN Sea Grant - Promotions in Education and Communications
- NY Sea Grant - Coastal Communities Extension Educator Position Announcement
- NY Sea Grant - Dune Steward
- NY Sea Grant - Educator of the Year
- OH Sea Grant - Snyder appointed to direct Scholarship Fund
______________________________________________________________________________
1) Events
WI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Rip Current Conference
June 6, 2006
The Inn on Maritime Bay
101 Maritime Drive
Manitowoc, WI 54220

This year's agenda will include:

* Rip Current Science, Case Studies & Prediction
* Rip currents in the Great Lakes: What is known and not known
* Case studies of 2005 rip current incidents
* Update on rip currents in the Duluth area of Lake Superior
* Demonstration project on rip current forecasting and observation using x-band mobile radar
* Rip Current Education & Outreach
* Begin a rip current education campaign in your community
* Mackinac County Water Safety Review Team: Educating the public on rip currents
* Panel discussion: Future needs for education and research on Great Lakes rip currents

Visit http://seagrant.wisc.edu/coastalhazards/ for more information, including the final agenda, conference contacts and conference registration form.

The Great Lakes Rip Current Conference is just one regional effort as part of the NOAA's Rip Current Awareness Week, June 4-10, 2006. The rip current annual awareness week is one part of NOAA's campaign aimed at increasing rip current awareness. The goal of the annual awareness campaign and associated research is to reduce the number of fatalities through research and outreach. Be sure to check out http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/ for more information about the Rip Current Awareness week activities as well as general information on rip currents.
Sponsored by: University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, Michigan Sea Grant, Minnesota Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension, National Weather Service, U.S. Forest Service, Mackinac County Water Safety Review Team
Great Lakes Beach and Pier Safety Task Force, Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering-Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratories-College of Engineering-University of Michigan

Conference Information:
Gene Clark gclark1@uwsuper.edu
Ron Kinnunen kinnune1@msu.edu

MN Sea Grant - Lake Superior Cruises Offered

Registration is open for a third season of "A View From the Lake" cruises. Water quality specialists from the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program and the University of Wisconsin Extension are again boarding the L.L. Smith, Jr. with citizens and the research vessel's crew to discuss Lake Superior.

For $15, participants can consider research on climate change, stormwater, and mercury pollution in the context of community planning and decision making. Returning participants should find the information new and thought provoking. During the 3-hour boat tour, participants will also collect water samples and see some of the critters that live in Lake Superior.

These educational cruises typically sell out quickly. Participants must pre-register on the Web at www.seagrant.umn.edu/vfl or by calling Minnesota Sea Grant at (218) 726-8106. A total of 24 trips are scheduled for the following ports (call Sea Grant or visit the Web site for trip times):

Ashland, WI: June 13-14
Washburn, WI: June 16-17

Grand Marais, MN: June 23-25
Silver Bay, MN: June 27
Two Harbors, MN: July 14-15
Duluth/Superior: July 6-8 and 20-22

"A View from the Lake" is funded by grants from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Coastal Programs in Wisconsin and Minnesota through the Coastal Zone Management Act, which is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

OH Sea Grant - Public Tours at Stone Lab This Summer
Stone Laboratory will offer its annual summer island tours again this year starting Wednesday, June 14 from 1:30 to 3:30 on Gibraltar Island. Participants will tour Stone Lab, Cooke Castle, and take part in hands-on classroom science activities on Gibraltar Island. Offered for the past four summers, the tours will run every Wednesday June 14 through August 16, 2005. Cost of the tour is $10 for adults and $5 for children (age 12 and under). Tickets can be purchased the day of the event at Gibraltar Island. Cost for the water taxi to the island is not included in the ticket price. Space is limited. For more information, contact the Stone Lab office at 614.292.8949 or Put-in-Bay office at 419.285.2341

In conjunction with the Gibraltar Island tours, Stone Lab will also offer a tour of the South Bass Island Lighthouse from 10:00-12:00 every Wednesday from June 14-August 16. Cost is $2 for all ages and can be purchased at the Lighthouse the day of the tour

OH Sea Grant - Summer Guest Lecture Series at Stone Lab

Stone Lab and Ohio Sea Grant will again host its annual Guest Lecture Series every Thursday night at Gibraltar Island starting June 15. For more details, go to www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu or call 614.292.8949.

COSEE - Workshop Aboard R/V Lake Guardian

COSEE Great Lakes proudly announces a summer workshop June 18-24, 2006 made possible by the Great Lakes National Program Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A one-week cruise on Lake Erie aboard the R/V Lake Guardian will involve teachers and informal educators in interdisciplinary learning opportunities for Great Lakes and ocean systems research.

The schedule includes full day programs of teaching and learning on the water and will end most evenings at anchor in Lake Erie ports. Onshore experiences at the ports will enhance shipboard studies and facilitate interactions with local habitats, teachers and media. Up to 15 teachers of grades 4-10 or informal educators will be selected for participation. Application forms will be available at this site in early February.

OH Sea Grant - State Legislature/Congressional Day Set For July 14
Ohio Sea Grant will hold its 16th State Legislature/Congressional Day on Lake Erie on July 14. This event began in 1980 as an effort by Ohio Sea Grant and its advisory committees to raise awareness among legislators of the need for protective legislation and environmental funding for the Great Lakes region. The 2006 event will begin with an introductory luncheon at the Cedar Point Amusement Park and a high speed ferry ride to South Bass Island where the program will include:

• A short trip on a research boats where attendees will pull a fish trawl and collect water, plankton, and bottom samples from Lake Erie;
• Rapid-fire, show-and-tell discussions, at various locations on Gibraltar and South Bass Islands with scientists studying Lake Erie, on current issues, e.g. aquatic invasive species, endangered species, the importance of nutrient loading and watershed management, the economic value of fishing/boating and tourism, new breakthroughs in research, shipwrecks and scuba diving, and opportunities to get up close and personal with zebra mussels, round gobies, Lake Erie water snakes;
• A tour of Stone Laboratory and Gibraltar Island including Cooke Castle, a National Historic Landmark (awaiting renovation to serve as an education and conference facility for Stone Laboratory and Ohio Sea Grant).

2) WI Sea Grant -Federal Review of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program
During May 30-June 2, 2006, the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program will undergo a performance evaluation and management review by a federal Program Assessment Team (PAT). The purpose of the PAT evaluation is to (1) assess program accomplishments and management quality, and (2) make recommendations for improving the program's overall productivity and effectiveness. Future program evaluation and merit-based federal funding decisions will rely in part on the PAT's evaluation and recommendations. During the PAT review, UW Sea Grant management and principal investigators will present and discuss the impacts and accomplishments of the program's research, outreach and education programs. PAT evaluations of each of the nation's 30 Sea Grant programs are conducted once every four to five years. Wisconsin's last federal evaluation occurred in 2001.

3) MI Sea Grant - Sturgeon Update
On Tuesday, May 16 Dr. Bruce Manny and the team from USGS caught a spermiating male sturgeon (~ five feet in length and ~ 45 lbs weight) at the third reef (cinders) off Belle Isle in the Detroit River. Jim Boase, from USFWS, implanted the fish w/ a transmitter and the team watched for some time after releasing him; he stayed in the vicinity of the three reefs.

Typical pre-spawning behavior for these fish is for the males to congregate at good spawning sites and loiter in the area as the water temperature approaches optimal levels waiting for females to arrive. It is therefore a good sign that this fish stayed in the vicinity of the spawning reefs. We have egg mats, set lines and gill nets deployed at all three reefs and are very hopeful that we'll have further fish today as well as lake sturgeon eggs next week.

Photos and article on page one of Detroit News Metro Section:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060517/METRO/605170342/1003

4) MN Sea Grant - New Zealand Mudsnails Found in Duluth-Superior Harbor
Excerpt from Press Release
The New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is another invasive species now living in the Duluth-Superior Harbor and St. Louis River Estuary. Over 100 snails were collected last fall by a research team from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mid-Continent Ecology Division in Duluth. The team was conducting a species survey as part of a project designed to look for new invaders in Great Lakes harbors. A contract research scientist who was part of the team identified the New Zealand mudsnail among the samples. Following confirmation of the mudsnail's identity, the EPA disclosed preliminary results of the survey earlier this month. This is the first finding of the tiny snail in Minnesota and Wisconsin waters.

"I kind of expected to find them," said Igor Grigorovich of Wilson Environmental Laboratories, Inc., the contract scientist who was also first to find the species in Lake Superior near Thunder Bay, Ontario, in 2001. "The St. Louis River Estuary is a more suitable habitat for this snail species than Lake Superior because it's not as cold." Grigorovich and the team discovered the infestation while analyzing bottom sediment samples. Grigorovich said the New Zealand mudsnail varies in appearance and that the snails he found in the harbor look different than the ones he found in Thunder Bay. "They possess a thicker and more opaque shell," Grigorovich said. "The Thunder Bay snails are semi-transparent, probably as a result of low calcium content in Lake Superior water."

New Zealand mudsnails cause concern because their sheer numbers can disrupt the ecosystem. "They have adapted so well in mountain rivers that they have pushed out almost all of the native insects, snails, and other invertebrates that are important food for fish," said Doug Jensen, aquatic invasive species program coordinator for Minnesota Sea Grant. "More than 700,000 snails per square meter cover some areas. That's like having 585,000 snails in your bathtub!"

Another concern is that they can spread easily on aquatic plants, waders, and other gear used in infested waters. They are able to close their shells, allowing them to survive out of water for days. Also, they can start new infestations because they can reproduce without mating, essentially cloning themselves. One snail and its offspring can form hundreds of thousands of clones per year. Native fish and wildfowl eat them, but because they are so prolific, nothing seems to control infestations in North America.

New Zealand mudsnails are tiny mollusks (about the size of a peppercorn) native to New Zealand. Their spiral-shaped shells are usually dark gray or dark brown to light brown with a right-handed coiling pattern and about 5-6 whorls. Some native snails look similar to the mudsnail, which makes identification difficult.

They were first found in the U.S. in Idaho's Snake River (1987). They have impacted Rocky Mountain trout streams, apparently spread by anglers. Researchers suspect they arrived in the Great Lakes via ship ballast water.

Anglers and others who may use gear in infested waters are encouraged to:

* Inspect and remove visible aquatic plants, animals, and mud from waders, hip boots, and field gear before transporting.
* Rinse waders, hip boots, and gear with hot water (120 degrees F or 45 degrees C), OR
* Dry gear for five days before reuse.

If you suspect you've found a New Zealand mudsnail, please preserve the specimen in rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and report your sighting. In Minnesota, call either Minnesota Sea Grant, (218) 726-8712 or the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Invasive Species Program in St. Paul, 1-888-MINNDNR or (651) 259-5100. In Wisconsin, report sightings to either the Wisconsin DNR, (608) 266-9270 or Wisconsin Sea Grant, (920) 683-4697.

New Zealand mudsnail identification cards will be available this summer from Minnesota and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs and DNRs.

The DNRs in both Wisconsin and Minnesota are working to designate the New Zealand mudsnail as a prohibited invasive species. The designation means it will be illegal to import, transport, posses, and place mudsnails into other waters in the state, as it is with other prohibited species such as zebra mussels. An exception is if a person is bringing the mudsnail to the DNR for identification or reporting purposes.

The Minnesota DNR is working to designate Lake Superior and the St. Louis River below the Fond du Lac Dam as mudsnail-infested waters.

5) MN Sea Grant - Chemical Attractants Draw Weevil to Invasive Aquatic Plant
Excerpt from Press Release
Scientists at the University of Minnesota have discovered, for the first time, at least two chemical insect attractants released by an aquatic plant. Professors Ray Newman and Florence Gleason, and their graduate student, Michelle Marko, identified the chemicals as glycerol and uracil. These compounds are produced by Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive plant, and lure a native species of weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) to eat, mate, and lay their eggs on the plants.

Glycerol is a sweet-tasting thick liquid used in many products humans eat, such as candy, cakes, food coloring, and flavorings like vanilla. Uracil is a more complicated chemical with derivatives that are important to cell metabolism, particularly carbohydrate metabolism. Both glycerol and uracil are produced by other plants, but are released at higher concentrations by Eurasian watermilfoil. "If you look at terrestrial systems," said Newman, a professor with the department of fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology, "there are many insects that specialize by feeding on certain plants -- cabbages, for instance, and the attractants are well-known. This is the first time a chemical attractant for an insect has been found for an aquatic plant."

Eurasian watermilfoil can form dense mats of vegetation and crowd out native aquatic plants, clog boat propellers, and make water recreation difficult. It has spread to 177 lakes, rivers and streams in Minnesota. The researchers gathered milfoil from lakes across Minnesota and then grew the plants in lab tanks for several days before extracting chemicals the milfoil released into the water. They tested the extracts on the weevils to determine their preference. The weevil's attraction to these compounds increases as concentrations increase. "Although other aquatic plants also release glycerol and uracil, the higher concentrations released from Eurasian watermilfoil as it grows make it more obvious to the weevils," said Gleason, a professor with the department of plant biology.

Weevils used in the experiment were collected from the same lakes as the milfoil used by the researchers. The tiny weevils were placed in a "Y-tube" that had attractant materials in one side of the top of the Y and control materials placed in the other side. Weevils usually made their preference for the attractant materials clear within five minutes. The research team's results were published in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Chemical Ecology.

"These findings would be useful for sampling or collecting adult weevils," said Newman. "The attractants could be used to lure weevils living in a lake into a trap so that they could be released elsewhere or used for research purposes, or the attractants could be used to get an idea of how many weevils live in an area."

What's the other mystery attractant? "There's a third compound we're aware of, but can't identify," said Newman. "Results are clear that glycerol and uracil are attractive to the insects, but there seems to be at least one more."

Reprints of the article, "Chemically Mediated Host-Plant Selection by the Milfoil Weevil: A Freshwater Insect-Plant Interaction," are available free by contacting Minnesota Sea Grant at seagr@d.umn.edu or (218) 726-6191. Ask for JR 511.

6) Ohio Sea Grant - Research Finds Fish Otoliths May Provide Historical Map of Fish Migration
Sea Grant-funded research by Drs. John Farver and Jeffrey Miner from Bowling Green State University are investigating whether the otolith, a bone-like structure in the heads of fish, could track where sport and commercial fish spawn and travel during their life. Otoliths are distinctive because they incorporate trace metals as the fish grows that reflect the chemistry of the environment in which the fish are living. Like tree rings, otoliths grow more in the summer but they also record what is in the fishes' environment at that moment in time. If the researchers can match an otolith's chemical make-up with that of a specific area in Lake Erie, they can hopefully use these water signatures to track the migration of the fish throughout its lifetime. For more information about this project, go to http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_documents/twineline/v28i1.pdf .

7) OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail
The Ohio Department of Transportation has constructed and distributed 125 Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail signs to local highway departments for installation this spring. This project is part of the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio, Inc. (LECO) effort to promote Lake Erie tourism and quality of life by telling the story of Lake Erie while advocating the preservation and enhancement of the lake's natural, historical and cultural resources. For more information, see www.Coastalhio.com. Sea Grant Extension Specialists Fred Snyder and Frank Lichtkoppler are members of the LECO Board.

8) OH Sea Grant - Ashtabula River Clean Up Begins
The Ashtabula Growth Partnership, a member of the Ashtabula River Partnership, sponsored an Ashtabula River cleanup kick off breakfast to update the public on the river dredging project on March 29, 2006. Ohio Sea Grant was a founding member of the Ashtabula River Partnership. Ohio Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant are working with local Ashtabula River Partnership members to provide outreach information and updates on the progress of the clean up effort.

The Ashtabula River Partnership (ARP) has been working on the project for nearly 12 years. The Ashtabula City Port Authority and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, both members of the ARP, are the local and federal funding sponsors respectively. The local sponsor is being funded with $7,000,000 from the State of Ohio and $18,000,000 from private industry. The federal funding source is the Great Lakes Legacy Act fund and is $25,000,000. These partners have begun (December 2005) a large cleanup project on the lower reaches of the Ashtabula River which includes dredging approx. 600,000 cubic yards of river sediment over the next three years.

9) OH Sea Grant - Scholarships and Fellowships
On 6 May, the Friends of Stone Laboratory and the Ohio Sea Grant College Program reviewed outstanding science projects from 33 sophomore through senior participants at the Ohio Academy of Science's State Science Day on the main campus of The Ohio State University and awarded scholarships to 7 outstanding students: . These scholarships cover the cost of room and meals in a one-week introductory course taught at the Laboratory. Recipients have 3 years to use the scholarship. This special scholarship program at State Science Day was initiated as part of the 100th Anniversary Celebration for Stone Laboratory in 1996. The seven scholarships awarded this year brings the total number awarded since 1996 to 70. Special thanks to Mary Ann Abiado, Lydia Bailey, Eugene Braig, Mike Heniken, Richard Moore, Daniella Nordin, and Jeff Reutter for assisting with the judging of the projects.

Ohio Sea Grant and Dr. Rosanne Fortner announced the Stone Lab Fellows for 2006. Georgia O'Hara of Centennial High School, Lyndsey Manzo of Westerville North High School, Lisa Bircher of East Palestine High School, Craig McDonald of Granville Middle School, and Amanda Looney of the Northeast Career Center will receive full summer tuition, free books and fees, and three weeks of room and board to continue their graduate studies at Stone Laboratory this summer. Congratulations to the new Stone Lab Fellows!

10) Publications
NY Sea Grant - The National ANS Clearinghouse
The ANS Clearinghouse at SUNY Brockport reports a library which now holds over 7650 papers on ANS/NIS. As reported by editor Diane Oleson, the January-March issue of Aquatic Invaders will be distributed in the registration packets at the 14th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species in May. The issue features articles on the potential western range expansion of zebra mussels and papers from the Water Chestnut Summit.

OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie -Ohio's Great Lake
WGTE (PBS Channel 30 in Toledo) debuted Lake Erie - Ohio's Great Lake at three locations during March 2006 and released a public broadcast on April 27. The one hour documentary presented information on Lake Erie's evolution, impact on Ohio's history and future. F.T. Stone Laboratory Manager John Hageman, Assistant Stone Lab Manager Matt Thomas, retired Ohio Sea Grant Director Edward Herdendorf, current Stone Lab and Ohio Sea Grant Director Jeff Reutter and Lake Erie Coastal Ohio, Inc. Executive Director Melinda Huntley were among the scientists, historians and citizens who were interviewed and appeared in the documentary.

WI Sea Grant - New Reprints and Technical Pubs - order at http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications

• Design Guidelines for Stormwater Bioretention Facilities. D. Atchison, K Potter and L Severson. ed S Wittman and E White. Technical Manual.
• FISH ID 1.0. J Lyons, P Hanson and E White. CD. Fish ID database for Wisconsin Fish.
• Fate of Oxytetracycline in Streams Receiving Aquaculture Discharges: Model Simulations. Peter E. Rose and Joel A. Pedersen. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24(1):40-50, 2005
• Antioxidant Protection of Bulk Fish Oils by Dispersed Sugars and Polyhydric Alcohols. Habibollah Faraji and Robert C. Lindsay. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 53:736-744, 2005
• Heart Malformation Is an Early Response to TCDD in Embryonic Zebrafish. Dagmara S. Antkiewicz, C. Geoffrey Burns, Sara A. Carney, Richard E. Peterson and Warren Heideman. Toxicological Sciences, 84:368-377, 2005
• Lipase-mediated Transesterification of Menhaden Oil with the Ethyl Ester of Conjugated Linoleic Acid: Multi-response Kinetics. Carlos F. Torres, Betty Lin, Louis P. Lessard, Charles G. Hill Jr. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 23:107-116, 2005
• Condition Index of the Eastern Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica (Gmelin 1791) in Sapelo Island Georgia--Effects of Site, Position on Bed, and Pea Crab Parasitism. Norman Mercado-Silva. Journal of Shellfish Research, 24(1):121-126, 2005
• Seasonal and Spatial Relationship of Chemistry and Toxicity in Atmospheric Particulate Matter Using Aquatic Bioassays. Rebecca J. Sheesley, James J. Schauer, Jocelyn D. Hemming, Steve Geis and Miel A. Barman. Environmental Science & Technology, 39(4):999-1010, 2005
• Maternal Diet During Oogenesis Is the Major Source of Methylmercury in Fish Embryos. Chad R. Hammerschmidt and Mark B. Sandheinrich. Environmental Science & Technology, 39(10):3580- 3584, 2005
• Spines and Natural History of Three Cenchrus Species. Andrew E. Forbes. American Midland Naturalist, 153:80-86, 2005
• Field Exposure of Frog Embryos and Tadpoles Along a Pollution Gradient in the Fox River and Green Bay Ecosystem in Wisconsin, USA. Willam H. Karasov, Robin E. Jung, Susan Vanden Langenberg and Tara L.E. Bergeson. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 24(4):942-953, 2005
• Do Reservoirs Facilitate Invasions into Landscapes? John E. Havel, Carol Eunmi Lee and M. Jake Vander Zanden. BioScience, 55(6):518-525, June 2005
• Zebrafish as a Model Vertebrate for Investigating Chemical Toxicity. Adrian J. Hill, Hiroki Teraoka, Warren Heideman and Richard E. Peterson. Toxicological Sciences, 86(1);6-19, 2005
• Movements of Lake Trout in U.S. Waters of Lake Superior, 1973-2001. Kevin L. Kapuscinski, Michael J.Hansen and Stephen T. Schram. North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 25:696-708, 2005
• Zebrafish and Cardiac Toxicology. Warren Heideman, Dagmara S. Antkiewicz, Sara A. Carney, and Richard E. Peterson. Cardiovascular Toxicology, 5(2):203-214, 2005
• Growth Potential and Host Mortality of the Parasitic Phase of the Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in Lake Superior. Jeffrey C. Jorgensen and James F. Kitchell. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 62:2343-2353, 2005
• Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Size Trends in a Salmonid Stocking Context in Lake Superior. Sissel Jentoft, Nicole Topp, Matthew Seeliger, Jeffrey A. Malison, Terence P. Barry, James Held, Steven Roberts and Frederick Goetz. Aquaculture, 250:471-479, 2005
• Lack of Growth Enhancement by Exogenous Growth Hormone Treatment in Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) in Four Separate Experiments. Jeffrey C. Jorgensen and James F. Kitchell. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 62:2354-2361, 2005

WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - http://www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle

• Sedges under Siege
• Featured Web Site - History of the Winnebago Lake Sturgeon Fishery - http://www.winnebagosturgeon.org
• Flower Power - Rain Gardens Found to be Highly Effective
• Sheltering Boats - and Birds, Fish and Frogs
• Resurrecting Lost Islands
• Wisconsin's Water Library for Kids
• Know Your Water Lab: Aquatic Research Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Ecosystem on the Hoof -- When an Arctic caribou herd migrates to its calving grounds, lots of other animals move with it. (4/24/2006)
• Fish, Fungus and Frogs -- A complex combination of natural and human impacts have put a mountain frog in peril in Yosemite National Park. (4/25/2006)
• Metal Supplies and Demands -- Researchers at Yale look at world supplies of copper and other metals. They say what's still in the ground will run out someday because worldwide demand is so high. (4/26/2006)
• Fungal Frog Killer -- Researchers focus on a fungus that's killing frogs in parts of the world, and they find that warmer weather is part of the problem. (4/27/2006)
• Science and Religion -- Two world views that have clashed for centuries find common ground on climate change. (4/28/2006)
• Planning for Bird Flu -- The movement of avian influenza across continents could be a huge threat to international security. (5/1/2006)
• Flashing a Warning to Waterfowl -- Experts rebuild populations of trumpeter swans in the Upper Midwest, but they run into problems when the birds fly into power lines. (5/2/2006)
• Strange Weather -- Strange events that sometimes accompany extreme weather are explained in a new book by an Arizona scientist. (5/3/2006)
• Nothing New in this Story -- A San Francisco group pledges to stop buying new things, and people around the world follow their lead. (5/4/2006)
• Against the Flow -- Airports are going to great lengths to mop up de-icing fluid to keep the stuff out of nearby waters. (5/5/2006)
• Speaking of Science -- Scientists traditionally stick to the lab and leave policy making to others. But that's changing in the face of growing environmental challenges. (5/8/2006)
• Leaded Landfills -- More and more consumer electronics are discarded in landfills, and that means more lead and other heavy metals are going into the ground. (5/9/2006)
• Running the Gauntlet -- Migrations of right whales on the East Coast run at 90-degrees to shipping routes, and collisions with ships put the whales at risk of extinction. (5/10/2006)
• Quagga Mussel Mess -- The quagga mussel is an exotic shellfish that's taken hold in the Great Lakes, and it's overrunning the territory of yet another invasive species. (5/11/2006)
• Cheap Obesity -- More Americans are overweight than ever before, and some see a connection to certain agricultural subsidies. (5/12/2006)
• Flush Factor -- Officials in the plumbing industry say they've overcome the difficulties of making efficient low-flush toilets. (5/15/2006)
• Virtual Excavation -- New underwater technology allows archaeologists to explore shipwrecks at great depths to get new insights into ancient commerce. (5/16/2006)
• Striking Accounts -- Hundred-mile bolts, shoeless victims, and other strange effects of lightning are examined in a new book about odd weather events. (5/17/2006)
• Failing Grade -- Americans are falling behind in their understanding of science, and that might make it harder to solve environmental problems. (5/18/2006)
• Trading Animals and Ailments -- We might never understand the full trajectory of human epidemics until we understand their origins in livestock and wildlife. (5/19/2006)

11) Staff News
MI Sea Grant - New Extension Educator
Beginning June 1, Mary Bohling will be Michigan Sea Grant Extension's educator in southeastern Michigan. Mary brings six years' experience in environmental planning to the seven county district that covers Huron County through Monroe County along Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River and Lake Erie.

As environment planner for DTE Energy, Mary coordinated voluntary environmental efforts of the company, including wildlife habitat enhancements, invasive species management, and collaborative environmental education and outreach activities. She has co-chaired the Downriver Linked Greenways initiative, served as interim facilitator for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance and is a member of the steering committee for the Detroit Heritage Water Trail.

Mary has a master's degree in environmental science from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, a bachelor's degree in environmental science, environmental studies and anthropology from UM-Dearborn and an associate's degree in criminal justice from Henry Ford Community College. Contact Information as of June 1: Mary Bohling, Sea Grant Extension Educator, Southeastern Michigan, Wayne County Extension, 640 Temple Street, 6th Floor, Detroit, Michigan 48201-2558 Phone: 313-833-3412 Fax: 313-833-3298

II Sea Grant - Promotions in Education and Communications
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is pleased to announce the promotion of Robin Goettel to Associate Director for Education and Irene Miles to Communications Coordinator. Irene replaces Robin who was the program's Communications Coordinator for over 20 years. Irene has been the program's public information specialist for the past five years. Robin's new position was created to reflect her dedication to education, which has grown significantly over the years.

NY Sea Grant - Coastal Communities Extension Educator Position Announcement
The Buffalo NYSG office has begun a search to fill a new position, a Coastal Communities Extension Educator who will work with land use decision makers, communities, citizen groups, Cornell University and Cooperative Extension to help New York's Great Lakes communities protect coastal water resources. For more on the job description, check out www.nyseagrant.org and click on What's New.

NY Sea Grant - Dune Steward
The SUNY Oswego Sea Grant office is finalizing the hire of a Dune Steward/ Salmon River educator. This position will continue a successful stewardship program that hires summer college interns to interact with the public along the dunes of the eastern shoreline of Lake Ontario and initiate a program along the popular fishing corridor of the Salmon River.

NY Sea Grant - Educator of the Year
The Buffalo Museum of Science named NYSG's coastal educator Helen Domske Educator of the Year, stating that the award was "for exemplary service in support of the museum's mission to create a better world by helping all people explore and understand it." The award was given for Helen's work with invasive species and the Museum's Distance Learning Program.

OH Sea Grant - Snyder appointed to direct Scholarship Fund
Fred Snyder of Ohio Sea Grant was appointed by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio, Inc. (OWO) to direct the Kim Heller Scholarship Fund. Heller was a popular OWO member killed by a whitetail deer as he photographed a rutting buck while inside its pen. Kim Heller scholarships are in amounts up to $1,000 for college students majoring in natural resources fields or journalism.

April 18, 2006

Contents
1. Events
- PA Sea Grant - Third Fish Tumor Workshop!
- OH Sea Grant - Local Government Leadership Academy
- NY Sea Grant - 10th Annual Great Lakes Underwater April 8 in Oswego
- WI Sea Grant - "From Wooden Ships and Iron Men to Steel Ships and Wooden Men"
- WI Sea Grant - Bay-Lake Regional Mini-Conference "Creative Solutions for Protecting Lake Michigan Shores from Runoff Pollution"
- MN Sea Grant - Cafe Scientifique Duluth: Stopping the Stowaways
- IL-IN Sea Grant - AIS Conference Provides HACCP Training for Natural Resource Managers
- OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Sport Fishing Workshop to be Offered at Stone Lab
- PA Sea Grant - Regional Science Consortium Course Offerings
2. OH Sea Grant - Research Updates
3. IL-IN Sea Grant - Great Lakes Clean Up Pays Off for Communities
4. PA Sea Grant - Have a Bilge in Your Boat? Then Make Sure You Use a Bilge Sock!
5. Nab the Aquatic Invader! GLIN Site of the Month
6. PA Sea Grant - Introduced Flathead Catfish Web Site Launched
7. Publications
- MN Sea Grant - Journal Reprints
- MN Sea Grant - Seiche - April - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/
- PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - Winter 2006 - http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/communication/news/Winter_2005-06.pdf
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
8. Staff News
- MN Sea Grant - New Staff
- PA Sea Grant - New Staff
- MN Sea Grant - Grant Awards

1. Events
PA Sea Grant - Third Fish Tumor Workshop!
The Development of Standardized Criteria for the Assessment of Brown Bullhead Lesions and Deformities in Areas of Concern Workshop was held at the Stull Interpretive Center in Erie, PA on February 14-15, 2006. Over 30 researchers, fishery and wildlife biologists, pathologists, and agency representatives attended the workshop with the goal of discussing and finalizing standardized protocol for assessing liver and external lesions on brown bullhead catfish, evaluating reference lesion rate data for Lake Erie, and reviewing proposed delisting targets for the Presque Isle Bay AOC.As a result of the workshop, the participants were able to refine many recommendations concerning standardized protocol for assessing external and liver lesions, establishing reference rate criteria, and identifying delisting targets for the Presque Isle Bay AOC. However, further discussion will be needed to establish finalized reference rates and delisting targets.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, co-hosted the two-day workshop which was the third in a series focused on the Fish Tumors or Other Deformities beneficial-use impairment and studies of the Presque Isle Bay Area of Concern. For more information on the workshop or the Presque Isle Bay Area of Concern contact Pennsylvania Sea Grant Lake Erie Coastal Outreach Specialist Sean Rafferty via phone at (814) 217-9013 or email at sdr138@psu.edu

OH Sea Grant - Local Government Leadership Academy
Twenty-five participants graduated from the 2006 Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy on April 5, 2006. The Leadership Academy is a ten-week course, which features intensive training for local government officials and those who work with boards, task forces and commissions of local government. Since 2002, 92 participants have graduated from the Toledo Local Government Leadership Academy with surveys indicating an 85% overall increase in knowledge gained as a direct result of this program offering. For more information or to get one started in your area, contact Joe Lucente at lucente.6@osu.edu <mailto:lucente.6@osu.edu>.

NY Sea Grant - 10th Annual Great Lakes Underwater April 8 in Oswego
Excerpt from Press Release

The 10th annual Great Lakes Underwater event for scuba diving and shipwreck enthusiasts was held April 8 at SUNY Oswego. Speakers included:

• noted maritime historian and author Frederick Stonehouse who will speak on Rum Running and Red Lights.
• Great Lakes Diving Guide author Cris Kohl, president of the Underwater Archaeological Society, will share "Shipwreck Tales of
  the Great Lakes."
• David Gilchrist will speak on the Prehistoric Shoreline Survey of Georgian Bay.
• Joe Zarzynski will speak on the national award-winning documentary on the wreck of North America's oldest intact warship. The Land Tortoise, dating to the French and Indian War sank in 1758 in Lake George.

The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Marine Archaeology program, Diving the Seaway Trail and nominating shipwrecks to the National Register were also part of the April 8 event. Great Lakes Underwater was sponsored by Aquatic World, National Aquatic Service, Oswego Maritime Foundation and Delta Divers.

WI Sea Grant - "From Wooden Ships and Iron Men to Steel Ships and WoodenMen: The Rise and Fall of Schooner Commerce and Culture on Lake Michigan"
April 19, 7:00 p.m., Wind Point, Wisconsin

John Karl, science writer at the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, will speak to the Friends of the Wind Point Lighthouse on the history of schooners on Lake Michigan and the wreck of the Kate Kelly, a two-masted wooden schooner that sank in 1895 about two miles from the lighthouse. (A historical marker commemorating the Kate Kelly will be installed near the Wind Point Lighthouse this spring.) Karl will also describe his work with the Wisconsin Historical Society in developing Wisconsin's Maritime Trails, which include lighthouses, shipwrecks, historical markers, and more. The talk will be in the lighthouse.

WI Sea Grant - Bay-Lake Regional Mini-Conference Series #3: "Creative Solutions for Protecting Lake Michigan Shores from Runoff Pollution"
April 27, 2006, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., Lakeshore Technical College, Lake Michigan Conference Room, 1290 North Avenue; Cleveland, Wisconsin

The Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission, with assistance from U.S. EPA, Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, UW-Sea Grant Institute, UW-Extension, WDNR, Brown County Land Conservation, and the Center for
Land Use Education, will hold the last of a series of mini-conferences on April 27.

This mini-conference will provide information on agricultural and urban runoff and algae in Lake Michigan; and will present innovative management methods and solutions. Anyone who feels they would benefit from the presentation is welcome to attend. For more information, visit www.seagrant.wisc.edu/coastalcommunities/.

There is no cost for registration, but seating and refreshments are limited, so please contact the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission if you plan to attend by calling (920) 448-2820 or by sending an email to apierce@baylakerpc.org.

MN Sea Grant - Cafe Scientifique Duluth: Stopping the Stowaways
Stopping the Stowaways: Aliens of Lake Superior
Monday, May 1, 7 p.m.
Pizza Luce, 11 East Superior Street, Duluth, MN 55802
Free, participants must be 18 or older

This month Cafe Scientifique explores invasive species that are impacting the country and Lake Superior. What are these aquatic invaders, and how did they come to inhabit Lake Superior? What environmental problems are caused by invasive species, and what are researchers doing to understand this threat and stem the tide?

Join Doug Jensen and Dale Bergeron from UMD's Minnesota Sea Grant Program for a timely discussion of aquatic ecology and the environmental and economic impacts of invasive species. What is the future of Lake Superior's fragile ecology, and how is the shipping industry responding to this problem?

Cafe Scientifique is a monthly forum for science and popular culture hosted by the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, and made possible by a grant from the University of Minnesota's Council on Public Engagement.

IL-IN Sea Grant - AIS Conference Provides HACCP Training for Natural Resource Managers
Excerpt from Press Release

As they move from one water body to another, natural resource professionals typically take precautions to prevent the spread of invasive species. Now, they can step up their efforts to a state-of-the-art plan. At the 14th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) in Key Biscayne, Florida, May 14-19, natural resource managers and other related professionals can learn how to develop Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species. At this one-day training session on Sunday May 14, participants will become familiar with the HACCP model, which was designed to prevent contamination in food products for the space program and has been used extensively by the seafood industry to ensure food safety. They will also learn through hands-on experience how to write a HACCP plan.

"To develop a HACCP plan, workshop participants analyze each step in their field activities to pinpoint where significant risk of transporting AIS can occur," said Pat Charlebois, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant aquatic invasives specialist. "That's where it is most appropriate and efficient to take action to prevent the spread of AIS." This training session in Key Biscayne is designed to be useful for resource professionals from any region in the country. "We are focusing on invasive species pathways, which are relevant to different water bodies and a variety of species," said Charlebois.

The HACCP training will go from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a lunch break. A detailed schedule of the session can be found online in the conference agenda at www.icais.org <http://www.icais.org/>. To register, contact the conference administrator no later than April 30 at profedge@renc.igs.net or (800) 868-8776. The session costs $15 and is limited to 50 participants.

ICAIS is hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey. The HACCP training session is hosted by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network with support from the Great Lakes Protection Fund. It has been organized by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.

OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Sport Fishing Workshop to be Offered at Stone Lab
If you would like to learn more about Lake Erie fishing with a boat as your classroom, The Ohio State University's F.T. Stone Laboratory is offering a three-day sport fishing workshop July 21-23, 2006 at the island laboratory at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. This noncredit workshop is open to anglers of all ages and skill levels. Stone Laboratory vessels will be used for walleye and smallmouth bass fishing; rowboats will be available during off hours for pursuit of largemouth bass and panfish. Lectures will provide background in gamefish behavior and fishing techniques. Registration is open now and includes two nights housing on Gibraltar Island and all meals. For fee information and registration, visit: http://www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/stonelab/courses/?course=41

PA Sea Grant - Regional Science Consortium Course Offerings
The Regional Science Consortium at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, Pennsylvania is offering several courses this summer for graduate credit, undergraduate credit, Act 48 or personal enrichment certificate. Courses include: Field Study of Birds, Lake Erie Science Aboard the Lake Guardian, Field Studies in Ichthyology, Algal Ecology and Identification, and Restoration Ecology. These courses are taught by regionally and nationally known experts and include both field and classroom experience. Please visit the Consortium Web site for more information: RegSciConsort.com.

2. OH Sea Grant - Research Updates
Biotechnology - Dr. Richard Sayre is working with the single celled alga, Chlamydomonas spp., and has been successful in genetically modifying it to bind heavy metals, glow in the presence of contaminants, supply micronutrients to cattle, and carry vaccines for fish and aquatic organisms. Three patent applications have been submitted, and vaccine trials on salmonids for IHNV, BKD, and sea lice should begin in 2006.

Fisheries Research - In the past five years Dr. Carol Stepien has been successful using DNA sequencing in differentiating walleye stocks, perch stocks, and smallmouth bass stocks by basin in Lake Erie. She has also demonstrated that genetic diversity increases as we move from the western basin to the eastern basin.

Ohio Sea Grant research demonstrated contaminant transfer from zebra mussels to round gobies to smallmouth bass, and have assisted in supporting research that has demonstrated the impact of round goby predation on smallmouth bass nests. This work has shown that gobies remove eggs from smallmouth bass nests within one minute after bass are removed from the nests, and has led the Ohio Division of Wildlife to eliminate bass harvest during their spawning season.

Ohio Sea Grant collaborated with the ODNR Division of Wildlife and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to calibrate their fishing trawls to allow better and more comparable population estimates that led to the establishment of more reliable quotas.

Microbial Food Web - Research by Dr. Robert Heath has demonstrated that the microbial food web is much more important than previously believed. This is particularly true in off-shore oligotrophic locations. As a result, ecosystem models are currently being modified to accommodate and quantify the flow of phosphorus and carbon to benthic microbes. Dr. Heath has been the keynote speaker on this topic and carried Sea Grant research to meetings in South Korea, Switzerland, Nepal, Finland, and Spain.

Contaminant Cleanup - Drs. Yu-Ping Chin and Linda Weavers have been very successful with research to remove contaminants in aquatic systems. Dr. Chin has used light in wetlands to removed agricultural chemicals. He has found that nitrogen and iron accelerate the process. Dr. Weavers has used sonication to both remove metals from sediment particles for cleanup and to bind the metals more tightly to the particles for burial. They have just received a $400,000 grant from NSF to continue this work using light in wetlands.

Aquatic Invasive Species - Sea Grant research has shown that round gobies out compete yellow perch for food in both zebra mussel beds and macrophyte environments because they exhibit higher predation rates. This may explain why the round goby has become so abundant on hard substrates.

Ohio Sea Grant research has shown that zebra and quagga mussels and round gobies have more genetic diversity in Lake Erie than in their native regions of Europe and that invasions are continuing.

3. IL-IN Sea Grant - Great Lakes Clean Up Pays Off for Communities
When faced with Superfund site clean-up costs calculated in the tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, one school of thought holds that the best thing to do "is just let the dead dog stay where it is," said a University of Illinois environmental economist.

John Braden, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, is an expert in the economic benefits that can accrue from cleaning up contaminated harbors, 31 of which surround the U.S. Great Lakes. These sites contain dangerous levels of PCBs, heavy metals, and other toxic industrial wastes. Two years ago, he conducted a study on the benefits of cleaning up Waukegan Harbor and is now working on similar underwater sites in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Buffalo, New York.

"These Superfund sites that are underwater pose not only a danger to those living near them but also have an impact on the aquatic food chain," he explained. "Contamination from these sites, plus distresses from non-native species introduced into the Lakes, have slaughtered the Great Lakes fisheries." Contaminants trapped in the sediments in the harbor are absorbed by smaller creatures which are, in turn, consumed by larger creatures and so on--and the dangerous chemicals rise up through the food chain. Many of the large fish valued for human consumption are so contaminated that people are warned to consume limited amounts, if any. "But since it costs many millions of dollars to clean up just one of these sites, some have said maybe they should just be left alone," Braden explained. "I was asked to look at the economic benefits of getting these pollutants out."

In Waukegan, Braden used two economic models to estimate the impact on property values alone if Waukegan Harbor's PCBs and other pollutants were removed. Property values reflect the danger that local residents attach to the contaminated sites. The economic impacts on fisheries would be over and above the property value impact. "Both models produced an estimated benefit of $400 million in improved property values," he said. "Clean up the harbor and current residents will invest in their properties and an area that once was avoided will become attractive for homes and other development. There is more interest in the area and that generates higher prices for land. "We concluded there was a huge economic potential there if the community could figure out how to clean up the harbor."

Others agreed and last July Waukegan's congressman, Mark Kirk, announced a $10 million federal grant to start the clean-up and referred to the benefits outlined in the U of I study.

The Waukegan experience led to two more studies--Sheboygan and Buffalo. "Each is a different kind of setting than Waukegan but the essential problem is the same--what is the economic benefit to be realized from a clean-up," said Braden.

A Presidential Task Force on the Great Lakes recently projected it might cost between $1.5 billion and $4.5 billion to remove the pollutants from all 31 contaminated harbors. "I believe the economic benefits from such expenditure could easily exceed $6 billion," said Braden. "And that figure doesn't include the benefit to the fisheries if these pollutants are removed. "I think we're just seeing the tip of the iceberg in the value of the economic benefits we're estimating. We're just looking at the impact on property values which, in turn, impact property taxes. This fact alone makes it worthwhile for affected communities to think about ways they can accelerate the clean-up of their sites. It will pay off in increased revenues for local governments."

Funding for the studies has come from the U.S. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office in Chicago, the U of I Experiment Station, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. The Northeast-Midwest Institute in Washington, D.C. is a partner in the research. Braden expects to have results from the Sheboygan and Buffalo studies late this summer.

4. PA Sea Grant - Have a Bilge in Your Boat? Then Make Sure You Use a Bilge Sock!
A bilge sock is sock-like device designed to absorb spilled or leaked oil and gas that may accumulate in the bilge of a boat. Once the oil comes in contact with the material inside the bilge sock it is converted from liquid to a solid.

Why should you use a bilge sock? Gasoline and diesel fuel are toxic to plants and animals when released into the aquatic environment. A poorly maintained engine or an accidental spill may cause these products to collect in your boat's bilge and discharge into the water when the bilge is pumped. A bilge sock will remove petroleum products from the bilge water. If your engine is well maintained, one bilge sock should last through the entire boating season. Once a bilge sock is used, it can be disposed of in the regular trash after it has dried.

There are many steps boaters can take to keep Pennsylvania's waters clean. Keeping the boat engine well tuned will prevent leaks. Boaters should take care when fueling to avoid spills, and should not top off the tank as fuel expands when it heats up and can overflow the fuel tank. Pennsylvania Sea Grant has partnered with the Smart Boating Clean Waters campaign in southeastern Pennsylvania to provide one free bilge sock to 3500 recreational boaters. The campaign is an initiative in southeastern Pennsylvania that offers recreational water-users and marina operators information that can help them protect the water quality of our rivers and other water bodies. Funding for the bilge sock project was provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Coastal Resource Management Program and the Philadelphia Water Department. Additional project partners include the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Montgomery County Conservation District, Delaware County Conservation District, and the Bucks County Conservation District. The bilge socks will be distributed through the partners and at events associated with National Safe Boating Week, May 20-26, 2006.

For more information, contact: Sarah Whitney, swhitney@psu.edu <mailto:swhitney@psu.edu>

5. Nab the Aquatic Invader! GLIN Site of the Month
The Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN) has selected Nab the Aquatic Invader! Be a Sea Grant Super Sleuth as their April Web Site of the Month. This educational Web site, created by several Great Lakes Sea Grant programs, provides the latest information about aquatic invasive species through colorful characters and a crime-solving theme.

"The site is rich with curriculum for teachers and creative educational activities for 4-10th grade students and other online audiences," said Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) education specialist. Activities are aligned with National Science Education Standards and the site has been enhanced after review by scientists and educators.

Nab the Aquatic Invader! (http://www.sgnis.org/kids), which is part of the Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species Web site, contains a wealth of background information on invasive species for teachers and students in the form of Web links. It also provides opportunities for interacting with scientists, displaying student-created projects, solving riddles and learning the latest invader news.

"Once students become familiar with the AIS issues, the next step is to develop community stewardship projects that inform local citizens," said Goettel. "Some of these projects are already posted on the Web site, but stay tuned for many more from students across the country. Nab the Aquatic Invader! also lets people know of ways they can help prevent the spread of AIS. For example, a Canadian scientist is using our site to recruit people for a citizen monitoring program on green crabs." (View details at http://www.sgnis.org/kids/suspect_gerard.html.)

"We now have funding from the National Sea Grant College Program to expand the site and provide a broader perspective by adding invasive species from waters beyond the Great Lakes," said Helen Domske, New York Sea Grant education specialist. "Educators in Sea Grant programs in Oregon, Connecticut and Louisiana are planning teacher workshops to create marine invader characters and develop new activities."

"In addition to expanding the site's geographic focus, we are reaching out to new audiences in other ways," said Goettel. "We are recruiting home school families and non-formal educational entities, such as museums and youth organizations, to look to this site as a resource for invasive species education.

6. PA Sea Grant - Introduced Flathead Catfish Web Site Launched
So what's the big deal about flathead catfish? Find out at http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/fhcf/intro.html . Introduced Flathead Catfish of Eastern Pennsylvania is a resource that includes everything you ever wanted to know about Pylodictes olivaris in the Delaware and Susquehanna River drainages. Two additional flathead catfish educational resources now available include a boat sticker and a traveling display entitled So What's the Big Deal about Flathead Catfish?

In the Introduced Flathead Catfish Research and Outreach Project, supported in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Coastal Zone Management, the Academy of Natural Sciences and Pennsylvania Sea Grant studied the distribution and diet of Schuylkill River flatheads. This study addressed concerns that high densities of flathead might cause reductions in native sunfish, catfish, minnow, herring, and crayfish populations. The study had two components. One studied the spread of flathead catfish and the other attempted to quantify diet.

Results show that no new flathead locations have been found in the past two years. Field records suggest that flathead catfish are most common downstream of Vincent Dam. A stable isotope tissue study done by the Academy was used to determine types of prey ingested by flathead catfish by measuring heavy to normal isotopes in prey items. Each species has its own signature so this data can tell you what the catfish are eating. Results of this study suggest that the catfish diet consists largely of freshwater minnows, sunfish and crayfish, not migratory fish such as river herring and shad. Data collected in this and other studies was done only on fish collected in the summer and fall of the year. It does not confirm what the fish eat during spring migration. Additional stable isotope study of spring-collected flathead catfish is needed to determine whether seasonal differences in feeding occur (and if the flatheads are eating shad, river herring, and eels). For more information on this project please contact Ann Faulds at afaulds@psu.edu <mailto:afaulds@psu.edu>..

7. Publications
MN Sea Grant - Journal Reprints
Crane, J., Richards, C., Breneman, D., Lozano, S., and Schuldt, J. (2005) Evaluating Methods for Assessing Sediment Quality in a Great Lakes Embayment. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 8(3):323-349. (JR 505)

Cui, Z., Yang, Y., Kaufman, C., Agalliu, D., and Hackett, P. (2003) RecA-Mediated, Targeted Mutagenesis in Zebrafish. Marine Biotechnology 5:174-184. (JR 481)

Marko, M., Newman, R., and Gleason, F. (2005) Chemically Mediated Host-Plant Selection by the Milfoil Weevil: A Freshwater Insect-Plant Interaction. Journal of Chemical Ecology 31(12):2857-2876. (JR 511)

Palmer, L. and Mensinger, A. (2004) Effect of the Anesthetic Tricaine (MS-222) on Nerve Activity in the Anterior Laterial Line of the Oyster Toadfish, Opsanus tau. Journal of Neurophysiology 92:1034-1041. (JR 500)

MN Sea Grant - Seiche - April - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/

• The Great Lakes Maritime Transportation System: Critical Energy for Change - One of Sea Grant's newest employees explains how maritime transportation continues to evolve in the Great Lakes.
• Learning About Lateral Line Sensitivity from the Lowly Toadfish - Technological advances suggest that fish lateral lines are not as sensitive as previously thought.
• Ice Cover Lacking on Lake - Find out how ice cover influences evaporation, supports fisheries, and produces astonishing ice
  volcanoes.
• Preparing for a Future in Aquatic Science - Minnesota Sea Grant committed $507,060 to support graduate students researching topics in aquatic science between 2005 and 2007.
• Stop Exotics Video Now on DVD -A popular aquatic invasive species message goes digital.
• Jumping Back Into the Harbor - Sea Grant's partnership with the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute

PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - Winter 2006 - http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/communication/news/Winter_2005-06.pdf

• Pennsylvania Sea Grant Erie Office moves to Tom Ridge Environmental Center
• Developing an Invasive Species Management Plan for Pennsylvania
• Sea Grant Staffers Attend Field Studies in Ichthyology Course
• Landowners Learn to Work with Nature to Protect Bluffs
• NEMO is Charging Full Steam Ahead!
• Pennsylvania Seaway Trail Now a National Scenic Byway
• Current Sea Grant Student Research Projects
• The Delaware River 'Airshed': Pollution Traveling on the Wind
• Presque Isle Bay: An Area Of Concern in Recovery

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Trading Secrets -- Archaeologists learn how to work in deep water to recover artifacts lost in shipwrecks long ago. (3/20/2006)
• Giving Amphibians a Home -- Amphibians are losing their homes in the wild and some biologists are trying to replicate their habitat in zoos and other controlled environments. (3/21/2006)
• Climbing Concern -- The sport of climbing is feeling the effects of climate change as mountain glaciers shrink. (3/22/2006)
• On the Ant Farm -- Some ants grow crops in their colonies, and their success fighting off diseases could help scientists develop better antibiotics for people. (3/23/2006)
• Acid in the Ocean -- Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are leading to higher levels of acidity in the oceans. Experts say that could spell trouble for marine ecosystems. (3/24/2006)
• Changing Ways of Prey -- Elk in Yellowstone National Park have responded to the reintroduction of wolves in some unexpected ways. (3/27/2006)
• Earth with No Snow -- A computer model shows that the loss of snow cover could bring enormous changes to planet Earth. (3/28/2006)
• Fishing for Pirates -- French authorities use satellites in space to stop illegal fishing in the Indian Ocean. (3/29/2006)
• Permafrost Problems -- About a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere is covered by permanently frozen soil. Some of it is thawing out as the northern latitudes grow warmer. (3/30/2006)
• Overlooked Lives Overhead -- Even the most common birds lead lives of surprising complexity, according to a new book. (3/31/2006)
• Amphibian Acceleration -- A nasty toad that's spreading across Australia seems to be evolving and getting faster. (4/3/2006)
• Off the Wing, Into the Water -- Scientists are looking at the effect de-icers might have on water near airports. (4/4/2006)
• Evangelical Action -- A conservative Christian group calls for governments, businesses and individuals to work together to fight global warming. (4/5/2006)
• Organic Defense -- Pesticides pose significant risks to people's health, and an expert urges parents to protect their kids from these chemicals. (4/6/2006)
• Feeling the Heat -- Scientists at NASA say 2005 was the warmest year in at least a century. (4/7/2006)
• Being Caribou -- A newlywed couple followed a caribou herd on its annual Arctic migration, and they tell of adventure and
  enlightenment in a new book. (4/10/2006)
• Climatic Infections -- Global warming poses a growing threat to the health of both animals and people. (4/11/2006)
• Winter's Toll on Summer Streams -- The salt used to make roads safe in the winter apparently can linger in streams and groundwater long after the winter ends. (4/12/2006)
• Disordered Eating -- A serious disruption in the Great Lakes appears to be forcing a native fish onto a diet of junk food. (4/13/2006)
• Saving the Chesapeake -- Efforts to help the ailing Chesapeake Bay depend on the participation of farmers and homeowners as well as government agencies. (4/14/2006)
• Fastidious Flushing -- Companies are making plumbing fixtures more efficient, and their plans for water conservation are targeting the toilet. (4/17/2006)
• Environmental Distraction -- Public opinion in the United States no longer lists environmental protection as a top priority. (4/18/2006)
• Finding Culture at the Zoo -- Scientists who study gorilla behavior depend on zoos for their research subjects. (4/19/2006)
• Glass Ceiling in the Mountains -- Barriers to women's participation in the sport of mountaineering are gradually coming
  down. (4/20/2006)
• Minnesota's Windy Campus -- A university in Minnesota draws half of its electricity from a wind turbine commissioned last year on Earth Day. (4/21/2006)

8. Staff News
MN Sea Grant - New Staff
Dale Bergeron has been hired as a maritime extension educator. Previously, he worked as a strategic planning consultant for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and for UMD as development director for the medical school. He also has experience in the private sector. As maritime extension educator, Bergeron holds a joint position with the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute and Minnesota Sea Grant. He will work with the maritime industry, policy makers, natural resource professionals, the Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes researchers to increase cooperation among organizations, improve environmental management, and apply university research results to help solve problems and improve efficiencies.

Valerie Brady has been hired as a part-time research coordinator. Her expertise is aquatic ecology, specializing in wetland ecology and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Her recent work has focused on the way human land use affects the Great Lakes coastal area, including wave-swept coasts and coastal wetlands and streams. Brady has a PhD in zoology/wetland ecology and invasive species from Michigan State University. When she's not at Sea Grant, she works for UMD's Natural Resources Research Institute as a research associate and coordinator for the Great Lakes Environmental Indicators project.

PA Sea Grant - New Staff
Marti Martz has joined the Lake Erie office staff effective August 1, 2005, as a coastal outreach specialist. Marti worked as a Sea Grant student intern at the Erie office while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies at Edinboro Universityof Pennsylvania. Marti is a Pennsylvania Master Gardener and worked as an intern for Presque Isle State Park where she helped develop and implement an invasive plant control program for the park. As coastal outreach specialist, Marti will take on a number of tasks that include serving as part-time communicator, acting as a liaison between Sea Grant and the Regional Science Consortium at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, assisting DCNR staff on projects such as aquaponics and the natural history collections at Tom Ridge Environmental Center, and working with Mercyhurst College staff on the publication of a suggested plant manual for revegetation of bluff front property (see Bluff article, previous page). She will also assist with coordination and facilitation of the Great Lakes Center for Science Education Excellence (COSEE) project. Marti can be reached at mam60@psu.edu.

MN Sea Grant - Grant Awards
Valerie Brady (NRRI and Sea Grant), Gerald Sjervan (NRRI), Jesse Schomberg (Sea Grant), Dan Breneman (NRRI), and Gerald Niemi (NRRI) have been awarded a $58,000 grant by the Minnesota Lake Superior Coastal Program. "North shore community futures: aquatic resources and growth scenarios" will contribute to the Weber Stream Restoration Initiative, which focuses restoration for the Lester/Amity system and other Minnesota North Shore streams.

Jesse Schomberg, coastal communities extension educator, and Nicole Hynum, a graduate student in environmental studies, received a Beautiful U Grant for $1,550 for an anti-littering campaign on the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) Campus. The three-part project will involve creating an attention-grabbing waste receptacle, conducting an Earth Week campus clean-up event, and developing educational signs for posting along Tischer Creek, a campus trout stream. This project is part of the UMD Stormwater Committee's anti-littering task force objectives.

March 17, 2006

Contents
1. Events
- MN Sea Grant - The Latest in Low Impact Development: Engineering and Landscape Design
- MN and WI Sea Grant - A Tale of Two Estuaries Science Panel
- OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Workshops
- NY Sea Grant - Coastal business workshop to address waterfront uncertainties
- MI Sea Grant - Spring Lake Huron Fishery Workshops
- OH Sea Grant - Great Lakes Fisheries Leadership Institute
- II Sea Grant - Exciting Teacher Opportunity: Understanding the Benefits and Risks of Eating Fish
- OH Sea Grant Stone Lab Summer Courses
- II Sea Grant - Illinois Water Conference 2006
2. MI Sea Grant - Number of Michigan Lakes Infested with Zebra Mussels Increases Again
3. OH Sea Grant - New Research Uses Fluorescent Alga as Bioindicator for Heavy Metals
4. Publications
- MN Sea Grant - New Reprint, Hydrology
- NY Sea Grant - Journal Reprints, Multibeam sonar, brown tide
- II Sea Grant College Program - Strategic and Implementation Plan 2006-2010
- II Sea Grant College Program - Annual Report 2004
- Ohio Sea Grant - Birds of Western Lake Erie: Documented Observations and Notes 1850-1980
- II Sea Grant - New Outreach Publications, PCBs in Fish
- NY Sea Grant - New York Sportfishing Guide
- MI Sea Grant - Upwellings, Annual Report 2005
- II Sea Grant - The HELM
- NY Sea Grant - Coastlines
- MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - March-April 2006
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio
5. Staff News
- II Sea Grant - New Education Assistant
- NY Sea Grant - Dave White to resume Program Leader Responsibilities
- MN Sea Grant - Outstanding Service Award

1. Events
MN Sea Grant - The Latest in Low Impact Development: Engineering and Landscape Design
March 21, 2006, 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chanhassen

This daylong workshop features the latest technology in stormwater management, urban planning, and landscaping for sustainability and functionality. Low impact development is a comprehensive approach to planning and developing the urban landscape in an economically sustainable and ecologically functional way. Speakers include Larry Coffman, a nationally known low impact development expert with opening remarks by Sheryl Corrigan, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioner.

The workshop is endorsed by Minnesota Sea Grant and co-sponsored by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MCWD) and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's Public Policy Program in partnership with the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association.

MN and WI Sea Grant - A Tale of Two Estuaries Science Panel
In celebration of the St. Louis River Citizen Action Committee's 10th anniversary, the Wisconsin and Minnesota Sea Grant programs are offering a free public science panel. "A Tale of Two Estuaries: Restoring the Endangered Ecosystems of the Chesapeake Bay and St. Louis River" will be held 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical Institute Conference Center, 600 N 21 St., Superior, Wisc.

The panel will feature keynote speaker Dr. Beth McGee, senior water quality scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). The foundation is the largest conservation organization dedicated to restoring the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It operates 15 environmental education programs and has more than 140,000 active members and a $17.5 million annual budget. Dr. McGee will discuss how the CBF has helped restore the Chesapeake Bay estuary and the science that drives the foundation's programs. She will also give tips about how to motivate public participation in watershed restoration programs.

Her talk will be followed by interactive panel presentations by 4-5 local St. Louis River experts who will discuss the progress made in areas such as fisheries, habitat, and water quality issues. Local speakers include John Lindgren with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Deborah Swackhamer with the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Heidi Bauman with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Lynelle Hanson with the St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee.

Audience questions will be welcomed. Refreshments provided.

OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Workshops
Ohio Clean Marinas will be hosting two new workshops for interested Lake Erie marinas on March 28 and March 30 from 1:30 - 3:30. For more information about the workshops, go to www.ohiocleanmarinas.osu.edu or call Gary Comer at 419.609.4120.

NY Sea Grant - Coastal business workshop to address waterfront uncertainties
Excerpt from Press Release

The Managing Coastal Businesses in Times of Resource and Economic Uncertainties and Risks Workshop will be offered in Auburn at the Holiday Inn on Wednesday, April 5 from 10 am to 3 pm.

To be successful coastal businesses must deal with the increasing uncertainties related to the waterfront economy and to fisheries. On April 5 New York Sea Grant will offer a workshop to help New York's coastal businesses adapt their management decision-making as the water-based natural resources and economic climate change and anticipate new markets and business opportunities. "Business owners, particularly those with businesses directly tied to natural resources that by their very nature have inherent uncertainties, make daily decisions that involve risk. "This new workshop will help answer the question: 'How can I accommodate unknowns into making better business management decisions to not only stay in business but take advantage of new opportunities,'" says David White, Marine Facilities Specialist with New York Sea Grant's Great Lakes Program, Oswego.

Workshop presenters include experts in natural resource economics, marketing, tourism and small business management from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the New York and Ohio Sea Grant programs. Topics will address understanding risk, reaching new and diverse customers, current trends in coastal resource users, and making business decisions in times of uncertainty. A Business Success Panel will feature representatives of the charter boat, diving, lodging, marina, boat sales and tourism promotion industries.

To register for the workshop, call New York Sea Grant at 315-312-3042 and send a $20 workshop fee payable to Cornell University to New York Sea Grant, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126 by March 31, 2006.

MI Sea Grant - Spring Lake Huron Fishery Workshops
Two full-day Saturday workshops:
(1) April 8th - Alpena, MI (northern Lake Huron)
(2) April 22nd - Sandusky, MI (southern Lake Huron)

OH Sea Grant - Great Lakes Fisheries Leadership Institute
6:30 pm Friday June 2, 2006 to 12:00 (Noon) Sunday June 4, 2006
F.T. Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island
A training course for emerging citizen leaders...
Topics include: Biological basis of fish production; Fisheries sampling techniques; Fisheries Management; and Newsworthy Ohio Lake Erie Updates including contaminants, cormorants, aquatic invasive species, the "dead zone" research results, opportunities to comment on the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and much more.

IISG - Exciting Teacher Opportunity: Understanding the Benefits and Risks of Eating Fish
For teachers in grades 6-12
Shedd Aquarium on June 28, 2006
IISG and the Shedd Aquarium are offering a one-day workshop where teachers will hear presentations from scientists, get hands-on experience with classroom activities, and observe fish cooking demonstrations by area chefs. Through their Right Bite program, Shedd Aquarium experts will explain how one's seafood choices can make direct impacts on the environment. Participating teachers can receive CPDUs and a stipend from IISG's Fish School project by going back to their classrooms and working with their students to develop school or community-based projects that inform local citizens. This workshop is designed to meet state education standards. For information, visit www.iisgcp.org/edk-12/FishSchool/

(This project is funded through a COSEE Great Lakes grant from NSF and NOAA/Sea Grant and through a grant from U.S. EPA-GLNPO.)

OH Sea Grant Stone Lab Summer Courses
Classes are still open for Stone Lab's summer program. Educators, college, and high school students can choose from more than 30 science and education courses. For more information about courses and application deadlines, go to www.stonelab.osu.edu.

IISG - Illinois Water Conference 2006
In light of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, "Preparing for the Future" will be the theme of the Water 2006 Conference, October 3-5, in Urbana, Illinois. This meeting will bring together experts to discuss emerging issues such water supply planning,
human and ecosystem health, Lake Michigan management, and the future of data collection, among other topics.
For more information, visit www.environ.uiuc.edu/iwrc/water2006.

2. MI Sea Grant - Number of Michigan Lakes Infested with Zebra Mussels Increases Again
Excerpt from Press Release
In 2005, zebra mussel infestations were confirmed in 23 more of Michigan's inland lakes, bringing the total to 227, according to Michigan Sea Grant. Last year, the striped mollusks were confirmed for the first time in the following lakes (counties): Cedar (Alcona); Miller (Allegan); Torch (Antrim); Douglas (Cheboygan); Sand (Clare); Margarethe (Crawford); Lime (Jackson); Pickerel (Kalkaska); Blind, Bruin, Halfmoon, Patterson and Watson (Livingston); Twin Lake (Luce); Spring and West (Montcalm); Ess (Montmorency); Bush (Oakland); Bradford (Otsego); Esau and Grand (Presque Isle); Prairie River (St. Joseph); and Bear (Van Buren).

The infestations are now present in 53 of the state's 83 counties, including a third county in the Upper Peninsula. Crawford, Kalkaska, Luce, Montmorency, Otsego, Presque Isle and Van Buren counties are new to the list.

All of the 2005 reports came from lakefront property owners, other interested citizens and resource managers who found adult colonies of the mussels clinging to surfaces such as boats, docks, rocks, dams and water pumps. Reports from citizens become part of the zebra mussel infestation monitoring program maintained by Michigan Sea Grant on the Web at http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ais/lakes.html.

3. OH Sea Grant - New Research Uses Fluorescent Alga as Bioindicator for Heavy Metals
Research by Ohio Sea Grant's Drs. Richard Sayre and Sathish Rajamani could help better identify and measure heavy metals in Lake Erie water. Through their use of the engineered alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the researchers expressed a protein indicator, which when heavy metals are present, causes the protein to become fluorescent yellow. The result of the project should be portable fluorescence devices that efficiently identify and quantify bioavailable heavy metal at the sites of contamination. For more information about the project, go to http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/_documents/publications/TL/v27i3.pdf.

4. Publications
MN Sea Grant - New Reprint, Hydrology

• J. Schomberg, G. Host, L. Johnson, and C. Richards. Evaluating the influence of landform, surficial geology, and land use on streams using hydrologic simulation modeling. Aquatic Science 67:528-540. 2005.

NY Sea Grant - Journal Reprints, Multibeam sonar, brown tide

• A comparison of rippled scour depressions identified with multibeam sonar: Evidence of sediment transport in inner shelf environments. V.L. Ferrini, R.D Flood. 2005. Continental Shelf Research 25: 1979-1995. Pub ID# 2688
• A review of the causes, effects, and potential management of harmful brown tide blooms caused by Aureococcus anophagefferens (Hargraves et Sieburth). C.J. Gobler, D.J. Lonsdale, and G.L. Boyer. 2005. Estuaries 28(5): 726-749. Pub ID# 2787

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program - Strategic and Implementation Plan 2006-2010
Over the next four years, IISG will address a number of water-related issues in the two states, including contaminated sediments, invasive species, and water quatity. Here is our plan, laid out with goals and objectives in each of our four new thematic areas: Coastal Cities, Habitats and Ecosystems, Nourishing Healthy Communities, and Water for our Future. IISG-05-25. Pdf online: www.iisgcp.org/products/program/StratPlan2006-10.pdf

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program - Annual Report 2004
This publication highlights activities and impacts associated with IISG in 2004. Learn how the program directly benefits the ecological and economic health of the southern Lake Michigan region. IISG-05-18. Pdf online: www.iisgcp.org/products/program/annual2004.pdf

Ohio Sea Grant - Birds of Western Lake Erie: Documented Observations and Notes 1850-1980
by Milton B. Trautman Cost: $30 + $3 for shipping

A 328-page hardbound book of Milton B. Trautman's narratives on 223 birds of the western Lake Erie Area covering the period of 1850-1980. Additional features are 32 photographs, 60 line illustrations of selected birds, county location maps, and over 875 verified citations by the editor from 165 published references.

To purchase, contact Ronald Stuckey at 614.292.6095

IISG - New Outreach Publications, PCBs in Fish

• "What You Need to Know Before You Eat that Fish!" & "PCBs and Your Family and The Lowdown on PCBs". Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has created two one-page fact sheets that quickly summarize the issues and concerns of PCB levels in fish as they relate to your diet and the health of your family. Learn how PCBs can affect the health of your children, and how to reduce your exposure to this pollutant while retaining the benefits of a diet that includes fish. IISG-05-24 and IISG-05-23, respectively.

NY Sea Grant - New York Sportfishing Guide

• New York Sea Grant, The Fisherman® and Surf Side 3© Marina. 2005. Pub ID# 2883 A 19-page guide for Long Islanders and visitors includes a colorful fish ID guide, catch and release techniques, sportfishing regulations, angler ethics, and directories of LI bait and tackle shops, charter boat companies, and boat launch facilities.

MI Sea Grant - Upwellings, Annual Report 2005 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html

• Editorial: New Rules of Engagement
• COSEE Research, Education
• FLOW: Top Pick for Curriculum
• AIS Education and Prevention
• 2005 Funding
• Your Bay, Your Say
• Residents Weigh Pros and Cons of Dam Removal
• Mapping Forage Fish in the Upper Great Lakes
• Great Lakes and Natural Resources Camp
• Stakeholders Discuss Lake Huron Fishery
• Project F.I.S.H.: Improving Aquatic Education
• New Project Explores Sustainable Tourism and Economic Development
• One River, Many Voices
• Great Lakes Education Program
• Summer Discovery Cruises
• Lake Township Landowner Survey
• Coastal Beaches as Environmental Reservoirs of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
• Marinas Work to Protect Water Quality
• Rip Current Signs Address New Audiences
• Workshop Addresses Status of Chinook Salmon in Lake Michigan
• Lake Michigan 'Doughnut Effect' Linked to Deep Water Production
• Life of Lake Superior Youth Program
• Lake Whitefish: Michigan's Heritage Fish
• New Leadership Model
• HACCP Seafood Safety
• Effects of Boating on Critical Fish Habitat

IISG - The HELM - http://www.iisgcp.org/news/helm/helm.htm.

• COSEE Great Lakes to Boost Science Education
• Shedd Aquarium Opens Great Lakes Invader Exhibit
• Legacy Act Brings Hope to Great Lakes Communities
• Sea Grant Academy: Training a New Generation of "County Agents in Hip Boots"
• IISG Knauss Fellows Go to Washington
• Historic Lake Levels Offer Insight into Future Lows
• Stream Restoration Workshop get Real-World Test
• IISG Awards New Research Funding

NY Sea Grant - Coastlines - http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/Coastlines/Winter06.pdf

• New Wave of Research (Wave Research)
• From the Director (PAT)
• New Wave of Research: Choosing with Rigor
  • The Importance of Metal Storage in Prey and Digestion in Predators to Metal Trophic Transfer in Estuarine Food Chains
  • Submarine Groundwater Discharge into Jamaica Bay, New York: Fluxes of Water and Contaminants into the Bay
  • Genetic Make-up of Fallopia Plant Species Invading Novel Coastal Habitats
  • Deployment of an Automated System for the Detection of Cyanobacteria
  • Development and Application of a Quantitative PCR Technique to Establish QPX Dynamics in Clams and in the Environment
  • Evaluation of Environmental and Biological Factors which Promote Toxic Cyanobacteria Blooms in New York's Great Lakes
  • Impact of Predation by the Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi on Larval Mortality of Mercenaria mercenaria
  • The Lake Ontario Pelagic Foodweb: A Modeling Synthesis of Salmonine Recruitment and Prey-Fish Population Dynamics
  • Effects of Changing Light Levels on Alewife-Mysid Interactions in Lake Ontario
  • The Development and Use of Predictive Models in Great Lakes Decision-Making: An Interdisciplinary Synthesis
  • Acoustics Unpacked: Analysis of the Combined Error Structure in Acoustic Surveys in the Great Lakes
  • The Potential of the Ribbed Mussel Geukensia demissa in Regulating Toxic and Small-Form Phytoplankton in Coastal Ecosystems
  • Dynamic Simulation of the Transport of Contaminants in the Waterways of Metropolitan New York Under Extreme Conditions
  • Effect of LIS Environmental Stressors on Defense Against Disease in the American Lobster, Homarus americanus
• Invaders in the Classroom
• Seaweed-;A Natural Bioremediator in Finfish Aquaculture
• Fisheries Uncertainty Workshop
• New CD a Boon to Nation's Byways
• Estuary LIVE! 2005
• Lobster Research Findings Appear in Shellfish Journal
• Fish and Heart Health

MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - March-April 2006 - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html

• New Shoreland Educator Joins Team
• Lake Home and Cabin Show
• Outdoor Corps - Assessing Lakes, Engaging Students
• One-Stop Shopping to Restore Your Yard and Shore
• It's Rough to Have Ridges - Living with Ice Ridges on Your Shoreline
• Shoreland Plant Selection for Non-Botanists, Part 2 - Wet Transition Plants

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Cold, Hard Facts of Nature -- Animals that hibernate sometimes chill down to very low body temperatures. Some even freeze solid. (2/20/2006)
• Learning Comes Naturally -- Students who attend schools that offer some outdoor class time perform better in a variety of subjects. (2/21/2006)
• On the Trail of the Albatross -- The solitary, long-distance migrations of an endangered sea bird are a little less mysterious, thanks to some new research. (2/22/2006)
• How Big is a Cloud? -- Sensors that allow scientists to take a closer look at clouds have in some ways clouded the issue. (2/23/2006)
• Slow Recovery -- The land that became the Dust Bowl in the 1930s is slowly recovering, but the economy of the region has ongoing problems. (2/24/2006)
• High Water Stakes -- Insurance companies have banded together to sponsor research that could tell more about the likelihood of future catastrophic hurricanes. (2/27/2006)
• Octopus Brainpower -- Research shows that an octopus can solve puzzles, navigate mazes, and even hold a grudge. (2/28/2006)
• Killer Whales Play Cat and Mouse -- Scientists who study animal behavior say killer whales like to play games and that they often change the rules. They say that's a sign of intelligence that goes beyond pure instinct. (3/1/2006)
• Fishing after the Tsunami -- Fishing communities around the Indian Ocean were wiped out by the tsunami of 2004. A conservation group is trying to help the communities and the fisheries recover. (3/1/2006)
• They Are What They Eat -- The diets of common birds affect the color of their feathers and their success finding mates. (3/3/2006)
• New Tests for CWD -- The ongoing investigation of chronic wasting disease in deer leads to new discoveries and new questions. (3/6/2006)
• Action Plan for Amphibians -- Conservation experts have laid out a global plan to address the disappearance of amphibians around the world. (3/7/2006)
• Green Capital -- Madison, Wisconsin, is pursuing an aggressive plan to become more sustainable. It could mean a cleaner environment and taxpayer savings. (3/8/2006)
• Savage Summit -- It's almost as tall as Everest and a lot more dangerous to climb. A new book looks at K2, the world's deadliest mountain. (3/9/2006)
• Parting the Waters -- Great Lakes groups look at ways to separate the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watersheds. They want to stop the spread of invasive species. (3/10/2006)
• Energy and Urgency -- A California city is developing an action plan to cope with the end of cheap energy. (3/13/2006)
• Strength in Diversity -- Last summer's hurricanes exposed the vulnerability of some energy sources. A renewable energy advocate argues for diversity in our resources. (3/14/2006)
• High and Dry -- The climate of the northern latitudes is changing. A biologist in Alaska documented changes in the landscape that accompany changes in precipitation and temperature. (3/15/2006)
• Opening the Floodgates -- Some glaciers in Greenland are moving more rapidly to the coast. That might let the ice that covers Greenland start sliding toward the sea. (3/16/2006)
• Fanning the Feathers -- More wind power could mean more hazards for birds. But an energy expert says wind turbines are no more dangerous to birds than tall buildings. (3/17/2006)

5. Staff News
IISG - New Education Assistant
IISG's new education assistant is Julie Murphy. She supplies aquatic invasive species and fish contaminant information to a variety of audiences and helps researchers relay their findings to the public through Sea Grant's educational Web site, teacher training workshops, traveling trunks, and other communications and outreach activities. Murphy earned a B.S. in physics from Illinois State University and taught high school physics and chemistry for five years in the Chicago area. This spring she will complete a M.S. in curriculum and instruction at Illinois State University and is taking classes towards an M.S. in library and information science at the University of Illinois. Murphy replaced Terri Hallesy, who was promoted to media communications specialist.

NY Sea Grant - Dave White to resume Program Leader Responsibilities
Effective immediately, Dave White will once again be NYSG's representative to the GLSG Network. He will be our contact for Program Leader responsibilities.

MN Sea Grant - Outstanding Service Award
Judy Zomerfelt, executive administrative specialist, earned an outstanding service award from the University of Minnesota Duluth. The award is designed to recognize employees who have consistently performed their responsibilities in a superior manner and have enhanced the objectives of their departments.

February 15, 2006

Contents
1. MN Sea Grant - RFP
2. Events
- COSEE Great Lakes - Lake Superior Exploration Workshop
- MI Sea Grant - Aquaculture Conference Focuses on Sustainability
- OH Sea Grant - 25th Annual Ohio Charter Captains Conference
- MI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Exhibit
3. MI Sea Grant - Mapping Forage Fish in the Upper Great Lakes
4. MI Sea Grant - New Project Explores Sustainable Tourism and Economic Development
5. MI Sea Grant - Coastal Beaches as Environmental Reservoirs of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
6. MI Sea Grant - Lake Michigan 'Doughnut' Effect Linked to Deep Water Production
7. MI Sea Grant - Effects of Boating on Critical Fish Habitat
8. OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Program
9. MI Sea Grant - Marinas Work to Protect Water Quality
10. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Discussion Board Grows in Popularity
11. IL-IN Sea Grant - New Sea Grant Aquaculture Expert Highlights Marketing
12. OH Sea Grant - Eco-Tourism Guide to be Developed
13. MI Sea Grant -Your Bay, Your Say: West Grand Traverse Bay Regional Shoreline Improvement
14. MI Sea Grant - New Leadership Model: Eastern U.P Water Guardians Help Monitor Water Quality
15. Publications
- PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - Winter 2006
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio
16. Staff News
- MI Sea Grant - Position Available: District Extension Sea Grant Educator for the Southeast Region
- MN Sea Grant - New Staff Member
- MI Sea Grant - Teacher Reviewer Gives Web Curriculum Highest Marks
- MI Sea Grant - Greatest of the Great Lakes
- OH Sea Grant - Summer Student Research Opportunity

______________________________________________________________________________________
1. MN Sea Grant - RFP
The University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program is announcing its biennial Request for Preproposals for coastal and Great Lakes research during February 2007 to January 2009. We will consider all proposals for research concerning improved understanding, use, and management of Great Lakes resources, particularly related to coastal Lake Superior and the adjacent region.

Proposal principle investigators must be affiliated with a Minnesota academic institution; however, we encourage faculty to develop proposals that feature collaborative relationships with other academic institutions, resource management agencies, tribes, and industries.

We are particularly interested in receiving proposals on socio-economic research to help formulate public policies that minimize the ecological impacts of coastal development and coastal resource use. Research proposals that fit the following broad themes are encouraged.

* Aquatic invasive species
* Biotechnology
* Coastal communities
* Coastal natural hazards
* Digital oceans
* Ecosystems and habitats
* Fisheries
* Urban coasts

The deadline for preproposal submission is February 24, 2006. Projects are typically funded for $30,000 to $50,000 per year for up to two years, excluding costs of graduate students and ship time. See Minnesota Sea Grant's web site for the full RFP, forms, proposal guidelines, and online submission:
http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/rfp/

2. Events
COSEE Great Lakes - Lake Superior Exploration Workshop
Date: July 29 - August 4, 2006
See: http://coseegreatlakes.net/events/superiorworkshop

MI Sea Grant - Aquaculture Conference Focuses on Sustainability
Sustainable aquaculture (fish farming) is the theme of the 2006 Michigan Aquaculture Association (MAA) conference and annual meeting Feb. 9-10 at the Clarion Hotel in East Lansing. The conference program includes presentations on current regulatory information from the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources, results from Wisconsin research on intensive production of yellow perch in recirculating systems, best management practices, Michigan's baitfish industry, pros and cons of recirculating aquaculture systems, and the aquaculture and taxidermy niche market. Speakers will include Fred Binkowski, Jeff Nuese and Steve Yeo from the University of Wisconsin's WATER Institute and Wisconsin Sea Grant; Michigan Sea Grant Extension agent Ron Kinnunen; Bill Knudson of the Michigan State University Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources; representatives of the Michigan departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and owners/managers of aquaculture businesses.
If paid by Jan. 31, registration fees are $35 for MAA members, $60 for non-members and $25 for students. After Jan. 31, the fees are $40 for MAA members, $65 for non-members and $30 for students.

For more details and a registration form, visit www.michiganaquaculture.com or www.miseagrant.umich.edu.

OH Sea Grant - 25th Annual Ohio Charter Captains Conference
The 2006 Ohio Charter Captains Conference will be held March 4, 2006 at a different location than was previously announced. Following the closing of the I.A.B. Club in Sandusky, Ohio the meeting now will be held at the Cedar Point Center at the BGSU Firelands Campus. The campus is 1/2 mile south of State Rte. 2, on Rye Beach Road, just west of Huron, Ohio.

For other questions or details, contact Fred Snyder
The day-long conference focuses on the status of Lake Erie fish stocks, regulatory issues, charter business management, marine electronics and fishing methods. Pre-registration is required.

MI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Exhibit
February - July 2006, Detroit Science Center

Where on earth can you see a six-foot lake sturgeon, touch it's scutes and see its barbles up close? For the next six months, teachers, students and fishing enthusiasts, will find a life-sized model, a DVD with interviews of researchers and historical information about the Lake Sturgeon all in one place, at the Detroit Science Center. Michigan Sea Grant communications designed and installed the exhibit. See www.miseagrant.umich.edu/sturgeon and take the "Lake Sturgeon Quiz."

3. MI Sea Grant - Mapping Forage Fish in the Upper Great Lakes
The success of restoring lake trout and other native Great Lakes predators depends in part on a stable prey base-;or forage fish including native species such as bloater, herring, stickleback, and sculpin. These fish have historically been a major component of native predator diets, explains Michigan State University scientist Kim Scribner, and fill a vital niche in the Great Lakes aquatic food web. With Sea Grant funding, Scribner is leading a large-scale multidisciplinary project to utilize genetic markers to identify differences among stocks of important forage fish species. The information provides fisheries managers with a better idea of the degree of isolation and movements of the stocks within each species.

4. MI Sea Grant - New Project Explores Sustainable Tourism and Economic Development
Coastal counties in northeast Michigan boast some of the most rugged Great Lakes shoreline in the Lower Peninsula, offering natural areas for camping, hunting and fishing as well as attractions including lighthouses and shipwrecks. The integrated assessment, convened by Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG), will explore policy options for increasing access to the region and its coastal resources, strengthening regional marketing and identity, and improving quality of life. Sea Grant is providing technical and coordination support to the assessment, including the ecological analysis, which is being done in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, social and economic analyses being done in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Program, and additional stakeholder coordination for the assessment.

5. MI Sea Grant - Coastal Beaches as Environmental Reservoirs of Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
When officials issue beach advisories or close recreational beaches for swimming, these decisions are based on high bacteria levels measured in water. However, another important aspect of beach health is shoreline sand. Recent studies at several Great Lakes beaches have confirmed that high densities of E. coli persist in sand throughout the beach season. Preliminary tests suggest that the E. coli community of Lake Huron beaches is genetically diverse and that the rate of genetic exchange among E. coli is high. This reservoir of fecal bacteria may be a potential contact point between bacteria and the public. With Sea Grant funding, investigators at Central Michigan University are using a combination of laboratory techniques to develop detection methods for pathogenic genes in beach sand.

6. MI Sea Grant - Lake Michigan 'Doughnut' Effect Linked to Deep Water Production
Using recent advances in remote sensing technology, researchers at Michigan Technological University are examining the formation and food web implications of a late winter "doughnut" pattern in the open waters of southern Lake Michigan. Driven by winter storms, the circular ring of Chlorophyll a persists for several weeks in March and April. With Sea Grant funding, W. Charles Kerfoot is leading a team of investigators to document the occurrence and magnitude of this unusual event, which temporarily circulates sediment and nutrients.

7. MI Sea Grant - Effects of Boating on Critical Fish Habitat
Michigan's bays and channels are ecologically valuable coastal resources that provide nursery areas for fish and resting and feeding areas for migrating waterfowl. Over the past few decades, this near shore habitat has undergone dramatic changes in response to residential development and increased human activity. Escalating boat traffic and boat sizes compound these impacts, especially in areas with seawalls. According to University of Michigan biologist Paul Webb, waves generated by boats are reflected lakeward, and this magnified turbulence affects the stability of critical fish habitat. Webb is leading Sea Grant funded research in the Les Cheneaux region of Michigan's eastern Upper Peninsula to help clarify the link between natural- and human-generated waves on the near shore aquatic environment and fish community response.

8. OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Program
The Ohio Clean Marinas Program (OCMP) has rapidly become a common marina word during the past year. Eight OCMP workshops have been conducted to date, with over 50 Lake Erie marinas participating and 30 taking the pledge to become certified. Currently, 12 marinas have been recognized as 'certified clean marinas'. Each certified clean marina receives an incentive package containing metal and plastic signage, an OCMP burgee (flag), decals, recycling trash receptacles for plastic and aluminum, permission to use OCMP logos on their mailings and advertising, and a framed proclamation signed by Ohio's governor.

During the past year, the OCMP has been working on the development of a market for boat shrink wrap. During the spring, discarded plastic shrink wrap becomes a costly and unsightly problem for marina owners, and takes up valuable landfill space. Currently, a partnership has been developed with the OCMP and a plastic recycling and manufacturing company in southern Ohio. A two year pilot program has been planned, with boat shrink wrap being collected beginning April 1 through early June. Participating marinas in Lorain, Erie and Ottawa counties; all bordering Ohio's Lake Erie, will have shrink wrap pick-up 2-3 times per week, at no cost to the marina. The discarded plastic will then be taken to a central location for 'baling' into cubes, and then transported to the recycle/manufacturing facility. Proceeds from the plastic, after costs have been met, will flow back into the OCMP for the purchase of additional incentives for certified clean marinas. Currently, it is estimated that, with the number of marinas signed up to participate, over 160,000 pounds (80 tons) of discarded boat shrink wrap can be recycled.

After the first year, the program will be modified to improve efficiency, and will likely expand into additional coastal counties.

The Ohio Clean Marinas Program is a partnership comprised of numerous state/federal agencies and marine trades associations. Administered by The Ohio Sea Grant College Program, the program is coordinated by Mr. Gary L. Comer Jr., Sea Grant extension educator, and Mr. David O. Kelch, Sea Grant extension specialist and program administrator. For more information about Ohio's Clean Marinas Program, please visit the following website: http://www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu/.

9. MI Sea Grant - Marinas Work to Protect Water Quality
Approximately 40 Michigan marinas are taking steps to protect water quality through voluntary participation in the Michigan Clean Marina Program, supported jointly by Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA), and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The 40 marinas, which include both commercial operations and state harbors, have pledged to work toward clean marina designations. See www.miseagrant.umich.edu/cmp

10. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Discussion Board Grows in Popularity
Ohio Sea Grant's Lake Erie Discussion Board is growing in popularity as a personal forum to provide answers to clientele questions and to allow readers to keep their thumbs on Lake Erie issues. Following format improvements to the discussion board and to the Ohio Sea Grant Web site, it had about 3,000 hits during the month of October prior to the revisions, 12,000+ in December, and almost 62,000 in January. Visit the Lake Erie Discussion Board at http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/

11. IL-IN Sea Grant - New Sea Grant Aquaculture Expert Highlights Marketing
Excerpt from Press Release
Seafood seems to be going the way of many other industries in the U.S. In the past decade, the rate of imports has steadily increased. In fact, in 2004, imports made up 80 percent of the U.S. seafood market. Due to this trend, aquaculture producers in Illinois and Indiana need to find new ways to turn a profit as they bring their fish to market, according to Kwamena Quagrainie, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant's new aquaculture marketing specialist. "Imported seafood is typically priced lower than these producers can compete with."

He offers several suggestions. "Imported fish is usually shipped fresh or frozen so ethnic markets that sell live fish offer a niche for local producers," said Quagrainie. "Another approach is to add value to the product. For example, producers can get an advantage in the market by partnering with processors to produce ready-to-serve products for the food service industry." Quagrainie says producers should think about making money from more than just producing the fish.

Quagrainie, who is also funded through Purdue University Extension and University of Illinois Extension, comes to the Sea Grant program from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff where he was an assistant professor of aquaculture marketing for four years. Originally from Ghana, he received his doctorate in Agricultural Economics from the University of Alberta in Canada. With his focus on marketing, Quagrainie will be working with the aquaculture industries, aquaculture producers, aquaculture associations, distributors, restaurants, retail outlets and consumers to develop viable markets for Indiana and Illinois farm-raised aquaculture products. First and foremost, he will provide assistance to aquaculture producers in pursuing and realizing economic and market development opportunities. "My approach is to provide information to producers on how to be successful in today's market and how to keep their production costs competitive," said Quagrainie.

Quagrainie is positioned at Purdue University in West Lafayette in the Department of Agricultural Economics and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. He is beginning to plan aquaculture marketing workshops in several counties in Indiana to reach local producers. "I look forward down the road to bringing these workshops to Illinois counties as well," he added. He is also an author. Co-authored by Carole Engle of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, The Aquaculture Marketing Handbook has recently been released through Blackwell Publishing. This 288-page book provides a broad base of information regarding aquaculture economics, markets, and marketing. For more information, visit www.blackwellpublishing.com.

For more information about aquaculture marketing in Illinois and Indiana contact Quagrainie at (765) 494-4200.

12. OH Sea Grant - Eco-Tourism Guide to be Developed
"The Development of an Underwater Trailways System for Ohio's Lake Erie" has been funded by the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund. Project directors: David Kelch and Joe Lucente of Ohio Sea Grant. Project details: A 16-20 page color guide and a website will be created to help Ohio residents and visitors locate the many historical, cultural and recreational shipwrecks and unique underwater habitats in Ohio's Lake Erie waters. The guide will also promote eco-tourism and economic development.

13. MI Sea Grant -Your Bay, Your Say: West Grand Traverse Bay Regional Shoreline Improvement
The waterfront redesign initiative Your Bay, Your Say formed in 2005 with the goal of redeveloping two miles of shoreline along west Grand Traverse Bay, including new space where a coal-fired power plant was removed and where a local zoo was housed. The initiative is designed to improve the connection between the downtown core and the waterfront. Sea Grant Agent Mark Breederland is one of many local partners assisting in coordinating activities. Additional collaborators include an urban planning team made up of students from Michigan State University, and several landscape architecture students from the University of Michigan. The Michigan Coastal Management Program is funding Traverse City to begin the process of moving from design to implementation in 2006.

14. MI Sea Grant - New Leadership Model: Eastern U.P Water Guardians Help Monitor Water Quality
An innovative program in the eastern Upper Peninsula enlists the help of older citizens to help monitor the region's water quality and protect the health of residents. The Eastern U.P. Water Guardians voluntarily monitor the region's ground- and surface water to help identify potential problems. Michigan Sea Grant's Ron Kinnunen was one of several educators who conducted train-the-trainer sessions for the Water Guardian program in 2005. Kinnunen is also assisting in curriculum development, which covers water chemistry basics, watersheds, and common contamination and origins in rural areas.

15. Publications
PA Sea Grant - Keystone Shorelines - Winter 2006 - http://www.pserie.psu.edu/seagrant/communication/news/Winter_2005-06.pdf

• Pennsylvania Sea Grant Erie Office moves to Tom Ridge Environmental Center
• Developing an Invasive Species Management Plan for Pennsylvania
• Sea Grant Staffers Attend Field Studies in Ichthyology Course
• Landowners Learn to Work with Nature to Protect Bluffs
• NEMO is Charging Full Steam Ahead!
• Sea Grant Welcomes Marti Martz
• Pennsylvania Seaway Trail Now a National Scenic Byway
• Current Sea Grant Student Research Projects
• The Delaware River 'Airshed': Pollution Traveling on the Wind
• Presque Isle Bay: An Area Of Concern in Recovery

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Fevers and Temperatures -- Disease pandemics that killed millions of people might also have changed the temperature of the Earth. (1/23/2006)
• Urban Operation -- An Illinois community is testing a surgical solution to problems with too many deer. (1/24/2006)
• Harvest the Wind -- Wind power has become cost competitive with other sources of electrical power in some parts of the country. (1/25/2006)
• Legacy in Long Island Sound -- Cleaning up the waters of Long Island Sound might stir up mercury pollution from years gone by. (1/26/2006)
• Gut Reaction -- Scientists are taking lessons from termites to find cheaper ways to produce hydrogen for fuel. (1/27/2006)
• Downsizing Ducks -- Wetlands across the North American prairies are home to a fantastic number of ducks, and a warmer world might dry up this critical habitat. (1/30/2006)
• Radiant Waters -- Twenty years after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, some lakes are still contaminated with radiation. (1/31/2006)
• Sleeping In -- Many of the animals that are hibernating this winter won't survive until spring. (2/1/2006)
• The Worst Hard Time -- The southern Great Plains turned to dust and blew away in the 1930s. A new book tells about the extreme hardship people faced in the Dust Bowl. (2/2/2006)
• No Eyes for Glass -- A lot of birds die when they crash into windows. An expert offers some ways to prevent these collisions. (2/3/2006)
• Fear Factor -- People keep their kids indoors out of fears for their safety. But an author says depriving children of experience in nature also carries risks. (2/6/2006)
• Tracking Transmission -- A researcher finds white-tailed deer surprisingly homebound, and that could help figure out how the animals contract and spread chronic wasting disease. (2/7/2006)
• Unearthing Hurricanes -- Sediment layers beneath Northeastern wetlands reveal a historical record of severe hurricanes. (2/8/2006)
• Getting the Albatross off the Hook -- A British scientist looks for ways to save an endangered seabird from dying on the hooks of fishing rigs. (2/9/2006)
• Distant Impact -- A resurgence of nuclear power could have long-range impacts, according to an industry critic. (2/10/2006)
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Out of Water -- Climate change could make life tough on ducks and a lot of other less visible animals and plants. (2/13/2006)
• Turtles in Trouble -- People are eating sea turtles faster than they can reproduce along the coast of a Central American country. (2/14/2006)
• Life After Oil -- An author says demand for oil and gas will soon exceed supplies, and communities and individuals should begin to plan for a different kind of economy. (2/15/2006)
• Dark Harvest -- The dust storms described by Dust Bowl survivors were huge, sudden, and deadly. (2/16/2006)
• Nowhere to Hide -- The deep ocean is a dark place, and the animals that live there have developed some amazing ways to see and survive. (2/17/2006)

16. Staff News
MI Sea Grant - Position Available: District Extension Sea Grant Educator for the Southeast Region
Detroit, Michigan
Available: March 1, 2006
Deadline: February 20, 2006
http://web2.canr.msu.edu/personnel/vacancies.cfm
Position Number 1484

MN Sea Grant - New Staff Member
Valerie Brady has been hired as a part-time research coordinator. Her expertise is aquatic ecology, specializing in wetland ecology and aquatic macroinvertebrates. Her recent work has focused on the way human land use affects the Great Lakes coastal area, including wave-swept coasts and coastal wetlands and streams. Brady has a PhD in zoology/wetland ecology and invasive species from Michigan State University. When she's not at Sea Grant, she works for UMD's Natural Resources Research Institute as a research associate and coordinator for the Great Lakes Environmental Indicators project. She can be contacted at vbrady@umn.edu or (218) 726-8714.

MI Sea Grant - Teacher Reviewer Gives Web Curriculum Highest Marks
A teacher that reviewed Fisheries Learning on the Web (FLOW) said "This is one of the best sites I've been asked to review." The FLOW site received the highest marks possible in all three review categories by a teacher-reviewer for the BRIDGE, a collection of the best marine education resources available on the Web. The site was recently selected Teachers' Top Web Picks by the BRIDGE for February, 2006.
See the BRIDGE: http://www.marine-ed.org/bridge
See FLOW: http://www.projectflow.us

MI Sea Grant - Greatest of the Great Lakes
Lessons from Fisheries Learning on the Web and The Great Lakes Education Program were selected by a COSEE Great Lakes education committee to be part of the Greatest of the Great Lakes curriculum content, a suite of materials that will be used in upcoming educational programming. Fisheries Learning on the Web (FLOW), was selected by educators as a top pick for February 2006 on the BRIDGE, a collection of the best marine education resources available online. FLOW received top marks in three categories evaluating educational value, content value, and usability. See: www.projectflow.us

OH Sea Grant - Summer Student Research Opportunity
A summer research opportunity is available for up to 10 undergraduate students at Stone Laboratory, Ohio State University's Island Campus and Ohio's Lake Erie Laboratory on Gibraltar Island at Put-in-Bay. This program is supported by private endowments at Stone Laboratory.

Applicants can apply for one-term (4.5 weeks) or two-term (9.0 weeks) experiences. Each successful applicant will receive a full scholarship covering tuition, room and board, and lab fee for one term (4.5 weeks) at Stone Laboratory during the summer of 2006. Successful applicants will participate in one of the Laboratory's five-credit-hour term courses offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On their three "off days" the students will work on a herpetology research project (studying snakes, turtles, etc.), a limnology research project (analyzing plankton, nutrients, anoxia in the dead zone of the Central Basin of Lake Erie, etc.), or a fisheries research project (evaluating species interactions, competition, etc.). Students will receive three credit hours of individual study credit for their work on their research projects. Credits are based on the quarter system.

Applicants should specify their preference for term (first term, June 18-July 19; second

term, July 20-August 19, or both terms) and course(s) (see web site for course offerings) at the Laboratory and their preference for the research topic (herpetology, limnology, or fisheries). Applicants should have completed at least their freshman year to be eligible for this program. Previous winners are eligible to apply. This experience can be extended to a nine-week experience if approved by the research leader. The students will be responsible for the cost of the additional term (4.5 weeks) but additional scholarship and employment opportunities are available. In the case of the herpetology experience, preference will be given to students in the two-term (nine-week) experience.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. EST on March 13, 2006. Successful applicants will be notified on March 30. These deadlines will be extended as necessary if additional funds become available. After the March 13 deadline, contact the Stone Laboratory Office (614.292.8949) to determine if positions are still available.

January 18, 2006

Contents:
1. Events
- Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Meeting
- OH Sea Grant - Fly Tying Workshop Announcement
- OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab's New Summer Courses
- WI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Bowl
2. MI Sea Grant - Request for Proposals
3. GLSGN - Sea Grant Collaboration Awarded $2.5 Million to Support Great Lakes and Ocean Sciences Education (COSEE)
4. Web News
- OH Sea Grant - Change Bookmarks--Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab Web Sites Have Moved
- MI Sea Grant - Report Overview Online:Restoration to Repair Great Lakes 'Immune System' to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse
5. Publications
- WI Sea Grant - Ice Fishing
- NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders!
- MN Sea Grant - Seiche
- MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore
- WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Winter 2005
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio
6. Staff News
- New Appointments
- MN Sea Grant - New Maritime Extension Educator
- WI Sea Grant - Award of Excellence
- MN Sea Grant - Distinguished Faculty Award
_____________________________________________________________________

1. Events
Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Meeting
Hold the Date! June 11-14, 2006
Location: Alpena, MI
Conference web site: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/greatlakes06

OH Sea Grant - Fly Tying Workshop Announcement

A fly tying workshop will be held at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village, Ohio, on February 14, 2006, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Participants will get hands-on experience tying three popular fly patterns for catching steelhead. You will get to take your creations home with you! This seminar is $10 per person to cover the cost of materials. Registration is limited to the first 20 people that call Kelly Riesen at 440.808.5627.

OH Sea Grant - Stone Lab's New Summer Courses

Stone Lab will be offering three new classes and one new workshop for its Summer 2006 College Program. These courses include Evolution, Introduction to Ecology, and Natural History of Ohio. All are five quarter-credit hour courses. Also new is a three-day, non-credit workshop, Lake Erie Fishing, which is open to anyone ages 18 and over. For more information about all Stone Lab courses, go to http://www.stonelab.osu.edu/

WI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Bowl
March 4
Milwaukee, Wis.
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/GLWI/sturgeonbowl

2. MI Sea Grant - Request for Proposals
for FY2007 and FY2008

Two funding opportunities:
1. Preliminary Proposals for Integrated Assessments - Deadline: February 24, 2006 at 5pm.
2. Full Proposals to Evaluate the Integrated Assessment Process - Deadline:February 24, 2006 at 5pm.

Interested applicants are urged to join us for a conference call on Tuesday, January 24 @ 1 pm.
Questions or Additional Information: Jennifer Read, Assistant Director & Research Coordinator, jenread@umich.edu, (734) 936-3622 See information online: http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/research

3. GLSGN - Sea Grant Collaboration Awarded $2.5 Million to Support Great Lakes and Ocean Sciences Education

*Students, educators, and citizens around the Great Lakes region will soon have unprecedented learning opportunities to explore Great Lakes science and the connection to the world's oceans, following approval of a $2.5 million regional Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE). With the same project, Great Lakes scientists will have opportunities to meet their education and public audiences in new collaborative ways.

The National Science Foundation and NOAA-National Sea Grant announced funding support this week for COSEE Great Lakes, the tenth center in a nationwide network. Funds will be provided to seven regional Sea Grant programs to support a suite of educational opportunities united under the COSEE framework. COSEE Great Lakes is expected to create dynamic linkages between Great Lakes and ocean research and education with the goal of enhancing scientific literacy and environmental stewardship.

"Public understanding of Great Lakes and ocean sciences is essential to ensure the long term protection and health of these invaluable natural resources," said principal investigator Don Scavia. "COSEE Great Lakes will serve as an excellent framework to link science and education for citizens of all ages."

COSEE Great Lakes is a collaborative effort of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and includes programs in Michigan, Illinois-Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Some of the activities planned include lake exploration workshops, tools and educational materials using the Great Lakes Observing System, Great Lakes curriculum enhancement and integration with ocean topics, and interactive learning events linking researchers with educators, students and the public.

A primary objective is to improve communication between researchers and 4-10th grade teachers and students and enhance teacher capabilities for delivering Great Lakes and ocean science education. Over the five-year program, more than 2,000 teachers throughout the region are expected to take part in COSEE Great Lakes activities along with more than 350 researchers, who will help educate new audiences.

"We're looking forward to engaging educators, students and the public in ways that promote a deeper understanding of our freshwater seas and their influence on our quality of life and our national prosperity," said co-investigator Rosanne Fortner.

In the coming months, Sea Grant educators will be collaborating with more than 25 partners to coordinate COSEE activities and connect with Great Lakes citizens.
For more information on COSEE Great Lakes, contact the following Sea Grant education coordinators:
- Illinois/Indiana: Robin Goettel
- Michigan: Steve Stewart
- Minnesota: Bruce Munson
- Ohio: Rosanne Fortner
- Pennsylvania: Anne Danielski
- Wisconsin: Jim Lubner
- New York: Helen Domske

4. Web News
OH Sea Grant - Change Bookmarks--Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab Web Sites Have Moved

Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab started the new year with two new web sites: www.ohioseagrant.osu.edu and http://www.stonelab.osu.edu/. Both feature new graphic elements and simple navigation. Any questions about the sites, contact Jill Jentes.

MI Sea Grant - Report Overview Online:Restoration to Repair Great Lakes 'Immune System' to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse
Overview now online at http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/habitat/gl-repair.html.
Note that a copy of the full report is available as a PDF.

5. Publications
WI Sea Grant - Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing. by Warren Downs, edited by Elizabeth White
24 pages, illustrated booklet $1.50

NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders!

The October - December issue of print version of Aquatic Invaders and the new offering of an electronic subscription delivered as PDF files are available. The feature articles for this issue are:

• Guidelines For Ranking Invasive Species Control Projects. National Invasive Species Council (NISC)
• Ballast Water Discharge Standards: Report and Recommendation of The California Advisory Panel on Ballast Water Performance
  Standards. California Ballast Water Advisory Panel
• Index of articles published in 2005

Features in every issue include:

• Web Watch - New links from the Clearinghouse Links page
• What's New - Newly acquired papers in the Clearinghouse Collection
• Annotations of articles from the collection
• Announcements

The National Aquatic Nuisance Species Clearinghouse quarterly digest, "Aquatic Invaders," publishes papers on research and policy initiatives relating to all types of freshwater, estuarine, and marine aquatic invasive and nuisance species issues. The digest is published quarterly, and is aimed at a technically literate audience, researchers, resource managers, utility managers, and policy makers. We welcome submissions. Please contact Diane Oleson for details.

MN Sea Grant - Seiche - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/

• Cass Lake Superfund Site Update - Long-awaited actions to protect the public health of residents of the St. Regis Superfund Site in Minnesota are set to begin this winter.
• Water Gardeners and Businesses Concerned About Invaders - Find out what researchers learned in surveys of Minnesota plant customers and businesses about their aquatic invasive species awareness and gardening practices.
• Education Partnership Makes a Splash - Immerse yourself in a program growing in popularity that teaches elementary students
  about "Lake Superior and Beyond."
• From the Great Lakes to the Gulf - In light of the recent ban on water diversions from the Great Lakes governors, we thought you'd find this story about a historic plan for a canal between Lake Superior and the St. Croix River of interest.
• Lake Superior Sounds and Stories - A $4 audio CD brings the lake within earshot no matter where you are through a series of radio programs that aired this summer.
• Web Site Wins for Clean Water Efforts- http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/ was recognized by the North American Lake Management Society and the Great Lakes Commission.

MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html

• Rain Garden Graces Orono Park in Elk River
• Rush Lake Erosion Research (part 2 of 2)
• Get Habitattitude!
• Shoreland Plant Selection for Non-Botanists - Aquatic Plants

WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Winter 2005 - http://www.aqua.wisc.edu/Chronicle/

• From Farmland to Suburbia: Groundwater and Unsewered Subdivisions
• Wisconsin Fish Identification System - http://www.wiscfish.org/fishid
• Where the Wind Blows - Shifting winds could be stirring up Green Bay
• An Illuminating Industrial Experience
• State of Lake Michigan and its Beaches
• Upcoming Fellowship Applications
• Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene: Environmental Health Division

WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org

• Curbing Holiday Trash -- Things you can do to cut down on waste around the holidays. (12/19/2005)
• Mercury in the Forest -- The soils of some northern forests are like sponges for airborne mercury, and scientists wonder what might happen if that toxic contamination ever escapes. (12/20/2005)
• Knowledge is Power -- Women farm workers in California learn about pesticides and politics to protect their own health. (12/21/2005)
• Saving Grace -- A group called the Noah Alliance combines science and faith to protect the environment. (12/22/2005)
• Signs in the Melting Ice -- An expert on the Arctic climate says the melting of polar ice is a sign of larger changes to the Earth's atmosphere. (12/23/2005)
• Saving Species -- A study of endangered species finds that helping them recover is possible if people just dedicate the time and money to making it happen. (12/26/2005)
• The Canary's Warning -- Experts at Yale University have put together an online database to help researchers keep up to date on the health of animals and people. (12/27/2005)
• Terminal Condition -- Rising demand for natural gas might lead to more imports of liquefied gas. Critics say that will be expensive and potentially dangerous. (12/28/2005)
• Measuring Success -- Ecologists are looking at ways to measure the cost-effectiveness of conservation programs. (12/29/2005)
• Fresh Connection -- Farm advocates in Rhode Island work to connect local growers with consumers, including families, restaurants, and college dining halls. (12/30/2005)
• The Play World of Dolphins -- Dolphins like to play, and the games they make up are more than just amusement. In fact, they might be essential for their survival. (1/2/2006)
• Keeping an Eye on the Ice -- Ice in the coldest parts of the world appears to be sensitive to small increases in the temperature of the atmosphere. (1/3/2006)
• Long-Running Debate -- People are still arguing about a dam that flooded a spectacular valley in Yosemite National Park more than 80 years ago. (1/4/2006)
• Early Warming -- A new book argues that humans began to affect the climate when the first plow went into the ground. (1/5/2006)
• Ocean Puzzles and Patterns -- Marine ecologists discover a surprising variety of life at some "hot spots" on the open ocean. (1/6/2006)
• Going with the Wind -- Wind power projects have boosted the struggling economies of many rural communities in western states. (1/9/2006)
• Natural Remedy -- A growing number of studies show that exposure to nature helps maintain healthy bodies and minds. (1/10/2006)
• Arctic Expedition -- A major research mission uses an icebreaker to sail across the Arctic Ocean and study organisms that live in the waters of that frigid world. (1/11/2006)
• Scent of a Lamprey -- Scientists say they have found a new way to fight sea lampreys in the Great Lakes. They have a plan to lead the parasites by the nose into traps. (1/12/2006)
• Uncertain Future -- Climate change will affect the way the planet looks and how some people live, but most of the impacts remain unknown. (1/13/2006)
• Endangered Ice Ecosystems -- The ice cover of the Arctic Ocean supports a complex ecosystem, and it might disappear as the northern latitudes grow warmer. (1/16/2006)
• Shelter from the Waste -- An international effort plans for a new enclosure around the ruins of the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl. (1/17/2006)
• Deterring Diversions -- A new agreement could make it virtually impossible for western states to gain access to water from the
  Great Lakes. (1/18/2006)
• Hidden Valley -- A lot of people want to tear down a dam to restore a scenic valley in Yosemite National Park. (1/19/2006)
• Kicking the Mercury Habit -- The European Union takes action to help people around the world start cutting their use of mercury. (1/20/2006)

6. Staff News
New Appointments
Nick Zlonis (MN Sea Grant), communication designer, was elected chair of the National Sea Grant Webmaster's Group.

Steve Stewart (MI Sea Grant) was elected Chair-elect for National Sea Grant Educators Network. Stewart recently served as Secretary of the SGEN. He is the COSEE GL coordinator for MI Sea Grant and is serving as a member of the GLOS steering committee.

MN Sea Grant - New Maritime Extension Educator
Dale Bergeron has been hired as a maritime extension educator. Previously, he worked as a strategic planning consultant for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and for UMD as development director for the medical school. He also has experience in the private sector. As maritime extension educator, Bergeron holds a joint position with the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute and Minnesota Sea Grant. He will work with the maritime industry, policy makers, natural resource professionals, the Great Lakes Sea Grant community, and Great Lakes researchers to increase cooperation among organizations, improve environmental management, and apply university research results to help solve problems and improve efficiencies. Bergeron can be reached at debergero@d.umn.edu or (218) 726-7672.

WI Sea Grant - Award of Excellence
The UW Sea Grant Biennial Report 2002-2004 was recognized with an Award of Excellence in the 35th annual design competition of the University and College Designer's Association, held September in San Diego. Congratulations to Tina Yao, designer and art director; Amy Kittleson, designer; John Karl and Kathleen Schmitt, writers; Stephen Wittman, writer and editor; and American Printing.

MN Sea Grant - Distinguished Faculty Award
Barb Liukkonen, water resources education coordinator, earned the Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Minnesota Extension Service. The award was presented at the annual extension service meeting held during October in Brooklyn Center, Minn.