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Sea Grant 2002 Updates Archive |
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Links in the archive are not updated - many may be broken over time. URLs which are not linked are no longer valid (retained as historical).
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December 2002Contents
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. WI Sea Grant - Is our Water Safe? Human health issues addressed
at public forum The presenters offered many recommendations for addressing risks,
among them to: The complete list of recommendations as well as audience members'
questions and presenters' responses can be found at 3. MI Sea Grant Transfer MI Sea Grant has formally announced the transfer of the UM part of Michigan Sea Grant from the College of Engineering to the School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE). The Dean of SNRE, Rosina Bierbaum, has declared the Great Lakes as one of five major themes of the School and we expect that UM MSG will flourish in this environment. This transfer will bring the academic and administrative arms of Great lakes to a common program and should invigorate Sea Grant's efforts in interdisciplinary studies and Great Lakes ecology. MI Sea Grant expects to physically move from the North Campus to the Central Campus during the winter term. This change should be largely transparent to external constituencies - addresses, phone and FAX numbers will likely change within a few months and those changes will be widely communicated. In the meantime, personnel of both units - MSG and CILER - can be contacted as before. As part of this move, the Provost has granted SNRE a senior, tenured faculty line for the next Michigan Sea Grant Director. The search committee is being organized. 4. MI Sea Grant - UM seeks to reinvigorate Great Lakes Science The School of Natural Resources & Environment (SNRE) at the University of Michigan has partnered with Michigan's Sea Grant College Program and the Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER). The University of Michigan is determined to reinvigorate its Great Lakes instructional and research activity, with the focus in SNRE. The School of Natural Resources & Environment (SNRE) has recently defined four theme areas, which describe foci of interdisciplinary research emphasized within the School; one of these areas is Great Lakes. Developing strategies for the careful management of the Great Lakes is one of SNRE's leading priorities. Approximately one quarter of the School's faculty have self-identified as active in this area. SNRE, with its Great Lakes focus and cohort of faculty involved in Great Lakes research can offer a synergistic home for MSG and CILER, thereby facilitating the rebuilding of the Great Lakes program at Michigan. 5. MI Sea Grant Symposium Ann Arbor-University of Michigan (UM) President Mary Sue Coleman addressed a capacity crowd at a November 2002 symposium in Ann Arbor, stressing UM's commitment to reclaim its once pre-eminent position in Great Lakes research. Coleman highlighted the ecological and economic importance of the Great Lakes, which contain about one-fifth of the world's surface supply of fresh water and virtually surround the state of Michigan. To place the size of the Great Lakes in context, the waters of Puget Sound can fit into Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, while the Chesapeake Bay can fit comfortably into the bottom third of Lake Michigan. The two-day symposium featured presentations by UM faculty highlighting 10 priority issues. Among the most pressing topics covered were the damaging impacts of aquatic nuisance species and diversion and consumption of Great Lakes water. UM researchers noted that the rate of aquatic nuisance species introductions into the Great Lakes is increasing, leading to growing economic costs and a loss of aquatic biodiversity. Diversion and consumption of Great Lakes water will also increase with population growth and, according to UM researchers, may be magnified by the effects of global warming. In closing comments, Rosina Bierbaum, Dean of UM's School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), praised the symposium as "provocative and invigorating." She announced that UM Office of Vice President for Research (OVPR) has committed $200,000 annually for four years to fund interdisciplinary Great Lakes research projects as part of its new Great Lakes Initiative. Michigan Sea Grant was instrumental in organizing the symposium in partnership with SNRE and in conjunction with the second annual Peter M. Wege Lecture. As part of the Great Lakes Initiative, Michigan Sea Grant will formally be transferred from the UM College of Engineering to the UM School of Natural Resources and Environment. In light of the symposium's success, organizers plan to publish papers presented in a peer-reviewed journal, coordinate a Great Lakes seminar series, and establish the Great Lakes symposium as an annual event. 6. Michigan Sea Grant Recommends New Great Lakes Research Projects Michigan Sea Grant recently selected five Great Lakes research projects to receive a total of $539,786 in federal funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant Program. The projects leverage an additional $285,485 in non-federal match over a two-year period beginning March 2003. The projects will investigate changing Great Lakes food web dynamics, state-of-the art zebra mussel control strategies and contaminants contained in coastal wetlands. The new research projects coincide with three of the five priority issues identified in Michigan Sea Grant's five-year strategic plan-Great Lakes trophic change, aquatic nuisance species, and coastal wetlands. Following is a list and brief description of research projects and principal investigators. For more information on Michigan Sea Grant funded research, visit the program web site at www.miseagrant.org. Awards will be official March 1, 2003 when the National Sea Grant College Program approves the 2003 budget.
7. IL-IN Sea Grant - Fish Profiling May Help Prevent Future
Great Lakes Invasions Suspect profiling is a commonly used technique in the fight against crime. Now, according to a study reported in the November 8th issue of the journal Science, scientists are using species profiling to help prevent further introductions of invasive fish into the Great Lakes and other waterways. "Once an invasive species becomes established in a new environment, its impact often is irreversible," said David Lodge, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant researcher and a biologist at the University of Notre Dame. "If we knew which ones would be likely to present problems in the future, we could focus our efforts on preventing those particular species from taking hold," said Lodge, who is a member of the Federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee. To provide some answers, Lodge and fellow researcher Cindy Kolar, developed a risk-assessment "decision tree" that environmental agencies and managers can use to predict possible culprits of tomorrow. This computer model correctly identified nuisance fish with a high degree of accuracy. Using data from as far back as the glacial age, the researchers gathered information on a range of species characteristics to identify those that are likely to be adaptive in new environments. "Introduced species that are successful have several traits in common," said Lodge. "More so than unsuccessful invaders, they tolerate a wide range in temperature and salinity. These fishes are also smaller at maturity and have higher reproduction rates." By applying the profiles to fishes that have not yet been introduced to the Great Lakes, Lodge and Kolar have identified 22 species that one-day may pose problems. With this sort of information, prevention efforts can be targeted. "An immediate rapid response to a species that is a likely threat even if it is fairly expensive might save a great deal of money and effort, and reduce environmental effects, down the road," said Lodge. CONTACT: David Lodge, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Research Scientist, Associate Professor of Biology, University of Notre Dame, Phone: (574) 631-6094 8. IL-IN Sea Grant - Eurasian Ruffe May Increase Pressure on
Lake Michigan Yellow Perch Eurasian ruffe, an invasive fish whose numbers have multiplied dramatically in Lake Superior, have now been spotted in northern parts of Lake Michigan. The good news is that round gobies, which are already abundant in Lake Michigan, may keep ruffe numbers down. The bad news is that Eurasian ruffe will nonetheless deplete resources for yellow perch, an important native sport fish. With funding from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Gary Lamberti, University of Notre Dame, and Martin Berg of Loyola (Ill.) University have been studying the relationship among Eurasian ruffe, round gobies and zebra mussels, and how this "exotic triad" can affect yellow perch. "Exotic species now dominate the food webs of the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan," says Lamberti. The researchers found that although the relationship between these invaders is complex, one fact is simple. The successful species is often the one that gets there first, noting that in Lake Superior Eurasian ruffe have become the dominant fish, while in Lake Michigan, round gobies have become numerically dominant, relegating ruffe to deeper waters. Yellow perch in Lake Michigan are pressured early in life by competition from zebra mussels and round gobies. Zebra mussels filter plankton that larval perch need to grow. Gobies not only eat yellow perch eggs, they also compete with young perch for invertebrate food. Even a diminished ruffe presence will further impact the young perch. As yellow perch grow larger they move to deeper waters, as do ruffe. Unlike larger yellow perch, ruffe prefer the bottom habitat, but nonetheless the two species will continue to tap the same food sources. "The addition of Eurasian ruffe to Lake Michigan waters will likely increase the bottleneck on yellow perch," said Lamberti. "The native fish will experience increased competition during several stages of its life." Contact: Gary Lamberti, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Researcher, Associate Professor of Biology, University of Notre Dame; Phone: (574) 631-8075; Martin Berg, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Researcher, Assistant Professor of Biology, Loyola (Ill.) University; Phone: (773) 508-8853 9. Tidbits OH Sea Grant - National Ocean Science Bowl A new addition to the NOSB family - High schools in Ohio and the surrounding area are invited to participate in the Penguin Bowl hosted by Youngstown State University on March 1, 2003. 10. Web News An international, interdisciplinary program that uses state-of-the-art
technology such as the Internet and satellite feeds to enable 4th-
through 8th-grade students to see and talk with scientists and researchers
doing fieldwork in remote locations in the world. Site also provides
professional development for teachers. Features include profiles
of Great Lakes fish, birds, and frogs; interactive quizzes; guides
to student and teacher resources, interviews with scientists, and
student art and projects as developed as part of the JASON Project
curriculum. This award-winning site is run by Wisconsin Sea Grant.
Check it out at WI Sea Grant - MODIS Image Server The UW-Madison Environmental Remote Sensing Center has just released
its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image
server. The server is accessible through a link on the center's
website at Established at the University in 1970, ERSC is one of the largest and oldest remote-sensing facilities in the United States. Its primary mission is to develop and apply cutting-edge remote sensing and geospatial technologies to improve our understanding of environmental systems, problems and solutions. The center is interested in obtaining feedback onthe site. Please send comments to sabatzli@wisc.edu MN Sea Grant - Superior Pursuit: Facts About The Greatest
Great Lake 11. Publications
MI Sea Grant - Upwellings (online at: www.miseagrant.org/pubs/up)
WI -Sea Grant - Silver in the Environment Anders W. Andren and Thomas W Bober, eds., Silver in the Environment: Transport, Fate, and Effects" Pensacola Florida: Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 169 pages, 2002. WISCU-W-00-001. $40. Contact linda@seagrant.wisc.edu for ordering information. 12. Staff News In addition, to the President's appointment, Michigan's Governor John Engler recently named Taylor as one of four members to the Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinating Council. Taylor will represent the general public for a term ending December 16, 2004. This newly created council will be responsible for improved coordination between the relevant state departments, the federal government, other Great Lakes states, existing Great Lakes institutions, and the general public. MI Sea Grant - Brenner named Chair-elect of the National Sea Grant Web Specialists Network Dave Brenner , Michigan Sea Grant Senior Graphic Artist, has been named Chair-elect of the National Sea Grant Web Specialists Network. The Sea Grant Web Specialists Network oversees web standards and consistency for the 30 Sea Grant programs. Brenner was an integral part of creating the look and feel for the Sea Grant regional web sites and responsible for the management of the Great Lakes region. In his role as Chair-elect, Brenner will serve a three-year term, representing the Sea Grant Web community internally as well as enhancing Sea Grant's overall Web presence. WI Sea Grant - Sea Grant Mourns Death of G.C. Becker In a September 2000 interview, Becker said he had intended to keep his love for the natural world separate from his vocation. But that changed when he met Aldo Leopold. "That was a wrenching experience,"Becker said of his realization that he'd have to change careers. In the mid 1950s, he left his position as a high school principal and earned master's degrees in zoology and botany, then a Ph.D. in ichthyology from UW-Madison. During a course with the prominent limnologist Arthur Hassler, he was surprised to find the only overview of Wisconsin fish was a thin book of about 100 pages. "And that was all! For the state of Wisconsin!" he recalled. "And that's where the idea for Fishes of Wisconsin was born." Becker spent much of the next three decades collecting research articles and, with the help of his students, gathering more than 250,000 fish specimens. Supported in part by UW Sea Grant, Becker spent six years writing, editing and drawing illustrations for the 1,052-page book. Becker taught biology at UW-Stevens Point for 22 years. He was
involved in many science, biology and conservation organizations,
including the Citizens' Natural Resources Association; the
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters; and the Wisconsin
Ornithological Society.
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November 2002Contents:
8. Publications
9. Staff News
___________________________________________________________________________________________________ The local organizing committee is now accepting abstracts for invited
symposia, oral and poster presentations. The theme of the meeting,
"Conservation of Land and Water Interactions," will focus
attention on water, forests, wetlands, the Great Lakes, other large
lakes and rivers of the world, marine and coastal systems, and associated
biodiversity issues. Deadline for submission is
Some male fish that dwell in Minnesota waters are developing female
characteristics, according to a study by Sea Grant researchers.
Smaller sex organs, female proteins and sterility were some of the
characteristics found among populations of walleye, fathead minnow
and carp. The mix-up is caused when chemicals get into waterways
and then interferes with the fishes' development and University of Minnesota Sea Grant researcher Deb Swackhamer and
her team are studying two Minnesota waterways (Duluth-Superior Harbor
and the Mississippi River near St. Paul) to learn more about the
source of the environmental estrogens, as well as their effects
on fish. Considered endocrine disruptors, the chemicals can reach
the environment through sewage systems, paper Many questions still remain. So far, researchers have been unable to pinpoint a specific chemical as the cause of the sexual changes. The team has found that some wild male walleye taken from waters near a sewage outflow of the Mississippi River had high levels of the female egg protein vitellogenin, decreased gonad size and no sperm. But laboratory goldfish exposed to the same water experienced much lesser effects. "Even these subtle effects may have an impact on wild fish," says Swackhamer, "where reproductive opportunities are limited and competition is severe." Further study of fish in Duluth, and eventually the entire Great Lakes, should give her team a better idea of what causes the fish to develop female characteristics. CONTACT: Deb Swackhamer, Minnesota Sea Grant Researcher and University of Minnesota Professor, School of Public Health (O) 612-626-0435 3. WI Sea Grant - 2004-06 RFPs Working with anyone at the University of Wisconsin? UW Sea Grant began soliciting preliminary proposals for the 2004-06 grant period on October 28, with a submission deadline for pre-proposals of December 2, 2002. While federal employees cannot receive funding from Sea Grant, some of your University-based collaborators may be eligible. Additional information, descriptions of currently funded projects and UW Sea Grant draft 2002-06 strategic plan can be found at www.seagrant.wisc.edu or contact assistant director for research James Hurley for more information. 4. NY Sea Grant - Fisheries undergrads get a taste of research In early October, fisheries undergraduates studying with Karin Limburg at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse came aboard Stony Brook University's R/V Seawolf to evaluate the abundance, variety, and value of the "catch" in Port Jefferson Harbor. Marine Sciences Research Center's Tim Essington hosted the joint field trip. During a morning cruise on the state-of-the-art research vessel, the combined group of students netted and studied commercially important finfish and shellfish from Long Island Sound. Both classes benefited from the experience. Of the ESF undergrads from Syracuse, Limburg says, "This was a great opportunity for them to get some hands-on appreciation of saltwater fish and to compare the diversity and abundance of marine life to what they see in inland waters upstate." Adds Essington, "By sharing our data, both classes are getting a good picture of the nature of the fish community, the scale of the system, and a sense of their population dynamics." Both Essington and Limburg receive funding from New York Sea Grant for separate research studies. Essington's current Sea Grant project analyzes the interactions between squid and their fish predators in the continental shelf ecosystem. His results will be used to complete federal fisheries management plans in the mid-Atlantic region. Limburg recently completed a Sea Grant study on blueback herring, a Hudson River native that has taken up residency in the fresh waters of the Mohawk River and the Great Lakes. Although well studied in estuaries, little is known about the chances of its spreading westward. 5. MI Sea Grant - Re-invigorating Great Lakes Research and Michigan
Sea Grant Director Search "In a state that touches four of the five bodies of water and defines itself-geographically, historically and psychologically-by its coastlines, it's hard to imagine a more pressing ecological research imperative," said Coleman. Coleman highlighted the ecological and economic importance of the Great Lakes, which contain about one-fifth of the world's surface supply of fresh water and virtually surround the state of Michigan. To place the size of the Great Lakes in context, the waters of Puget Sound can fit into Lake Huron's Saginaw Bay, while the Chesapeake Bay can fit comfortably into the bottom third of Lake Michigan. In closing comments, Rosina Bierbaum, Dean of UM's School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE), praised the symposium as "provocative and invigorating." She announced that UM Office of Vice President for Research (OVPR) has committed $200,000 annually for four years to fund multidisciplinary Great Lakes research projects as part of its new Great Lakes Initiative. The UM Great Lakes Initiative also calls for a national director search for the Michigan Sea Grant College Program, one of 30 Sea Grant programs in the nation. Michigan Sea Grant was instrumental in organizing the symposium in partnership with SNRE and in conjunction with the second annual Peter M. Wege Lecture. 6. OH - Stone Laboratory Awarded Enhancement Grant F.T. Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University's Island Campus, recently received a grant of $348,000 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) helped obtain this grant that will enhance the equipment and facilities used by students and researchers at Stone Laboratory. "We really owe a debt of gratitude to Senator DeWine. This award will greatly enhance our research, education, and outreach programs and impact thousands of students and scientists studying at the Laboratory each year,"said Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, Laboratory Director. "With so many changes occurring in Lake Erie, this is a perfect time to enhance our research capabilities,"he added. The grant will be used to enhance the Laboratory's research, education, and outreach programs by purchasing new microscopes, computers, and radar units for the Laboratory's research vessels the BioLab and Gibraltar III, and supporting the construction of an educational kiosk on South Bass Island near the Laboratory. The award will also fund major renovations to the first floor of the Research Building. Stone Laboratory is located on Gibraltar Island in Put-in-Bay harbor, Lake Erie. Established in 1895, it is the oldest freshwater biological field station in the U.S. Each summer, the Laboratory offers college courses for credit in the biological sciences and natural resources. Programs for students in grades 4-12 are offered during the school year. The Laboratory is also a year-round research facility. To learn more about Stone Laboratory programs, visit www.sg.ohio-state.edu. 7. Web News MI Sea Grant - Purple Pages The Great Lakes Information Network recently featured Michigan Sea Grant's "Purple Pages" http://www.miseagrant.org/pp/ as the "What's New on GLIN" web site of the day. "They're beautiful and informative... the menu rollovers are awesome and really helpful/useful! Great design." The Purple Pages were featured on Daily News page http://www.great-lakes.net/news,
listed on the Invasive Species page http://www.great-lakes.net/envt/flora-fauna/invasive/invasive.html
and the Purple Loosestrife page at Also, the National Science Teacher Association recently notified
us of their selection of a Purple Pages activity MN Sea Grant - Lake Ecology Primer Check out an on-line limnology primer,
8. Publications IL-IN Sea Grant "The HELM" http://www.iisgcp.org/aboutus/focus/helm/index.html Fall 2002
OH Sea Grant - "Twine Line" http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/pdfs/tl-so-02.pdf Sept/Oct 2002
IL-IN Sea Grant - contact Susan White at white2@uiuc.edu for ordering information Stop Ballast Water Invasions. A brochure on ballast management tips,aquatic nuisances species information,and regulations regarding ballast water for the shipping industry. Also included are provisions, reporting and verification, and enforcement programs. 8pp. Don't Dump Bait Stickers. Preprinted stickers for bags and minnow buckets carry a message that discourages release of unwanted bait into the wild. Improved Decision-Making for Water Resources: The Key to Sustainable Development for Metropolitan Regions. 153 pp. IISG Annual Report 2001. This report describes the activities of the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program for the period from January 1,2001 until December 31,2001. Protecting Our Water and Environmental Resources. A model for incorporating natural resources into local land use decisions. You can download this publication at www.planningwithpower.org . How to Get Started: Protecting Your Town from Polluted Runoff. Provides a step-by-step process for citizens and local leaders. You can download this publication at www.planningwithpower.org. WI Sea Grant - contact linda@seagrant.wisc.edu for oredering information Patrick J. Schmalz, Michael J. Hansen, Mark E. Holey, Patrick C. McKee and Michael L. Toneys, "Lake Trout Movements in Northwestern Lake Michigan," North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 22:737-749, 2002. WISCU-R-02-010 James T. Waples and J Val Klump, "Biophysical Effects of a Decadal Shift in Summer Wind Direction Over the Laurentian Great Lakes," Geophysical Research Letters, 29(8)10.1029/2001 GL014564, 2002 WISCU-R-02-011 Dredge Materials Symposium Proceedings A special issue of Ecological Engineering has been produced based on the NOAA-Sea Grant Symposium on the "Beneficial Uses of Dredge Materials for Coastal Ecosystem Restoration." Contents:
Available from Rhode Island Sea Grant. Order: Ecological Engineering 19(3). 2002. 51 pages. $25. Send check or money order payable to Rhode Island Sea Grant/URI to: Rhode Island Sea Grant Publications, URI Bay Campus, Narragansett, RI 02882-1197. For more information, please contact Jean Gallo, Rhode Island Sea Grant publications manager, at (401) 874-6842. "Sediment Toxicity Risk Assessment: Where are We and Where Should We be Going?" is a 100-page publication including four technical papers presented at a workshop held in conjunction with the above symposium plus an edited transcript of a facilitated workshop included in the workshop. Papers include:
Copies are available for $7.00 each. Checks should be made out to NJMSC and sent to Dredged Materials Proceedings, NJMSC, Bldg. #22 Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 Additional information can be obtained by contacting Kim Kosko, NJMSC. MN Sea Grant - NEW Exotics ID Cards Available Eurasian watermilfoil is the latest species targeted by Sea Grant's aquatic nuisance species identification card series. The free wallet-sized card gives background information about why Eurasian watermilfoil is a problem, outlines what actions boaters and anglers can take to prevent the spread of this problem species, and provides identification details. We have also updated the Purple Loosestrife WATCH identification card. Cards were produced for 8 states, plus the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and Canada. Plans are in the works to produce a European frog-bit card (an aquatic nuisance plant), a combination spiny waterflea/fishhook waterflea card, and a rusty crayfish card. Specific versions were developed for Illinois-Indiana, Lake Champlain,
Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin
plus the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canada-Ontario. 1.1
million of these cards were produced by Minnesota Sea Grant through
a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
to the National Sea Grant Single cards are free. GLERL Staff wishing to obtain cards for distribution should contact Rochelle Sturtevant. 9. Staff News ESCAPE IL-IN Sea Grant - Beach Watch NY - David White named to MEEF 2002-2003 BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Marine Environmental Education Foundation (MEEF) recently named its 2002-2003 Board of Directors. David White, representing New York Sea Grant, replaced Jim Fry as the Chairman of the 17 member Board. "This year's Board reflects the growing diversification of MEEF's activities,"said Dave White, newly elected Chairman of the MEEF Board of Directors. He continued "This new board reflects MEEF's desire to increase the number of clean marina activities its supports as well as continuing its successful programming aimed at raising awareness about clean boating." Founded in 1994, MEEF has evolved as a national consortium of marine
industry associations, marine businesses, academia, government agencies
and environmental groups that have come together to promote clean
water through education and experience. By bringing together national
specialists, MEEF is able to develop educational programs and research
on marine environmental MN Sea Grant - Bowen Earns Outstanding Service Award Debbie Bowen, information specialist, has earned an Outstanding Service Award from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Bowen will be recognized in a ceremony in November for her productivity under pressure, initiative in the use of technology and in working on several web sites, her innovative ideas for publications production, excellent performance, and dedication to Minnesota Sea Grant and the University. MN Sea Grant - Shoreland Education Awards Cindy Hagley environmental quality specialist, and Barb Liukkonen,
water resources educator, were recognized as members of The Shoreland
Education Team, which won two awards: the University of Minnesota
Extension Service's Dean and Director's Outstanding Team Award,
and Excellence in Programming - Natural Resources and the Environment
from the Minnesota Hagley and Liukkonen were part of an eight-person team dedicated to tackling the deterioration of Minnesota's shorelands. The team organized educational efforts to reach shoreland owners, recreational lake users and other groups. They developed a "Shoreland Design" curriculum and trained a network of residents to become shoreland volunteers. The team was recognized for creating a statewide education plan, producing a Web site and CD, and setting up demonstration sites. Almost 100,000 square feet of shoreland was revegetated to protect water quality, improve habitat, and decrease runoff and erosion. MN Sea Grant - Barb Peichel Awarded Knauss Fellowship Barbara Peichel, a recent graduate in Water Resources Science and a Minnesota Sea Grant program assistant, will leave for Washington, D.C., in February to work with the legislative branch of the federal government as a Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. With notable dedication and energy, Peichel has already built a
sturdy professional foundation. Her masters of science research,
funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, prioritized wetland
restoration efforts in the St. Louis River Watershed of Minnesota.
As a Minnesota Sea Grant staff member, Peichel conducted surveys
on urban watershed practices, led educational efforts IL-IN Sea Grant - Student Awards Graduate student Joanne Lasrado,whose Purdue University research is funded by IISG, won the Institute of Food Technology, Toxicology and Safety Evaluation Division's Graduate Paper Competition in June in Anaheim,California,with her poster titled,"Measurement of PCBs in Fish Tissue Using GC and ELISA."The competition judges commented on her broad appreciation for the subject matter and on her enthusiastic presentation of the research. MI Sea Grant - Anna Grace Breederland |
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October 2002Contents
_______________________________________________ The University of Michigan Great Lakes Symposium: Our Challenging Future is scheduled for November 5 and 6. The agenda includes presenations by U of M researchers on their Great Lakes research, a keynote address "Relevant Ecogenic Research: What to Store, What to Re-Store, What to Create, and How to Adapt to Emergent Chaotic Complexities" by Henry Regier, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto, and an associated lecture "the Second Annual Wege Lecture: Reflections on the Great Lakes" by Joseph L. Sax. All GLERL staff are welcome to attend. The agenda and registration information is available at http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/symposium/ 2. WI Sea Grant - 30 Years of Earthwatch Radio The Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute has been turning out two-minute programs on science and the environment for 30 years. September marked the 30th anniversary of its highly successful "Earthwatch Radio" program, and the project is gearing up to take on the challenges of a world where cyberspace is the new frontier for environmental outreach. The radio project was initiated in 1972 by UW-Madison students and staff at the Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute and the Institute for Environmental Studies. With faculty support, they started the first radio program in the country to concentrate on environmental news, and today it is the longest-running program of its kind in the nation. The Earthwatch Radio project has gone through significant changes since its first tapes were produced in September 1972. In the beginning, a total of 12 stations in Wisconsin subscribed to the service; today it's used by more than 140 outlets across the United States and from Canada to Costa Rica. The reel-to-reel tapes that stations once received have been replaced by digital compact discs, and the people who edit the recordings of interviews don't cut tape with razor blades anymore; they cut and splice sound bites with audio editing software. Of course the Internet has changed the project as well. Now people can read the scripts by subscribing to an email service that distributes them daily; they can also find them by logging onto the program's Web site (ewradio.org). Earthwatch Radio has received a number of honors over the years,
including awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support
of Education, the National Sea Grant network, and the United Nations
Environment Programme. (The radio program was named to the UN's
Global 500 Honor Roll in 1992.) In addition, the program achieved
a long-time goal in 2002 of having the name Aside from serving as an educational program and as a kind of training lab for students, Earthwatch fills an important role on the UW-Madison campus, according to Peyton Smith, assistant vice chancellor in the Provost's Office. "Programs like Earthwatch help translate what's happening at the university into the public consciousness," Smith said, "They increase public understanding of important issues and that leads to greater science literacy."Smith, who was the first student working on the Earthwatch Radio Project back in 1972, and who later served as communications coordinator for Wisconsin Sea Grant, also said the program fulfills "a cherished, core value" of the university-the Wisconsin Idea. "Outreach is a central part of our mission,"he said. "Earthwatch is one means of facilitating a two-way flow of information from the university to the people of Wisconsin and back again, which is so important in extending the university beyond the parameters of the campus to the boundaries of the state and beyond." EarthWatch Radio programs have included interviews with many GLERL scientists over the years -- most recently a program interviewing Brent Lofgren slated for release October 30th. 3. IL-IN Sea Grant - Electric Barrier May Stop Bighead Carp 4. Ohio Sea Grant to Initiate Steelhead Angler Survey Later this month, Ohio Sea Grant will initiate a Lake Erie-tributary steelhead angler survey. The overall goal of the survey is to document the economic contributions of the steelhead fishery using information collected from steelhead anglers. People fishing on the following Lake Erie tributaries, located in northeast and north-central Ohio, will be targeted for the survey: Conneaut Creek, Ashtabula River, Arcola Creek, Grand River, Chagrin River, Cuyahoga River, Rocky River, the Vermilion River, and other smaller tributary streams and creeks. Anglers will be contacted in person while out on the water about participating in the survey, and those who agree will have the survey mailed to them. The survey will include questions about how many trips steelhead anglers make, how much time they spend fishing per outing, how many fish they catch, and how many they keep. All responses will be confidential. The survey will continue through the fall and winter of 2002, and spring of 2003 as weather conditions allow. Northeast Ohio steelhead angling associations, coastal visitor bureaus, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and others are interested in improving steelhead angling opportunities. However, there is currently no reliable data available about the needs, expenditures, or opinions of Ohio steelhead anglers regarding the value of the fishery. The survey results will help fill the knowledge gap about this valuable resource. "The idea behind developing the steelhead survey began with the Emerald Necklace Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders, Western Reserve Anglers, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club," said Steve Madewell, Deputy Director of Lake County Metroparks. "These groups have collectively realized the economic and recreational importance of steelhead fishing to northeast Ohio," he added. Lake Metroparks has worked hard to promote appropriate access to streams in Lake County. The survey results will be analyzed by Ohio Sea Grant and reported to local county visitor bureaus, angling groups, the ODNR, Division of Wildlife and others interested in the growing Ohio steelhead fishery. This project is sponsored by the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, the Lake Erie Protection Fund, Ohio State University Extension, the Lake County Visitors Bureau, the Central Basin Steelheaders, and the Emerald Necklace Chapter #133 of Trout Unlimited. 5. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to Help Improve Beach Monitoring 6. MN Sea Grant - Scholarship Boosts Contaminant Research Hudson is collecting field and laboratory data in cooperation with his advisor, Professor Deborah Swackhamer, and project leader, Assistant Professor James Cotner. "The part that bacteria plays in contaminant cycling in lakes is unclear," said Hudson. "Current models looking at the flow of contaminants through a food web like Lake Superior's don't factor in bacteria. Our aim is to collect data that will help define the role of these important organisms in accumulating contaminants." 7. MI Sea Grant Research Projects in the 2003-2005 Omnibus Proposal Faisal, Mohamed, MSU, Identification of Adhesion Molecules in the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Adlerstein, Sara, UM, Impacts of Exotic Species and Trophic Change on Fish Community Structure, Population Dynamics and Food Web Linkages in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron Scribner, Kim, MSU, Spatial Genetic Structuring of Forage Fish in the Upper Great Lakes: Evidence for a Subdivided Forage Base and Implications for Structuring in Predatory Fish Species Lewis, Brent, Kettering University, An Evaluation of Seasonal and Temporal Variability in Potential Trace Metal Remobilization in Coastal Wetlands Sediments Using Voltammetric Microelectrode Technology Jude, David, UM, The Impact of the Diporeia Decline on the Competitive Interactions and Distributions of Slimy and Deepwater Sculpins in Lake Michigan 8. MN Sea Grant - SUPERIOR SCIENCE FOR YOU! - A Monthly Speaker Series Beginning on October 9, the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program is hosting a free public speaker series featuring eight respected scientists. If you can't travel to the talks, they can travel to you. The Duluth presentations will be broadcast via live streaming video over the Internet from the Minnesota Sea Grant Web site, www.seagrant.umn.edu/speakerseries/index.html. Those in the desktop audience can e-mail questions to the researchers during the question period following each talk. Videos of the Duluth presentations will be archived on Sea Grant's Web site, or you can catch the book and CD to be published late next year. Up next ... November 13, 7 pm-8 pm, Duluth, EPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Gitchee Gumee Conference Facility, 6201 Congdon Blvd. Romancing the Sea Lamprey Forget wine and candlelight. If you want to attract a female sea lamprey, you've got to use the right cologne -- in this case, a sex pheromone. Dr. Li will describe his groundbreaking research, which yielded a purified vial of this super-powered sexual attractant from a ton of water and is expected to lead to novel management options for controlling this damaging invasive species in the Great Lakes. 9. MI Sea Grant - Where's the Beach? Low water levels in the Great Lakes have helped create a critical coastal habitat referred to as an "emergent wetland." These areas are characterized by large expanses of vegetation and sometimes a soft mud zone, separating upland from water. These fertile wetlands have returned in dramatic fashion to the shoreline in some areas of the state, most noticeably in the Saginaw Bay region. "Saginaw Bay has a gradual slope to the shoreline," explains Michigan Sea Grant Extension Agent Walter Hoagman. "Consequently, low water levels expose extensive mudflats, which sprout up quickly with wetland plants." Although these emergent wetlands are part of a natural process, not everyone sees their beauty. The plants block access and views of the water, and the soft mud deters swimmers. As a result, many shoreline property-owners in the Saginaw Bay area have plowed or graded their beaches, added sand or built footbridges to the water. The trouble, according to Daniel Morgan of the Saginaw Bay district office of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), is that many of these activities are being conducted in ecologically sensitive areas that are protected by federal and state regulations. Without a proper permit, says Morgan, the activities are illegal and will result in significant natural resource damage. To learn more about the benefits of emergent wetlands and state
and federal regulations governing Great Lakes bottomlands, see
10. WebNews MN Sea Grant has redesigned their home page www.seagrant.umn.edu as the first step in efforts to make the site accessible for disabled users. 11. Tidbits National Extension Tourism Conference 12. Publications
13. Staff News WI- New Specialist Brings Smart Mapping Tools to Wisconsin Geographic information systems (GIS) are the most powerful tool in coastal zone management. The smart, flexible, high-tech mapping tools collect, store, analyze and disseminate information about any place on earth-its applications limited only by imagination. "GIS can be used for practically anything, from mapping disease breakouts to modeling nonpoint-source pollution contributions in a coastal area,"said David Hart, Wisconsin's new full-time GIS outreach specialist. Hart, who previously worked with Sea Grant on coastal GIS applications through the UW-Madison Land Information and Graphics Facility, became a Wisconsin Sea Grant employee in August. He is now based at the Aquatic Sciences Center on the UW-Madison campus. Wisconsin Sea Grant is one of the only programs in the country with a full-time GIS Specialist on its outreach team. Hart's appointment reflects the program's dedication to the use of new tools to understand coastal processes. Hart is well qualified for the job, having worked for nine years with the Land Information and Graphics Facility, where, among other projects, he used GIS to model urban nonpoint-source pollution contributions in Lake Superior. He holds a PhD in Land Resources from the UW-Madison and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of New Orleans. How will GIS serve Wisconsin? Its applications in coastal zone management range from analyzing aerial photography to better understand shoreline erosion processes, to modeling nonpoint-source pollution inputs according to land surfaces, to linking tax assessment files to property maps, in order to plot the value of coastal lands. "Because it's a visual aid, GIS helps people really understand coastal issues and how these problems affect their property,"said Hart. Hart currently is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to compare historical photography with modern images to identify erosion trends along the Lake Michigan shoreline. He also is developing teaching models so the technology can be used by state and local planning and management officials to integrate site-specific information into problem-solving scenarios. To find out more, call Dave Hart at (608) 262-6515, or email him at dhart@aqua.wisc.edu. Or visit the Wisconsin Coastal GIS Application Web site at http://coastal.lic.wisc.edu/. MI Sea Grant staff receive APEX awards MI Sea Grant - Michigan Outdoor Writers Association award IL-IN Sea Grant - New Director's Contact information: |
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September 2002Correction - Invasive Plant Brochure Contents:
______________________________________________________________________________ OH - Research Profile: Dr. Maria Gonzalez Dr. Maria Gonzalez' work in the arena of aquatic nuisance
species interactions was featured in a recent issue of Ohio Sea
Grant's Twine Line as part of the article "Diner's Choice:
New Research Explores How One Exotic Species Affects Another's
Behavior" (full text available at NY - Dipstick Methods Will Improve, Speed Drinking
Water Tests In freshwater systems, harmful blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, can make either saxitoxin or anatoxin-a and threaten the health of drinking water supplies. Boyer has recently finished extensive testing for these toxins in Lake Champlain, Lake Ontario and other freshwater sources. Current methods of detecting anatoxin-a are time-consuming and expensive. Boyer's research will simplify the testing process by developing an antibody or "dipstick" style test to monitor for these toxins. "Our goal is to develop effective monitoring measures that can be employed by water quality managers, conservation agents and health officials to rapidly screen for the presence of cyanobacteria," said Boyer. Results should offer improved testing methods for drinking water and provide data on the cyanobacteria toxin occurrence and its effect on freshwater ecosystems.CONTACT: Gregory Boyer, New York Sea Grant Research Scientist, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, (O) 315-470-6825 MI - 2002 National Extension Tourism Conference, Sept. 16-19, 2002, Traverse City "Changing Faces--Changing Places" is the theme of the 2002 National Extension Tourism conference. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about tourism by experiencing it in a major tourist destination in Michigan; exchange ideas; share teaching techniques and experiences; enhance the national extension network to help better understand tourism development issues, and strengthen extension's capacity to deliver tourism programs and technical assistance. Sponsored by the National Extension Tourism Design Team, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development and Michigan State University Extension. For a detailed agenda and registration information, visit the conference website at: www.ncrcrd.iastate.edu/net2002/index.html MN - GLERL Researcher to be Featured in Monthly Speaker Series About Lake Superior Minnesota Sea Grant recently received funding from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources-Waters and Minnesota's Lake Superior Coastal Program for a Lake Superior speaker series, "Superior Science for You!". Throughout the next nine months, eight hour-long talks will be held monthly in Duluth, with duplicate presentations given alternately in Grand Marais and Grand Portage, MN. One of the speakers will be GLERL's Cynthia Sellinger, who will talk about lake levels. The Duluth presentations will be broadcast via live streaming video over the Internet from the Minnesota Sea Grant Web site, www.seagrant.umn.edu/speakerseries/index.html. Those in the desktop audience can e-mail questions to the researchers during the question period following each talk. Videos of the presentations will be archived on Minnesota Sea Grant's Web site. A book and CD related to the talks will be published late next year. Project partners include the University of Minnesota's Natural Resources Research Institute and Large Lakes Observatory, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Great Lakes Aquarium and Discovery Center, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, North House Folk School, St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wisconsin and Michigan Sea Grant Programs, and Northland College. Superior Science for You! Speaker Series Schedule
MI - Beetle Mania (from Sea Grant News and Notes) MI - Students Discover Great Lakes Ecosystem (from
Sea Grant News and Notes) PA - Sailing Voyage Lets Lake Erie Students "Rediscover"
Their Environment (from Sea Grant News and Notes) Kids Can "Escape" With This Educational
Tool (from Sea Grant News and Notes) Web News WI - Shipwreck Divers Invite Web Surfers on Exploration Underwater archaeologists from the Wisconsin Historical Society, with support from the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute, are studying the remains of three nineteenth-century ships resting in shallow water near the eastern shore of Sturgeon Bay. Two were schooners and the third was a propeller-driven steam ship. They carried passengers, iron ore and lumber on the Great Lakes before ending their careers hauling limestone for the Sturgeon Bay stone industry. The effort concludes a five-year archaeological survey of several stone industry-related shipwrecks in Door County. September 7 through 20th the team of underwater archaeologists will post daily journal entries and photographs to the Web while they investigate historical shipwrecks near Sturgeon Bay in Door County, Wis. The Web site will include videos, scale drawings and archaeological maps. It also features a Kids' Corner with activities for teachers and students and brief histories of the shipwrecks being documented. The site is called "Notes from the Field 2002: Underwater Archaeologists in Action." It can be found at www.wisconsinhistory.org/shipwrecks/notes. You can learn more at "Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks," a Web site produced by the Wisconsin Historical Society and Wisconsin Sea Grant, www.seagrant.wisc.edu/shipwrecks. This latter site has been named the "Best Web Site on Great Lakes Regional Culture in 2002" by the Michigan State University Center for Great Lakes Culture. WI - Zebra Mussel Watch Site WI Sea Grant recently launched a new Web site to serve
as a resource for identifying, reporting and preventing the spread
of zebra mussels throughout the state's waterways. The web site
provides background on zebra mussels and information on identifying
them in the wild. It also includes a form that visitors can use
to report a sighting. Check it out at Publications
Contact Linda Campbell for a copy. OH - July/August Twine Line - http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/publications/o-twineline.html
MN - From Net to Sale (video) Minnesota Sea Grant has produced a video to accompany
ANS-HACCP workshops. Aquatic Nuisance Species Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point is a program designed to help public hatchery
operators, fish farmers, and baitfish harvesters take measures to
prevent spreading aquatic nuisance species through their activities.
From Net to Sale: Controlling Aquatic Nuisance Species with the
HACCP Approach for Baitfish and Aquaculture Industries is 22-minutes
long and was professionally produced by Parthe Productions in Duluth,
MN. It is designed to accompany the ANS-HACCP workshops but may
also be used as a stand-alone training tool. The video describes
the seven major principles of the ANS-HACCP process, and features
interviews with Minnesota Sea Grant developed the video on behalf of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network. Funding was provided by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the National Sea Grant College Program through an appropriation by Congress based on the National Invasive Species Act of 1996. If you'd like to order the video, the cost is $3.50 to cover shipping. Contact Minnesota Sea Grant at (218) 726-6191. WI - New Reprints - ANS and Oil Chemistry Carlos F. Torres, E Barrios and CG Hill. 2002. Lipase Catalyzed Acidolysis of Menhaden Oil with CLA: Optimization by Factorial Design. Journal of Oil Chemists' Society 79(5)475-466. [WISCU-R-02-007]. Carlos F. Torres, F Munir, LP Lessard and CG Hill. 2002. Lipase-Mediated Acidolysis of Tristearin with CLA in a Packed Bed Reactor: A Kinetic Study. Journal of Oil Chemists' Society 79(7)655-661. [WISCU-R-02-008]. Abstracts at OH - New Reprint - Zebra & Quagga mussels Stepien, C.A., Taylor, C.D., and K.A. Dabrowska (2002). Genetic variability and phylogeographical patterns of a nonindigenous species invasion: A comparison of exotic vs. native zebra and quagga mussel populations. J. of Evol. Biol., 15: 314-328. [OHSU-RS-271] Reprints: cruickshank.3@osu.edu MN - New Reprints - Walleye Genetics & Stream Water Quality Eldridge, W, M Bacigalupi, I Adelman, L Miller and A Kapuscinski. 2002. Determination of Relative Survival of Two Stocked Walleye Populations and Resident Natural-Origin Fish by Microsatellite DNA Parentage Assignment. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 59:282-290. JR 482. Richards, C., M White, R Axler, A Hershey, and J Schomberg. 2001. Simulating Effects of Landscape Composition and Structure on Stream Water Quality in Forested Watersheds. Verhandlungen Internationale Vereinigung fur Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 27:3561-3565 JR 479. Reprints: www.seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/index.html Staff News NY - Environmental Citizen of the Year Awarded
to NY Sea Grant Educator, Helen Domske On September 21st The Center for Great Lakes Environmental Education, the Erie County Environmental Education Institute, and the Great Lakes Center at Buffalo State College will present Helen Domske, a coastal education specialist with New York Sea Grant , with the 2002 Paul MacClennan Environmental Citizen of the Year Award. A reception (2 pm) and the presentation (3 pm) will take place at the Center for Great Lakes Center at Buffalo State College Field Station. Helen has more than 20 years¹ experience as an aquatic science educator and has worked with tens of thousands of students, teachers, scout and youth group leaders, and her peers with such agencies as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Helen conducts exotic species workshops and offers educators an ³Escape from Exotics² compendium of classroom-ready resource materials on how to identify exotic species. She is also Associate Director of the Great Lakes Program at the University of Buffalo, and editor of the Great Lakes Research Review. Helen has written numerous teaching materials and a book on Western New York¹s freshwater ecology. WI - Wittman Participates in National Planning UW Sea Grant Communicator Stephen Wittman spent the summer working for the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) in Silver Spring Maryland. Wittman is assisting the NSGO in developing its first strategic plan for improving communications "inside the beltway". As communications chair in 1993-1995, Wittman led the development and implementation of the network's first strategic communications plan, among the most notable results of which were the creation and adoption of the common Sea Grant logo nationwide and the establishment of the Sea Grant Media Relations Office. |
August 2002Correction...The URL for the Sea Grant Update Archive is
Contents
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July 2002Welcome to the Sea Grant Update monthly newsletter! This newsletter is patterned after the successful GLERL Update weekly newsletter and is intended primarily as a vehicle to convey information about activities and events within the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network to staff at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. This newsletter may also be used as a vehicle for communication among the individual colleges of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network. Sea Grant Updates will be archived at www.glerl.noaa.gov/seagrant/SGUpdate.htm This inaugural edition is somewhat lengthier than I expect will be typical. If you would like to have your name removed from this list at any time, please respond to Rochelle.Sturtevant@noaa.gov. Contents:
2. Minnesota: "Sensing" Duluth's Streams Project researchers are collaborating with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District. Public information will be provided on interactive kiosks at the Great Lakes Aquarium and the Lake Superior Zoo, as well as online at www.DuluthStreams.org. Electronic sensors will monitor the streams for water flow, temperature, salt content and turbidity (how brown the water is with sediment) and transmit the information to the Web site. Researchers will also collect water regularly for a variety of nutrient analyses. DuluthStreams.org will have a variety of interactive computer animations and historic information to help citizens explore and interpret the data. Researchers hope that public access to the information will result in community action. 3. Minnesota: A Tale of Two Cities' Lawn Care Practices In spring, 2001, researchers conducted a lawn care survey of homeowners in Plymouth, MN. Of the 142 people to respond, 77 percent fertilize their lawns. Of those who fertilize, about 50 percent apply it themselves and 40 percent use a professional lawn service (the other 10 percent had their lawns fertilized by another resident, a landlord, or an association). Only 2 percent of those who fertilize their lawns calculated the quantity they used based on their yard size or soil tests. Most relied on their lawn service or on the recommendations found on fertilizer bags and have never had their soil tested (76 percent). Twenty-two percent of surveyed homeowners remove grass clippings every time they mow, and in the process remove an easy way for lawns to self-fertilize. In addition to the survey, a research project is being conducted within the Maple Grove and Plymouth watersheds to examine differences in phosphorus levels in runoff. "Preliminary results show there's a 23 percent difference in phosphorus between the cities -- it's lower in Plymouth," said James Johnson, a water quality technician with the Three Rivers District of Hennepin Parks. Full results of the survey and a description of the overall study can be found on the Lake Access Web site: www.lakeaccess.org, under the "lawn fertilizer experiment" section. 4. Wisconsin: Don't Get Carried Away This Summer: Beware of
Great Lakes Currents 25 June 2002. For More Information: Jim Lubner, water safety specialist, (414) 227-3291 John Karl, science writer, (608) 263-8621 MADISON, Wis. (6/25/02) -- Several drownings at Lake Michigan beaches in recent years underscore the importance of understanding Great Lakes currents and how to escape from them, according to Jim Lubner, water safety specialist at the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. The two most important currents to know about are longshore and rip currents, Lubner said. Longshore currents flow along the shoreline, and rip currents flow roughly perpendicular to the shoreline on the surface of the water. "You always want to swim perpendicular to the currents," Lubner said. "In the case of longshore currents, that's perfectly natural. The current will carry you along, parallel to the shore, and you should just swim toward shore." Rip currents are trickier, Lubner said. "With rip currents, you get pulled out away from shore, and your natural instinct may be to swim directly towards shore, against the current. But it's best to swim at right angles to the current, which in this case means swimming parallel to shore. That way, you get out of the current the fastest. Once you are out of the current, you can swim to shore much easier," he said. "These currents are usually pretty narrow, so you can get out of them in a short distance," Lubner said. Some signs of rip currents are patches or lines of foam, debris and discolored water moving away from shore. Another sign is a stretch of breaking waves whose heights are lower than the waves to either side. "Remember that the dangers of currents multiply when the water is cold," Lubner said. "Cold water drains heat from the body very quickly and interferes with muscle operation and coordination. You can't swim very far or fast in cold water." 5. Wisconsin: Landlubbers Shine at National Ocean Sciences Bowl A team of high school students from the heartland of Wisconsin were among the finalists at the National Ocean Science Bowl in Providence Rhode Island, placing eighth out of 22 teams at the national competition. It was the first time a Wisconsin team has made it to the finals. In fact, this was the first year Wisconsin hosted its own regional meet, called the Lake Sturgeon Bowl. The regional event was hosted by the UW-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute and the UW Sea Grant Institute. The bowl is made possible in Wisconsin by a grant from the Brunswick Public Foundation. The program is conducted by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE). 6. Ohio: Summer Steelhead Angling Opportunities Are Now! 20 June 2002. For More Information: Dave Kelch, Ohio Sea Grant Extension, kelch.3@osu.edu, 440.326.5851 Elyria, OH (6/20/02)-- Lake Erie's summer steelhead fishing is just beginning and anglers from Lorain to Conneaut are reporting good catches of Lake Erie's 'silver bullet.' "Steelhead fishing on Lake Erie is a hidden treasure for anglers. The fishery offers year-round opportunities for anglers, fishing that gets better every year," states Dave Kelch, Ohio Sea Grant Extension District Specialist in Lorain County, Ohio. Unlike their cousins, the rainbow trout, which live their entire life in landlocked streams or rivers, steelhead migrate from streams as juveniles to a large lake or ocean environment. These food rich environments permit steelhead to attain sizes far larger than their stream-run cousins. Within the U.S., the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions are the most popular areas for these giant rainbows. Thanks to the restocking program started in the 1980s by Ohio Department of Natural Resources: Division of Wildlife, steelhead have provided diversity to the fishery and have added more angling opportunities (call 1.800.WILDLIFE for information). Because of abundant food resources in Lake Erie, steelhead juveniles achieve rapid growth, reaching an average length of 18 inches and weighing two to three pounds in their first year. Three-year-old steelhead can average 30 inches, weighing eight to ten pounds. 7. Ohio: New Discussion Board Premiers 8. Ohio: Lake Erie's Shipwrecks Did you know that Lake Erie contains approximately 1700 shipwrecks, and 50 of them are located in the waters that surround Kelleys Island, Ohio? Guides to three of these shipwrecks are now available and ready for you to enjoy on land and in the water. Packaged as a set in a waterproof envelope, each sturdy, plastic, waterproof slate measures 9.5" x 6.25" and features a site map, schematic diagram, diving information, vessel data, and ship history. The guides are essential for anyone interested in Lake Erie, shipwrecks, maritime history, or underwater archaeology. Price: $15.00 per set (includes shipping) © 2002 Great Lakes Historical Society and the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. For more information contact Karen Ricker at ricker.15@osu.edu 9. Pennsylvania: Mayflies Mayflies are alive and well in Erie Pennsylvania. Tom Atkins of WJET TV-24 reported mayflies on Radar between Conneaut, OH and Girard, PA. On 29 June I observed mayflies on Radar returning to the Lake starting at 9:47 until about 10:30 in the Harborcreek to NorthEast, PA. (Image 1 -9:57) Hundreds (not the masses of the West) were observed and a collection made along US Rt. 5. On 30 June from Harborcreek, PA to Ripley, NY emergence started at 9:32 and was still going on at 10:21. 10. New York: NY Sea Grant and Seaway Trail Promote Sport/Carp Fishing to International Travelers Excerpt from Press Release. June 26, 2002 - While in London last week to represent America's
Byways at the See America Travel Showcase, Teresa Mitchell of Seaway
Trail, Inc., New York, distributed a Seaway Trail Sportfishing/Carp
Fishing flier to travel buyers and sellers from across The flier quotes Joe Babbitt of St. Lawrence Experience, Waddington, saying "New York State's Seaway Trail has the world's best carp venue" and suggests watching the BBC for carp fishing in "Tight Lines Stateside: On the Water's Edge with Martin James." Joe won a 2002 Seaway Trail National Trails Day Award for hosting Mr. James during his video production visit to the Seaway Trail. The flier lists the record-breaking Atlantic chinook and coho
salmon, rainbrow, lake and brown trout, and muskie caught in Seaway
Trail waters and provides websites for information on the Seaway
Trail, carp fishing, coastal resources, fishing guides, licenses
11. New York: Salmonids Excerpt from Press Release.For a free JOURNEY magazine featuring Dave MacNeill's article on "Record-Breaking Salmonids," call 1-800-SEAWAY-T or email info@seawaytrail.com. 12. New York: Catching "Biggest" Fish May Not Be Best - Evolutionary Change May Be Impacted Excerpt from Sea Grant News and Notes. Catching only the largest fish may be causing the average size of fish to decrease is the conclusion of a New York Sea Grant funded study appearing in the July 5th issue of the journal Science. Researchers David O.Conover and Stephan B. Munch posit that fishery management plans ignore evolutionary change in harvestable commercially important fisheries. They observed that in an experimental population of Atlantic silverside fish where large individuals were selectively removed, the average size of the silversides declined dramatically in just four generations. Conversely, when smaller fish were removed, the average size increased. Conover makes two suggestions to manage fisheries for sustainable harvest over the long haul: 1) A rethinking of the reliance of minimum-size restrictions as a basic management tool; 2) the establishment of no-take reserves or marine protected areas that may, if properly designed, provide for the maintenance of natural genetic variation of marine life. CONTACT: David Conover, New York Sea Grant Researcher, Professor of Marine Science, Stony Brook University, (O) 631-632-8667, E-mail: dconover@notes.cc.sunysb.edu 13. Lake Champlain: Sea Grant Asking Anglers to Collect Sea Lampreys for Lake Champlain Study Excerpt from Press Release. June 21, 2002. Contact: Mark Malchoff, Aquatic Resources Specialist, Lake Champlain Sea Grant Extension Project, 518-564-3038 Lake Champlain Sea Grant Extension Project and New York Sea Grant
would like anglers assistance in collecting sea lampreys from Lake
Champlain in 2002 and 2003. The non-native fish that feed on the
blood and body fluids of large fishes important to the By bringing the lamprey in, anglers can make a significant contribution to research that will improve our understanding about sea lamprey ecology and how managers can best exploit any weak spots in the sea lamprey life cycle. This work will help support the recently adopted Long-term Program of Sea Lamprey Control in Lake Champlain prepared by USFWS, VTFWS, and NYSDEC, and may indirectly support lamprey control in the Great Lakes, said Mark Malchoff, with the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Extension Project, Plattsburgh, NY. Research may help managers identify and prioritize those tributaries most linked to adult lamprey production. From 1990 to 1995, an experimental lampricide-based control program was used in Lake Champlain in thirteen tributary systems with a resulting reduction in lamprey populations and increase in angler catch rates of lake trout. When the program was continued, the lamprey population rebounded. Malchoff says Lake Champlain is perfect for a mark and recapture study of sea lamprey because of its small size and the lamprey population build up, that has occurred since the late 90s. There currently exists a window of opportunity to study an unsuppressed lamprey population, prior to the resumption of lamprey control this fall. This opportunity is unique since lamprey populations are suppressed in the Great Lakes, and in Lake Champlain during the period 1995-2002. Approximately 2600 lamprey have been marked by project staff and U.S. Fish & Wildlife technicians and released in four streams feeding Lake Champlain. Anglers will not be able to see the coded tags on the lamprey and are asked to bring all lamprey into collection points at cooperating tackle shops. This study of lampreys is funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, which continues to support innovative and traditional approaches for controlling lamprey populations. Additional info can be found at http://www.uvm.edu/snr/lamprey/ For more information on the lamprey study, contact Mark Malchoff, Lake Champlain Sea Grant Extension Project, Plattsburgh State University, 518-564-3038; Dr. Ellen Marsden, School of Natural Resources, University of Vermont. 14. New Staff Wisconsin: Hurley to Lead Sea Grant Research and Outreach Wisconsin: Ladwig Returns to Sea Grant Minnesota: New Graphic Designer 15. Staff News and Awards Minnesota: Chair of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Directors Minnesota: Chair of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Communications
Group Michigan: Upwellings Award Pennsylvania: Web Honors! 16. New Reprints Eric A. Andreasen, RL Tanguay, RE Peterson and W Heideman, "Identification
of a Critical Amino Acid in the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor,"
Journal of Biological Chemistry, 277 (15):13210-13218, 2002 [WISCU-R-02-003]
Reprints: linda@seagrant.wisc.edu - Abstracts: Carlos F. Torres and CG Hill Jr., "Lipase-Catalyzed Acidolysis
of Menhaden Oil with Conjugated Linoleic Acid: Effect of Water Content,"
Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 78(5):509-516, 2002 [WISCU-R-02-004]
Reprints: linda@seagrant.wisc.edu - Abstracts: Carlos F. Torres, B Lin and CG Hill Jr., "Lipase-Catalyzed
Glycerolysis of an Oil Rich in Eicosapentaenoic Acid Residues,"
24:667-673, 2002 [WISCU-R-02-005] Reprints: linda@seagrant.wisc.edu
- Abstracts: Christopher J. Gobler, Marc J. Renaghan, and Nathaniel J. Buck. 2002. Impacts of nutrients and grazing mortality on the abundance of Aureococcus anophagefferens during a New York brown tide bloom. Limnology and Oceanography 47(1):129-141. Katie Rose Boissonneault-Cellineri, Mausmi Mehta, Darcy J. Lonsdale, and David A. Caron. 2001. Microbial food web interactions in two Long Island embayments. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 26:139-155. Christopher J. Gobler, John R. Donat, John A. Consolve III, and Sergio A. Sañudo-Wilhelmy. 2002. Physicochemical speciation of iron during coastal algal blooms. Marine Chemistry 77:71-89. Berg, D.J., Garton, D.W., Macisaac, H.J., Panov, V.E., and Telesh, I.V. (2002). Changes in genetic structure of North American Bythotrephes populations following invasion from Lake Ladoga, Russia. Freshwater Biology, 47: 275-282. [OHSU-RS-268] Reprints: cruickshank.3@osu.edu Fortner, R.W. and Corney, J.R. (2002). Great Lakes educational needs assessment: Teachers' priorities for topics, materials, and training. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 28(1):3-14. [OHSU-RS-269] Reprints: cruickshank.3@osu.edu Whyte, R.S. and Francko, D.A. (2001). Dynamics of a pioneer population of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) in a shallow Lake Erie wetland. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management, 39:136-139. [OHSU-RS-270]. Reprints: cruickshank.3@osu.edu |
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