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November
18, 2005
Contents:
1. Events
- OH Sea Grant - Conference Announcement: Future of Ohio's
Lake Erie Basin: Balancing Land Use and Water Quality
- OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Workshops Scheduled
- OH Sea Grant - Steelhead Seminar
2. IL-IN Sea Grant - New Test Makes Tracking Toxic Mercury in Polluted
Waters Easier
3. Tidbits
- GLOS
- OH Sea Grant - Coastal Research Advisory Group
- OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Discussion Board
- MI Sea Grant -Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative
- MI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Exhibit In the Works
- MI Sea Grant - Revised Web Site Released
- MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Education Program (GLEP) and Summer
Discovery Cruises
- MI Sea Grant - Go with the FLOW: Great Lakes science curriculum
available online
4. Publications
- MI Sea Grant - Fisheries Reprint
- MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - November-December 2005 -
www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
5. Staff News
- PA Sea Grant - New Offices
- MI Sea Grant - Outreach Coordinator for Great Lakes & Human
Health Center
- PA Sea Grant - New Staff
- IL-IN Sea Grant - Aquaculture Marketing Specialist Joins Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant
- MN Sea Grant - Liukkonen receives awards
- MI Sea Grant - Open Position: Extension Program Director &
Associate Professor
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Events
OH Sea Grant - Conference Announcement: Future of Ohio's
Lake Erie Basin: Balancing Land Use and Water Quality
A conference to explore the effect of land use on Lake Erie -
past, present and future - is expected to attract more than
200 planners, public officials, resource managers, building industry
professionals (home builders), and scholars on Thursday, December
1, 2005."The Future of Ohio's Lake Erie Basin: Balancing
Land Use and Water Quality" conference will examine the land-water
connection for the Lake Erie basin as it stretches across northern
Ohio. It will be held at the John A. Spitzer Conference Center
on the campus of Lorain County Community College in Elyria.
Featured speakers will include:
· Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Toledo), Member of the Appropriations
Committee, Agriculture (Invited)
· Dr. Sam Speck, Director, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
· Dennis Eckart, former Member of Congress, Partner, Law
Firm of Baker & Hostetler, LLP
· Dr. Jeffery M. Reutter , Director, Ohio Sea Grant College
Program
· Dr. Elena Irwin, Associate Professor, Agricultural Environmental
and Developmental Economics, The Ohio State University.
Presentations will cover an historical retrospective on how agriculture
and land development in the basin have affected water quality in
Lake Erie; an analysis of federal policy as it has affected the
basin; and the Lake Erie Balanced Growth Initiative and other programs
that will determine the future of the Lake and its basin.
Conference planners include the Ohio Sea Grant College Program
in collaboration with the Ohio Coastal Training Program, Ohio Department
of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, Ohio Lake Erie Commission,
Ohio State University Extension, Greater Ohio, and the Smart Growth
Education Foundation.
To register for the conference, go to www.northcoastbia.com. Cost
is $40.00, which includes breakfast, lunch, and conference materials.
Deadline to register is November 23, 2005. For More Information
Contact: Joe Lucente, 419.213.2028 or lucente.6@osu.edu
OH Sea Grant - Clean Marinas Workshops Scheduled
* December 15, 2005 - Ohio Clean Marinas Program Workshop will
be conducted on December 15, 2005 at the Lake Erie Nature and Science
Center, 28728 Wolf Rd. Bay Village, Ohio 44140. Registration will
begin at 9:00 a.m., with the workshop conducted from 9:30 until
noon.
* January 31, 2006 - Ohio Clean Marinas Program Workshop will be
conducted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006. Registration will begin
at 12:30 p.m., with the workshop conducted from 1:00 - 3:30
p.m. in the 3rd Floor Board Room of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission
Office located at One Maritime Plaza in downtown Toledo.
* February 8, 2006 - Ohio Clean Marinas Program Workshop will be
conducted on Wednesday, February, 8, 2006 in the Conference Room
of the ODNR Office of Coastal Management located at 105 West Shoreline
Drive in Sandusky.
Registration will begin 9:30 a.m., with the workshop conducted
from 10:00 - 12:30 p.m. Contact Gary
Comer or Dave Kelch
OH Sea Grant - Steelhead Seminar
Ohio Sea Grant and the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay
Village, Ohio, will be hosting a steelhead angling seminar.
Date: November 17, 2005
Time: 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Place: Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road, Bay
Village, Ohio 44140
Call Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (440) 871-2900 to register
for this seminar. For additional questions, call Kelly Riesen (440)
808-5627.
2. IL-IN Sea Grant - New Test Makes Tracking Toxic Mercury
in Polluted Waters Easier
Press Release
Two Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant researchers have applied for a process
patent on a mercury analysis technique that will make testing for
methylmercury, a highly toxic environmental contaminant, less expensive
and much faster. "The main environmental risk to people and
wildlife from mercury pollution comes via consuming methylmercury
that has accumulated in fish," said Robert Hudson, a University
of Illinois environmental chemist.
In fact, fish from 13 lakes in Illinois have tested high enough
in methylmercury to cause the Department of Public Health to issue
specific fish consumption advisories. All lakes and rivers, however,
are subject to a general advisory that pregnant women, nursing
mothers, and children younger than 15 years old should limit their
consumption of predator fish to one meal per week.
According to a 2003 study (Schober, S.E., et al. 2003. JAMA 289:1667-74),
8 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States had
mercury levels in their blood above the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's reference level, which is set to protect developing fetuses
from neurological harm. To date, the number and scope of environmental
studies of mercury have been limited due to the extreme cost of
the testing. The new test promises to drastically reduce this cost
so that scientists can do much more monitoring and design better
remediation strategies for contaminated sites. Most mercury finds
its way into the atmosphere from human sources, such as coal-fired
power plants, metal smelters, and waste incinerators. It is then
deposited on land and surface waters in rain. However, not all
mercury is equally toxic. Pollution sources mostly emit inorganic
forms of mercury, but methylmercury accumulates in fish. Methylmercury
is produced from inorganic mercury by naturally occurring bacteria
in oxygen-depleted zones of wetlands and river and lake sediments.
"The rate of methylation varies from one sediment or wetland
to another, so if we can figure out where rates of methylation
are high, cleanup efforts can be directed to where they will have
the most impact," said Hudson. An example of such an effort
is his lab group's recent study of the highly polluted Grand
Calumet watershed at the southern tip of Lake Michigan. In conjunction
with this research, a former U of I doctoral student, Chris Shade,
and Hudson developed the new testing procedure.
"Although you still have to collect samples carefully and
extract minute amounts of mercury from them, our new procedure
is much less time consuming and can be automated to make the process
of mercury analysis a lot cheaper," said Shade, who is starting
Quicksilver Scientific, an analytical laboratory, to offer the
methylmercury analysis commercially. Shade says that systematic
surveys of methylmercury in lakes and rivers would be less expensive
than monitoring fish for the compound. "People would simply
avoid fish from high-risk lakes and rivers and consume fish from
certified, low methylmercury lakes and rivers instead," he
said.
This research was recently published in the October issue of Environmental
Science & Technology
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/.
In addition to Sea Grant, this research was funded by the Council
on Food and Agricultural Research (C-FAR) and the U of I College
of ACES.
3. Tidbits
GLOS
Michigan Sea Grant's Steve Stewart participated in the
September GLOS Steering Committee conference call as the sole Sea
Grant representative. Progress was made on bylaws and initial Board
of Director nominations. Complete minutes are on the GLOS website.
OH Sea Grant - Coastal Research Advisory Group
The Directors of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program, the Ohio Coastal
Management Program, Old Woman Creek, and the Ohio Lake Erie Office
have formed the Coastal Research Advisory Group to help coordinate
research on Lake Erie in Ohio.
OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Discussion Board
The Lake Erie Discussion Board has been Ohio Sea Grant's most often-visited
Web site over the past two years and provides anglers, boaters
and other Lake Erie enthusiasts a forum for finding fast answers
to any question they may have about the lake its resources and
management. Because of a change in servers, the discussion board
has a new address:
http://ohioseagrant.osu.edu/discuss/
The board has a new format, offering new and archived topics, an
events calendar, and even a survey tool. Be sure to visit us!
MI Sea Grant -Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative
Michigan Sea Grant's Barry Murray participated in planning of Supplemental
Environmental Projects (SEP) session, November 2005. The Metropolitan
Affairs Coalition and USFWS will be leading this effort with
MSG as a partner. MDEQ Director Chester is a guest speaker.
MI Sea Grant - Lake Sturgeon Exhibit In the Works
Michigan Sea Grant's Jennifer Read is working with communications
staff at UM and MSU on a lake sturgeon educational exhibit, including
a video/kiosk about the artificial reef in the Detroit River,
wall panels and a full-scale model of a lake sturgeon. The exhibit
will be at the Detroit Science Center in 2006, and a news release
about the exhibit is forthcoming.
MI Sea Grant - Revised Web Site Released
See http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu
Key features include:
- Online library with journal articles, research briefs, fact sheets
and more, see http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/library
- More information for researchers, see http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/research
- Improved navigation
MI Sea Grant - Great Lakes Education Program (GLEP) and Summer
Discovery Cruises
Completed the fall 2005 GLEP season, the 15th year on Lake St.
Clair and 8th on the lower Detroit River. Twenty-seven classes
participated on the lower Detroit River, with four requiring spring
rescheduling due to significant seiche events. Twenty-nine classes
were involved on Lake St. Clair. A total of 1960 students, teachers
and adult chaperones participated. Program evaluations involving
teachers and adult chaperones were conducted and mail returns are
still being received.
Michigan Sea Grant's Steve Stewart met with Detroit area Huron-Clinton
Metropolitan Authority partners to review the 2005 Summer Discovery
Cruise season and plan for 2006. Evaluation results were outstanding
- a mean Overall Experience rating of 3.94 on a 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent)
scale (N=684). HCMA wants to increase the 2006 SDC season by one
week on Lake St. Clair, which will expand the total to five weeks.
MI Sea Grant - Go with the FLOW: Great Lakes science curriculum
available online
Teaching young people about the Great Lakes just a got a little
easier. Educators can now access a comprehensive online curriculum
covering everything from the Great Lakes aquatic food web to wetlands
and fisheries.
The dynamic lessons are part of Fisheries Learning On the Web,
Project FLOW, developed by the Michigan Sea Grant at the University
of Michigan. Project FLOW lessons are geared toward educators who
teach upper elementary and middle school students. Each lesson
features a hands-on classroom activity. "I've been using some
of the Project FLOW lessons on food chains, food webs and exotic
species this fall with my 7th graders," said David Huntington
of Mackinaw City Schools. "The students have a great time.
These lessons make teaching this material easy, fun, and engaging.
Students teach each other throughout the lessons..."
See the complete news release online at http://www.umich.edu/news/index.html?Releases/2005/Nov05/r111005
See Fisheries Learning on the Web: http://www.projectflow.us
4. Publications
MI Sea Grant - Fisheries Reprint
Kevin L. Pangle, Trent M. Sutton, Ronald E. Kinnunen, and Michael
H. Hoff. 2005. Effects of Body Size, Condition, and Lipid Content
on the Survival of Juvenile Lake Herring During Rapid Cooling Events.
J. Great Lakes Res. 31:360 - 366, Internat. Assoc. Great Lakes
Res.
MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - November-December 2005
www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
. Master Gardener State Conference
. Rush Lake Erosion Research (part 1 of 2)
. Protect Your Septic System From Freezing
. The Creepy-Crawlies of Lakes and Rivers: The Importance of What
Lies Beneath the Water's Surface
WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
podcast: http://ewradio.org/podcast/current/index.aspx
RSS feed: http://ewradio.org/rss/
- Toxic Gold Rush -- Mercury can be a convenient tool for people
who mine for gold but the toxic metal puts their lives at risk.
(11/14/2005)
- Handheld Hazards -- Cell phones might be safe for people to
use but when they become obsolete, they give rise to problems
with safe disposal. (11/15/2005)
- Gas Pressure -- Rising demand for natural gas is driving a
drilling boom in the American West. (11/16/2005)
- An Evolving Climate Picture -- A New York Times reporter has
covered climate change for 20 years, and he sees changes in our
understanding of the phenomenon. (11/17/2005)
- The Price of a Mercury Mine -- Problems with public health
are the heritage of a mercury mine in Eastern Europe. (11/18/2005)
Exotic Eating -- An ecologist offers a recipe for fighting invasive
species: serve them for dinner. (11/7/2005)
- Nuclear Future -- Renewed interest in nuclear power could affect
people who live near uranium mines. (11/8/2005)
- Fewer Frosty Mornings -- A warmer world in the future won't
have many nights with freezing temperatures. (11/9/2005)
- Curbing the Cat Population -- Millions of housecats are on
the loose outside, and their natural instinct to hunt puts a
lot of birds at risk. (11/10/2005)
- Refugee Crisis -- A new United Nations report warns that millions
of people will be forced into exile by a deteriorating environment.
(11/11/2005)
- Pay It Backward -- More than 30 countries now require manufacturers
to take responsibility for the packaging they use for their products.
(10/31/2005)
- Unprecedented Melting of Ice -- Ice has covered the Arctic
Ocean for millions of years, but it is disappearing now with
unprecedented speed. (11/1/2005)
- The Flu and You -- The influenza virus affects animals as well
as people, and the mobility of the virus is a constant threat
to public health. (11/2/2005)
- Act Under Attack -- A leading ecologist warns that changes
to the Endangered Species Act could leave some rare plants and
animals poorly protected. (11/3/2005)
- At the Mercy of the River -- A new book describes an excursion
into one of the world's wildest and most dangerous places. (11/4/2005)
- Basement Sealing -- Advice on how to protect your home from
a radioactive gas that poses a health threat. (10/24/2005)
- Taking the LEED -- A building industry group has developed
green standards for new construction, and they're catching on.
(10/25/2005)
- Sea Lamprey Resurgence -- A parasitic creature that has infested
the Great Lakes for generations seems to be on the rebound. (10/26/2005)
- Ban on Bottom Trawling -- A lot of the ocean floor of the U.S.
Pacific coast will be closed to some forms of trawling to protect
bottom dwelling organisms. (10/27/2005)
- The American Way? -- A new book contends that the U.S. economy
is easier on the environment than most others. (10/28/2005)
5. Staff News
PA Sea Grant - New Offices
The Erie offices of Pennsylvania Sea Grant have moved to their
new location at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) at Presque
Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Please address correspondence to:
Pennsylvania Sea Grant
301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 3
Erie, Pa 16505
New phone #'s are as follows:
Eric Obert, Extension Director (814) 217-9018
Anne Danielski, Coastal Education and Maritime Specialist (814)
217-9019
Sean Rafferty, Lake Erie Coastal Outreach Specialist (814) 217-9013
Dave Skellie, Coastal Land Use and Economic Specialist (814) 217-9014
Marti Martz, Coastal Outreach Specialist (814) 217-9015
Fax (814) 217-9021
E-mail addresses remain the same.
MI Sea Grant - Outreach Coordinator for Great Lakes &
Human Health Center
Sonia T. Joseph has been appointed Sea Grant Extension educator
and outreach coordinator for the NOAA Center of Excellence for
Great Lakes and Human Health in Ann Arbor. Her primary responsibilities
will be managing stakeholder involvement with the center's
activities and broadening existing relationships within and through
Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and the Great Lakes Human Health
Network. The NOAA Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human
Health (CEGLHH) is a multi-disciplinary research center which focuses
on understanding the inter-relationships between the Great Lakes
ecosystem, water quality and human health. The center uses ecosystem
forecasting to minimize risks to human health in coastal environments.
Joseph has served as environmental health assistant in the Ingham
County (Michigan) Health Department and has taught environmental
science at Lansing Community College. She holds a B.S. in Environmental
Science from Lake Superior State University and a M.S. in Human
Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University.
Joseph started November 1 and is located at the Great Lakes Environmental
Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at sonia.joseph@noaa.gov or
(734) 741-2283.
PA Sea Grant - New Staff
Marti Martz has joined the 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 getting her undergraduate
degree in Environmental Studies at Edinboro University. Marti is
a Master Gardener and worked as an intern for Presque Isle State
Park where she helped develop an invasive plant control program
for the Park.
As a coastal specialist Marti will take on a number of tasks that
include 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 the TREC, working with Mercyhurst
College staff on the publication of a 'suggested plant'
manual for bluff front property owners and assisting Sea Grant's
education specialist with coordination and facilitation of the
Great Lakes Center for Science Education Excellence (COSEE) project.
IL-IN Sea Grant - Aquaculture Marketing Specialist Joins
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Dr. Kwamena Quagrainie holds a joint appointment in Agricultural
Economics and Forestry and Natural Resources. He received his B.S.
from the University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and his M.S.
and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Alberta,
Canada. He held an assistant professor of aquaculture marketing
position at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff from 2001 until
2005.
Dr. Quagrainie will be working with the aquaculture industries
in Illinois and Indiana, aquaculture producers, aquaculture associations,
distributors, restaurants, retail outlets, and consumers to develop
viable markets for Indiana and Illinois farm-raised aquaculture
products. His research interests lie in the areas of market analysis,
market definition, facilitating the development of distribution
and market structures, identification of value-added opportunities
for aquaculture products and feeds, and development of enterprise
budgets.
Dr. Quagrainie's primary Extension responsibilities will focus
on providing assistance to aquaculture producers in pursuing and
realizing economic and market development opportunities. He will
also provide training and educational materials for farmers and
Extension Educators in the farm business management area of enterprise
budgets.
Dr. Quagrainie is a member of USDA's National Organic Program
(NOP) Aquatic Species Task Force - Aquaculture Working Group and
also as a member of USAID's Aquaculture Collaborative Research
Support Program (ACRSP) Technical Committee (Social and Economic
Aspects).
Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Ph.D.,
Aquaculture Marketing Specialist,
Dept. of Agricultural Economics,
Purdue University,
403 W. State St., Krannert Building
W. Lafayette, IN 47907-2056
Tel: (765) 494 4200
Fax: (765) 494 9176
MN Sea Grant - Liukkonen receives awards
Barbara Liukkonen, water resources education coordinator for Minnesota
Sea Grant, was awarded 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.
At the same meeting Liukkonen and Eleanor Burkett of the University
of Minnesota Extension Service, received the 2005 Excellence in
Educational Materials award from the Minnesota Community and Natural
Resources Association for materials they produced to educate Minnesota
water gardeners and nursery professionals about the risk of introducing
aquatic invasive species.
MI Sea Grant - Open Position: Extension Program Director
& Associate Professor
See position description (PDF) http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/misc/MSG-Extension-leader.pdf
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October
19, 2005
Contents
1. REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE - IISG AIS
2. IISG - Educational Web Site Tackles AIS Crime Wave
3. MN Sea Grant - Aquarium Outcast Found in Minnesota
4. PA Sea Grant - Sediment Sampling of Presque Isle Bay Area of
Concern
5. II Sea Grant - Fish School Reaches New Audiences about PCB,
Mercury Health Concerns
6. WI Sea Grant - Septic System Study Checks for Antibacterial
Resistance in Groundwater
7. OH Sea Grant - New Aquaculture Center Will Conduct Baitfish
Research
8. OH Sea Grant - Nine Lake Erie Marinas to Receive Ohio Clean
Marinas Certification
9. Seaway Trail Receives National Scenic Byways Designation
10. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail Becomes an America's
Byway
11. Events
- New York Sea Grant - Identifying Uncertainties in Great Lakes
Fisheries Management
- OH Sea Grant - Balancing Land Use and Water Quality
12. Publications
- NY Sea Grant - New Publications and Reprints
- NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders!
- WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Fall 2005 - www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle
- MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - September-October 2005 - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
- MN Sea Grant - Seiche - October - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/
- MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - September 2005 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html
- OH Sea Grant - Twine Line - Spring 2005 - http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/PUBLICATIONS/TWINELINE/INDEX.HTM
- NY Sea Grant - Coastlines - Fall 2005 - http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/Coastlines/Fall05.pdf
- WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
13. Staff News
- MN Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Director of the Minnesota
Sea Grant College Program
- MI Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Director, Michigan Sea
Grant Extension Program; Associate Professor/Professor
- MN Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Sea Grant Maritime Extension
Educator
- OH Sea Grant - New Ohio Clean Marinas Program Coordinator
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE - IISG AIS
I want to encourage everyone at the lab who works on invasive
species projects - PI's, technical staff, and CILER to help out
with this web-based education initiative. To my knowledge, the
'Nab the Aquatic Invader' site is NOAA's only comprehensive on-line
educational resource portal for K-12 educators and students. Participation
at this level (Meet the Scientists) requires very little effort
on your part but can mean a lot in terms of letting kids see the
people behind the science.
Would you be interested in participating in our "Meet the
Scientists" page <http://www.sgnis.org/kids/meet_scientists.html>
on the Web site, Nab the Aquatic Invader! Be a Sea Grant Sleuth?
<http://www.sgnis.org/kids/>.
In that section, we ask invasive species experts to answer 3 short
questions. We will only post answers to your responses, not your
e-mail address. We hope you will participate, as your work is so
interesting, and will be informative for students. If so, please
e-mail your responses back to the following questions to Robin
Goettel.
1. How did you get interested in your field?
2. What do you do?
3. What do you like about your job?
We will then contact you to let you know when it is posted. Thank
you--I look forward to your response.
2. IISG - Educational Web Site Tackles AIS Crime Wave
Excerpt from Press Release
Nab the Aquatic Invader! Be a Sea Grant Super Sleuth is a new
educational Web site created by several Great Lakes Sea Grant programs
that provides the latest information about aquatic invasive species
(AIS) through colorful characters and a crime-solving theme. "In
addition to being clever and fun, the site is rich with curriculum
for teachers and creative educational activities for students and
other online audiences," said Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant (IISG) education specialist. "In creating this site,
our goal was bridging the knowledge gap, connecting the abundant
information available on AIS with teachers and students, and presenting
it in an exciting and understandable way," said Helen Domske,
New York Sea Grant education specialist. The site is part of the
Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species Web site, which contains a wealth
of AIS information.
The Web site homepage (http://www.sgnis.org/kids)
introduces student investigators to five detectives, each focused
on specific aspects of AIS criminal cases. For example, Detective
Ecofriend is an expert on the environmental effects of AIS, while
Detective Dollars and Sense investigates the economic impacts of
these invaders. Each character is a fun and colorful cartoon.
The Meet the Suspects page illustrates the 10 Most Wanted, a variety
of cartoon-like criminals, including Zeke "the Prowler"
Zebra Mussel, Purple "Lucky" Loosestrife and Gabby "the
Lowlife" Round Goby. Each suspect has been interrogated, and
the transcripts provide student investigators with critical information
for solving these cases. Crime solving involves taking part in
quizzes, games, and other brain teasers that test the student investigator's
knowledge about invasive species and their impacts.
The site, which has been pilot-tested, contains a wealth of background
information on AIS for teachers and students in the form of Web
links. "Resources for teachers on this site are just about
countless," said Goettel. "They can find links to curriculum,
videos, CDs, fact sheets, books, maps, posters, and more. These
resources can complement a teacher's existing curriculum, for example,
the subject of aquatic invasions fits in nicely with studies on
habitats and ecosystems."
On the Kids' Secret Headquarters page, the site provides opportunities
for interacting with scientists, displaying student-created projects,
solving riddles and learning the latest invader news. "The
site is designed to be very interactive with opportunities to strengthen
and apply new knowledge, ask questions and share creativity,"
said Angela Archer, IISG Web specialist.
"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
Domske. "Sea Grant programs in Oregon, Connecticut, and Louisiana
will be adding marine invaders to the list of suspects. We will
also enhance the educational content and incorporate more teacher-tested
activities."
Teachers who would like to learn more about the Web site and the
issues of AIS can attend a free Sea Grant workshop on October 27
at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. The workshop,
which runs from 1:00-5:30 p.m., will cover the Web site basics,
as well as how teachers can apply the activities to their current
curriculum and help develop new activities for the site. For more
information, contact Terri Hallesy at (217)244-8809 or thallesy@uiuc.edu.
To see the workshop flyer, visit
http://www.sgnis.org/kids/NAIflyer0720-FINALpdf.pdf.
Until October 31, teachers are eligible to win prizes that include
classroom supplies, books and education kits donated by several
school supply companies and Sea Grant programs, by submitting their
comments about the Web site. Visit
http://www.sgnis.org/kids/contest.htm to
find an entry form.
3. MN Sea Grant - Aquarium Outcast Found in Minnesota
Excerpt from Press Release
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) personnel netted
a surprise during a routine fisheries census of Caribou Lake, near
Duluth. "We were completely startled," said John Meerbeek,
one of two DNR employees who netted a Lima Shovelnose Catfish in
July. "Even before we untangled it, we could tell it wasn't
native. We figured it was an aquarium fish from the Ictaluridae
(catfish) family." The fish, dubbed "Snidely" (after
Snidely Whiplash of Dudley Do-Right fame) by Doug Jensen, Minnesota
Sea Grant's aquatic invasive species program coordinator, is an
Amazon River native. After being held at the French River Hatchery,
Snidely died a few days later. The fish now rests preserved in
a jar on Jensen's desk, part of Jensen's educational arsenal of
preserved invaders.
Citizens can help by taking these actions when they have an unwanted
aquarium animal or plant:
- Contact a retailer for proper handling advice or for possible
returns
- Give/trade with another aquarist, pond owner, or water gardener
- Donate to a local aquarium society, school, or aquatic business
- Seal aquatic plants in plastic bags and dispose in the trash
- Contact a veterinarian or pet retailer for humane disposal guidance
- Know state regulations regarding these alternatives
"If the hobbyist who released Snidely would have known about
these alternatives, the fish might still be alive for others to
enjoy," said Jensen. The actions were developed for HabitattitudeTM,
a national public awareness campaign aimed at preventing the release
of unwanted aquarium fish and plants into lakes and oceans by aquarists
and water gardeners. Jensen has been co-leading the campaign with
the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and NOAA's Great Lake Sea Grant Network. Brian Mattson,
owner of Superior Aquarium in Superior, Wis., is a HabitattitudeTM
partner. He joined because, "It's something we do anyway.
It seemed like a good idea to reiterate to people not to release
fish into ponds and lakes," Mattson said. He said that customer
response has been positive. They often call his store before disposing
of a fish or plant to be sure it's done properly. "We actually
take a few fish back and try to find them other homes," Mattson
said.
For more information about aquatic invasive species, how your
organization can join HabitattitudeTM, or how you can get involved
with Invasive Species Month events, contact Doug
Jensen at (218) 726-8712.
4. PA Sea Grant - Sediment Sampling of Presque Isle Bay Area
of Concern
PA Sea Grant just completed an extensive sediment sampling program
on Presque Isle Bay, Area of Concern. PASG received a grant from
EPA to coordinate the study with the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protectiona and the Presque Isle Bay Advisory Committee.
Prior to the sampling PASG convened a panel of national sediment
experts and held two workshops to devise a sampling and monitoring
plan for Presque Isle Bay. Sampling of sediments was conducted
from September 12-16. Sediment cores were collected by the EPA
vessel the mudpuppy. Surficial samples were collected by Gannon
University's ship the Enviornaut. All the samples were processed
at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center and sent to several laboratories
for analysis. The results of the study will be used for possible
delisting of Presque Isle Bay as an Area of Concern.
5. II Sea Grant - Fish School Reaches New Audiences about PCB,
Mercury Health Concerns
Excerpt from NOAA Research Spotlight article by Irene Miles
http://www.oar.noaa.gov/spotlite/
Fish provide key nutrients for growing young minds and healthy
bodies of all ages, but some are contaminated with pollutants that
can have serious health effects, particularly on babies and children.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) has made it a priority to inform
critical audiences about eating fish wisely.
A new education program in southern Lake Michigan communities,
Fish School: Taking Stock of Risks and Benefits, involves scientists,
nutritional experts, Extension educators, teachers, and students
in an effort to raise awareness in those who need it the most--women
in their child-bearing years and families who fish for their food.
In May, 13 middle and high school teachers in the Chicago region
learned about contaminants directly from scientists and worked
with University of Illinois and Purdue University Extension educators
to develop teaching programs and plan health expos. "Students
are our future consumers and decision-makers," said Robin
Goettel, IISG communications coordinator and education specialist. "They
also provide a unique way to connect with communities about the
benefits and risks of fish consumption."
Shara Fata, a teacher at Kilmer Elementary on the north side of
Chicago recruited several educators from her school to attend the
workshop. "Our school sits two blocks from Lake Michigan.
We see people fishing there all the time, so this information is
really relevant here. We are planning a team effort to teach the
students--through art, science, health classes and more."
As part of the Fish School program, students will design posters,
exhibits or other creative projects that will be on display at
school and community events. Fata is planning a school expo and
is talking with the Peggy Notebeart Nature Museum to hold a community
wide event that will display student projects on the risks and
benefits of fish consumption. "This program will touch the
lives of the 1,000 children in our school as well as the larger
community,"
said Fata.
Fish School is a partnership of IISG and the Illinois Science
Teachers Association, Building a Presence for Science Program,
with funding from U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.
With support from the Illinois Department of Public Health and
the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, IISG and Extension
are also using more traditional means to reach out to underserved
populations, through workshops that explain the latest fish consumption
advisory information directly to local populations. The workshops
can be presented in English, Spanish, Polish, or Chinese, depending
on the audience.
As part of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in
Chicago (EFNEP), Extension staff members have thus far held about
10 sessions, providing information on mercury and PCB concerns.
EFNEP is designed for families of limited resources, annually reaching
out to more than 3,300 adults. Some participants in these workshops,
which have included immigrants from Mexico and Asia, are learning
for the first time about health problems related to mercury levels
in fish.
Flip charts created for these workshops, as well as several brochures,
including The ABCs of PCBs and Contaminants in Fish and Seafood:
A Guide to Safe Consumption (both provide text in several languages)
can be found at
www.iisgcp.org/products/free.htm.
6. WI Sea Grant - Septic System Study Checks for Antibacterial
Resistance in Groundwater
Excerpt from press release
A new housing development in Sun Prairie is giving UW-Madison
researchers an opportunity to see whether septic systems cause
bacteria in groundwater to become resistant to antibiotics, potentially
creating a source of antibiotic resistance that could ultimately
reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics for human use.
The researchers are using new DNA detection technology to test
groundwater before and after the houses are built. Any DNA associated
with antimicrobial resistance that the researchers detect before
the houses go in must come from other sources, such as naturally-occurring
bacteria or those in runoff from agricultural lands, according
to Trina McMahon, an environmental engineering professor and chief
scientist on the project.
However, if the researchers find more kinds or amounts of DNA
from antibiotic-resistant bacteria after the septic systems are
in use, that would indicate a contribution from the septic systems,
McMahon said. Septic systems are not generally considered to contribute
significantly to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in groundwater,
she added, but it is important to verify current understanding.
"Regulatory agencies may be going after all sorts of water
dischargers. If human use and wastewater are insignificant sources
of the problem, then we should know that," McMahon said.
The project is one of eight new projects related to drinking water,
groundwater and surface water recently funded by the University
of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI). Research supported
by WRI currently involves more than 60 faculty, staff and students
from University of Wisconsin campuses in Madison, Milwaukee, Kenosha,
and Stevens Point; the University of Wisconsin-Extension; researchers
from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Wisconsin
State Laboratory of Hygiene, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The
institute also provides technology transfer through its Web site,
publications and conferences.
The eight new projects and three continuing projects are financed
with funds from WRI's Groundwater Research Program. The Program
is a UW-System program administered by WRI. It receives nearly
$300,000 from the System annually to support research and monitoring
projects throughout the state.
7. OH Sea Grant - New Aquaculture Center Will Conduct Baitfish
Research
The Ohio Center for Aquaculture Development in Piketon is expanding
into the northwest corner of Ohio. Responding to a need for enhanced
aquaculture research and support in the northern area of the state,
a new Bowling Green Aquaculture Satellite Center opened its doors
recently. The new Center will focus on research and extension initiatives
involving recirculation aquaculture and developing the baitfish
industry in Ohio. Aquaculture in Ohio Visitors will be able to
see a variety of commercial scale recirculation systems at the
Center, located in the Hirzel Agriculture Incubator in Bowling
Green. Initial work with a baitfish species not currently used
in aquaculture, the spotfin shiner, is planned for this winter.
8. OH Sea Grant - Nine Lake Erie Marinas to Receive Ohio Clean
Marinas Certification
Excerpt from Press Release
Nine Lake Erie marinas will officially become Ohio's first Clean
Marinas in a dedication ceremony at Spitzers Lakeside Marina, Lorain,
Ohio on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. Beaver Park North,
Beaver Park Marina, Cedar Point Marina, Edgewater Yacht Club, Marina
Del Isle, Middle Bass Island Yacht Club, Sandusky Yacht Club, Spitzer
HarborWalk & Rack Storage, and Spitzer Lakeside Marina have
voluntarily met pollution control standards set by program's main
administors, Ohio Sea Grant, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
(ODNR), and the Lake Erie Marine Trades Assocation. Spitzer Lakeside
Marina will also receive the honor of being the first marina to
be certified as an Ohio Clean Marina.
Launched in 2004 with grant funding provided by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and administered through
Ohio Sea Grant and ODNR's Office of Coastal Management, Ohio Clean
Marinas Program is a proactive partnership designed to encourage
marinas and boaters to use simple, innovative solutions to keep
Ohio's coastal and inland waterways clean. The primary goal of
the program is to promote environmental stewardship by encouraging
marinas and boaters to adopt a series of best management practices
that protect the Lake Erie ecosystem.
Certified Clean Marinas will receive official signs and flags
bearing the Ohio Clean Marina logo to post at their marinas. "When
boaters see the Clean Marinas flag flying at their marina, they
can be assured that their marinas are doing their part to keep
Lake Erie clean," said Comer.
For more information on the Ohio Clean Marinas Program, visit
the Internet web site at www.ohiocleanmarina.osu.edu.
9. Seaway Trail Receives National Scenic Byways Designation
Representatives from the Seaway Trail Steering Committee traveled
to Washington DC on September 21-22 to take place in a Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) ceremony announcing that the Seaway
Trail has been designated a National Scenic Byway. The Seaway Trail
PA is the only Pennsylvania Byway receiving the national designation
this year. In fact, Pennsylvania's Seaway Trail is only the
second Byway in the Commonwealth to have received national designation.
As part of the National Scenic Byway application process, the
Seaway Trail Steering Committee completed a County of Erie-sponsored
Corridor Management Plan (CMP) in March 2005. The Steering Committee
is comprised of 20 individuals. PA Sea Grant staff chaired this
planning effort and cooperated closely with the Erie Area Convention & Visitors
Bureau, the Erie County Department of Planning, PennDOT, and Seaway
Trail, Inc. (NY). The official byways status is determined by the
FHWA, who evaluated 57 applicants and approved 45 new byways. There
are now 125 byways having this national recognition.
The benefits of National Scenic Byways designation include:
- Increased funding opportunities & inclusion in FHWA marketing
programs
- National & international exposure as part of the great
America's Byways collection of"distinct and diverse
roads designated by the Secretary of Transportation"
- Increasing tourism traffic and economic development potential
for the region
- The ability to tie into more programs with Seaway Trail NY.
Pennsylvania's 64 miles of the Seaway Trail extends the already
existing 454 mile trail in New York State. In addition, another
byway, the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail, was also approved, making
the length of the three trails a total of 811 miles. These trails
parallel the south shores of Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake
Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River from Toledo, OH to Rooseveltown,
NY.
Pennsylvania's Seaway Trail begins on Route 20 at the Ohio
line, and then follows Routes 5 and 5A including the Presque Isle
loop road and the Bayfront Parkway before connecting with New York's
Seaway Trail.
10. OH Sea Grant - Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail Becomes an
America's Byway
The Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail is now an America's Byway,
designated by the Federal Highway Administration. The announcement
was made in September by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman
Mineta in Washington, D.C. Attending the celebration were Melinda
Huntley, executive director of Lake Erie Coastal Ohio; Frank Lichtkoppler,
Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Byways Chairman and an Ohio Sea Grant Extension
Specialist; and Paul Staley, ODOT Scenic Byways Section Chief.
The America's Byways program, formerly known as the National
Scenic Byways Program, honors a unique collection of American roads,
their stories, and treasured places. The mission of the program
is to provide resources to the byway community in creating a unique
travel experience and enhanced local quality of life through efforts
to preserve, protect, interpret and promote their special features.
In order to achieve America's Byways designation, Lake Erie
Coastal Ohio had to complete a nomination form and develop a Corridor
Management Plan that demonstrates the importance and integrity
of our region's intrinsic qualities - natural, historical,
recreational, cultural, archaeological and scenic. Over the last
three years, Lake Erie Coastal Ohio has conducted a resource inventory,
developed a management plan with stakeholder input, and begun creation
of interpretive themes. With these tools at our disposal, the program
was able to clearly state the region's natural, historical
and recreational qualities in order to achieve this important designation.
11. Events
New York Sea Grant - Identifying Uncertainties in Great Lakes
Fisheries Management
Press Advisory
With funding from the New York Great Lakes Protection Fund, New
York Sea Grant has organized a technical workshop on the tools
for addressing uncertainty in fisheries management. NYSG welcomes
those with interest in Great Lakes fisheries research and management
to attend this unique and needed forum scheduled for October 24th,
2005 at the Carrier Circle Holiday Inn in Syracuse, NY. For details,
see the event's agenda found at <www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/GLFisheriesWkshp1005.pdf>.
"This workshop will provide a unique opportunity to discuss
with renowned academics and managers from New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation and the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources about the importance of quantifying the uncertainties
in the information used in the regular business of these stakeholders,"
says NYSG's Fisheries Specialist Dave Mac Neill. "We'll also
show attendees how to communicate these uncertainties as measures
of risk, internally and to the general public." New York Sea
Grant's Director, Dr. Jack Mattice, will give opening remarks.
This "toolbox approach" workshop includes an introductory"Uncertainty and Decision Making 101" session demonstrating
how to communicate risk using case studies of stocking rates with
respect to alewife risk, uncertainties associated with unbalanced
predator or prey communities, and a lake whitefish allocation issue
from Lake Ontario.
The workshop, Identifying Uncertainties in Great Lakes Fisheries
Management, is targeted to decision makers, communications specialists,
and others who provide information for Lake Ontario managers.
OH Sea Grant - Balancing Land Use and Water Quality
The Ohio Sea Grant College Program, in collaboration with the Ohio
Coastal Training Program, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Ohio Lake
Erie Commission, Ohio State University Extension, Greater Ohio,
and the Smart Growth Education Foundation is offering a one-day
conference on December 1, 2005 entitled"The Future of Ohio's
Lake Erie Basin: Balancing Land Use and Water Quality".
Land use and economic activity in northern Ohio have always been
inextricably linked to Lake Erie. In turn, the ecology of Lake
Erie is directly impacted by the many human uses of the lake,
including boating, fishing, drinking water and transportation.
Indirect impacts include a variety of land use activities that
range from farming to suburban sprawl to coastline development.
Explore central issues from plenary speakers and a wide variety
of breakout sessions that address problems and offer solutions
to balancing the land/water connection. To register and view
agenda, please go to: http://www.northcoastbia.com.
For more information, please contact Joe
Lucente.
12. Publications
NY Sea Grant - New Publications and Reprints
Please send requests for the following publications to:New York
Sea Grant Communications, 121 Discovery Hall, Stony Brook University,
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5001/631.632.9124
- Establishing Local Authority for Stormwater Management.New
York Sea Grant NEMO Program. 2005. Fact Sheet.
- Impacts of Development on Waterways: Linking Land Use to Water
Quality. New York Sea Grant NEMO Program. 2004. Fact Sheet.
- The Nissequogue River: A River of Special Significance. New
York Sea Grant NEMO Program. 2003. Fact Sheet.
- A Technical Review of the Lake Ontario Forage Base Assessment
Program. D. MacNeill. 2005. Available in PDF format at www.nyseagrant.org/fish/forageassess05.pdf
- Bioconcentration of inorganic and organic thallium by freshwater
phytoplankton. 2004. M.R. Twiss, B.S. Twining, and N.S. Fisher.
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(4): 968-973.
- Comparative toxicity of thallium(I), thallium(III), and cadmium(II)
to the unicellular alga Chlorella isolated from Lake Erie. 2002.
L. Ralph, and M.R. Twiss. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination
and Toxicology 68(2): 261-268.
- Linking phytoplankton community composition with juvenile-phase
growth in the northern quahog Mercenaria mercenaria (L). 2005.
D.I. Greenfield, D.J. Lonsdale, and R.M. Cerrato. Estuaries 28(2):
241-251.
- Oxidation of Thallium by Freshwater Plankton Communities. 2003.
B.S. Twining, M.R. Twiss, and N.S. Fisher. Environmental Science
& Technology 37(12): 2720-2726.
- Partitioning of dissolved thallium by seston in Lakes Erie
and Ontario. 2003. M.R. Twiss, B.S. Twining, and N.S. Fisher.
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 60(11): 1369-1375.
- Trophic transfer of trace metals from protozoa mesozooplankton.
2004. B.S. Twining, and N.S. Fisher. Limnology and Oceanography
49(1): 28-39.
NY Sea Grant - Aquatic Invaders!
The April-June issue of Aquatic Invaders (Volume 16 No 2) is available.
This issue's featured articles are:
- Reciprocal Caulerpa Invasion: Mediterranean native Caulerpa
ollivieri in the Bahamas supported by human nitrogen enrichment.
Lapointe BE, Barile PJ, Wynne MJ, Yentsch CS.
- Invasive Species in FishBase. Casal CMV.
- Ballast Water Exchange: Exploring the Feasibility of Alternate
Ballast Water Exchange Zones in the North Atlantic: Summary of
a workshop held, October 27 and 28, 2003. Pederson J.
The July-September issue of Aquatic Invaders (Volume 16 No 3)
is at the printers. This issue's featured articles include:
- Evaluation of Different Biocides for Potential Use in Treating
Overseas Unballasted Vessels Entering the Great Lakes, Sano LL,
Landrum PF
- Investigation of the Need and Options for an Exotic Species
Barrier on the Champlain Canal, Marsden JE, Malchoff M, Hauser
M
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
WI Sea Grant - Aquatic Sciences Chronicle - Fall 2005 - www.aqua.wisc.edu/chronicle
- Scientists Launch Mercury Mission. Objectve: Capture state
of the science at 2006 conference - More than 40 of the world's
leading mercury researchers recently gathered in Madison to provide
sound science to policymakers.
- The Ultimate Test Tube: Landmark mercury pollution study sited
at pristine lake - An international group of researchers is performing
a unique experiment on a remote lake in Ontario.
- Students to Compete in Lake Sturgeon Bowl: Contest of aquatic
knowledge to be held March 4, 2006, at UW-Milwaukee - Up to twenty
Wisconsin high school teams are eligible to compete for an all-expenses-paid
opportunity to represent the region at the national Ocean Sciences
Bowl finals.
- Generations Go Back to School: Grandparents, grandchildren
learn limnology - This summer, UW Sea Grant and the UW Center
for Limnology helped prove you're never too old-or too young-to
learn something new.
- Education News: Prahl Awarded Weston Fellowship -Lili K. Prahl
has been awarded the Carl J. Weston Memorial Fellowship.
- Know Your Water Lab: Great Lakes WATER Institute - Conducting
research, education, and outreach from its 10-acre dockside site
in the port of Milwaukee, the Great Lakes WATER Institute aims
to understand thoroughly the Great Lakes and other aquatic and
environmental resources of local to international importance.
- Wisconsin's Water Library: Frogs Hop into Latest Reading Hour
- Children at the Allied Drive Learning Center on Madison's south
side were recently treated to an afternoon of books, music, crafts,
and treats through a University of Wisconsin - Madison library
outreach program.
- Featured Web Site: CoastWatch - Wisconsin anglers, as well
as students in the classroom, now have access to the latest available
Great Lakes surface water temperature information via the Web.
- People News: Floating Kiosk, Sunken Ships Win Awards - Wisconsin
Sea Grant won two first-place awards in the communications contest
at Sea Grant Week, a meeting for the country's 30 Sea Grant programs,
June 3-8, in Camden-Rockport, Maine.
MN Sea Grant - From Shore to Shore - September-October 2005 - www.shorelandmanagement.org/shore_shore/index.html
This issue includes the following articles:
- Introduction of new staff
- Water Gardeners and Shoreland Owners Concerned About Aquatic
Invasive Species
- Controlling Reed Canary Grass in Wetland Restorations
- Toxic Algae: When in Doubt, Keep Out!
MN Sea Grant - Seiche - October - http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/seiche/
- Outcast! - How did an Amazon River fish end up in a Minnesota
lake? Read the saga and learn about what you can do during Minnesota's
Invasive Species month.
- Germ Hunters Go to Prison -Find out what researchers learned
about bacteria and virus survival in alternative wastewater treatment
systems.
- All Plankton Great and Small -Lake Superior's zooplankton community
has changed in the last 30 years and the lake's exceedingly small
plankton is unique among the Great Lakes.
MI Sea Grant - Upwellings - September 2005 - http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/index.html
- Editorial: A Holistic Approach
- Improving Environmental Decision-Making through Integrated
Assessment
- Integrated Assessment Workshop
- Online Lessons Bring Great Lakes Education into the Classroom
- Up and Running: Northwest Michigan Buoy Data Now Available
- Voyage of Discovery
OH Sea Grant - Twine Line - Spring 2005 - http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/PUBLICATIONS/TWINELINE/INDEX.HTM
- The Teacher of Teachers (Goodbye to Roseanne Fortner)
- The Relatives that Won't Leave (Phragmites)
- Stone Lab Supports Ohio Teachers
- Food: Knots in the Web, Kinks in the Chain
- Lake Erie Coastal Ohio, Inc
- A Warm Winter Reception
- FOSL
- REUs: A New Program at Stone Laboratory
NY Sea Grant - Coastlines - Fall 2005 - http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/Coastlines/Fall05.pdf
- Emerging Pathways (Thallium)
- On the Right Path (Reader Survey)
- Brown Tide: The Final Chapter
- CoastWatch: The Next Phase (NEMO)
- A is for Aquatic (Scholars, Fellows and Students)
- Taking Stock of Storm Barrier Research
- Packets Prompt Citizens to Save Dunes
- Annual Report
WI Sea Grant - Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
- Mostly Melting in Antarctica -- Glaciers across a big part
of Antarctic Peninsula appear to be melting away according to
a long-term collection of aerial photos and satellite images.
(9/19/2005)
- Pharmaceuticals in Fish -- A very small dose of common medications
can be hard on freshwater fish. (9/20/2005)
- Hesitant about Hydrogen -- An energy expert argues against
hydrogen as the transportation fuel of the future. He says there's
a better, cheaper alternative. (9/21/2005)
- Act Locally, Impact Globally -- Clearing a forest or building
a shopping mall might seem like local matters, but these actions
add up to affect the whole planet, according to a new study.
(9/22/2005)
- The Domino Effect -- Scientists analyze a chain of events in
the Caribbean that leaves coral reefs covered in brown seaweed.
(9/23/2005)
- Lingering Lyme -- You don't hear much about Lyme disease these
days, but it remains a troublesome health threat for those who
spend time outdoors. (9/26/2005)
- Power Plants on the Farm -- Ethanol is a promising renewable
fuel for automobiles. But large-scale production would place
huge demands on agriculture. (9/27/2005)
- Flying in the Fertilizer -- Huge colonies of seabirds deliver
dangerous chemicals and life-giving nutrients to remote environments
in the Arctic. (9/28/2005)
- Taking Stock of Parasites -- Scientists start to take inventory
of microscopic parasites and find all kinds of new ones. (9/29/2005)
- Making Strides -- A man who walks the planet to raise environmental
awareness finds it hard to keep up with the success of his mission.
(9/30/2005)
- A Helpful but Hazardous Harvest -- Pumpkins and zucchini do
a good job of pulling toxic chemicals out of the soil. They might
clean up some contaminated sites to make them safe again, although
they would turn into hazardous waste in the process. (10/3/2005)
- Vets in Demand -- A report from the National Academy of Sciences
says we need more veterinarians to protect public health. (10/4/2005)
- Dangerous Ground -- Radon gas can pose an invisible threat
inside your home. An expert advises everyone to test for it.
(10/5/2005)
- The Virtue of Waste -- Efforts to conserve energy only lead
to more consumption, according to a controversial new book. (10/6/2005)
- Simple Conquest -- The sea squirt is a simple marine creature
that is spreading far and wide. (10/7/2005)
- Paper or Plastic? -- A new book tackles a question heard every
day in the checkout line. (10/10/2005)
- Island Culture -- A small group of people with a unique history
struggles to protect their small island from development. (10/11/2005)
- Weedy Waters -- A common element of many farm fertilizers can
drastically alter freshwater lakes, possibly for centuries. (10/12/2005)
- Conserving Corals -- People in Alaska who fish for a living
work with government and conservation groups to protect the coral
that is home to their catch. (10/13/2005)
- Quiet Revolution -- A growing number of people in business
and government are taking steps to create a more sustainable
economy. (10/14/2005)
- Shock Therapy with Saltwater -- A serious dose of saltwater
can kill freshwater hitchhikers that ride in the ballast water
of ocean-going ships. (10/17/2005)
- Seeking Host, Will Travel -- Global warming could prompt the
widespread migration of microscopic parasites. (10/18/2005)
- Plenty of Energy -- Many people are worried about future energy
supplies. This author isn't one of them. (10/19/2005)
- Impersonal Packaging -- Packaging has taken the place of a
lot of personal interaction, according to this author. (10/20/2005)
- Space Invaders at Sea -- Sea squirts are squeezing into spaces
in environments where they don't belong, and the results could
be serious. (10/21/2005)
13. Staff News
MN Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Director of the Minnesota
Sea Grant College Program
Applications and nominations invited for the position of Director
of the Minnesota Sea Grant College Program. The administrative
office is at University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Position includes
annually renewable administrative appointment with system-wide
responsibility, reporting to UMD Vice Chancellor for Academic Administration.
Tenured faculty appointment in relevant UMD academic department
negotiable.
Position responsibilities found at http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/employment/openings/job133260.html.
The candidate must have doctoral or terminal professional degree
in a Sea Grant-relevant discipline. Preferred qualifications include:
commitment to Sea Grant concept; broad knowledge of marine and aquatic
science and resource issues; proven record of innovative leadership
and sound management; significant record of research, teaching,
and service; experience working with a wide range of external constituencies;
experience with grant proposals and federal funding process; and
strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
Applicants should provide letter of application, curriculum vitae,
and names, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and mailing addresses
of no fewer than three references to: Steve Colman, Chair of search
committee, University of Minnesota Duluth, 109 Research Lab Bldg.,
2205 E. 5th St., Duluth, MN 55812
Complete applications should be submitted as soon as possible.
While no closing date for the search has been established, the
Search Committee will meet to begin screening complete applications
on December 15, 2005.
MI Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Director, Michigan
Sea Grant Extension Program; Associate Professor/Professor
Michigan State University, East Lansing
Closing Date: December 12, 2005
The successful candidate will be a tenure stream Associate Professor/Professor
specializing in Aquatic Resource Policy and Management in the Department
of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. The primary
responsibility is to serve as the Extension Program Coordinator
for the Michigan Sea Grant College Program. Secondary responsibilities
include developing and implementing an applied research program
in support of Michigan Sea Grant College program centering on Great
Lakes aquatic resource policy and management. View the full job
posting for complete details.
Interested individuals should prepare (1) letter of interest,
(2) resume, (3) description of relevant experience and expertise,
and of professional goals, (4) names and contact information for
three references. Please send application materials to William
W. Taylor. Candidates should include"Job Sea Grant Coordinator"
at the start of the subject line in all e-mail correspondence regarding
this position.
William W. Taylor, Chairperson
Michigan State University, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife
13 Natural Resources Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
Send an E-mail
MN Sea Grant - Position Announcement: Sea Grant Maritime
Extension Educator
Applications and nominations are invited for the position of Sea
Grant Maritime Extension Educator. The office is at Washburn Hall,
University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). The position is in the University
of Minnesota's academic staff category with the title of Extension
Educator. The Maritime Extension Educator 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. Complete position responsibilities can be
found at http://www.d.umn.edu/umdhr/umdjobs.html
The candidate must have a Masters degree and three years experience.
Applicants should provide letter of application, vitae, and names,
telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and mailing addresses of three
references to: Marie Zhuikov,
Search Committee Chair, Minnesota Sea Grant, 2305 E 5th Street,
University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812
Phone: (218)726-7677, e-mail: mzhuikov@d.umn.edu
OH Sea Grant - New Ohio Clean Marinas Program Coordinator
Ohio Sea Grant welcomes Gary L Comer, Jr as its new Ohio Clean
Marinas Coordinator. For the past 10 years, Gary has been an
Ohio State University Extension Educator in Logan County, Ohio,
where he focused primarily on watershed management education.
He received his AAS at Hocking Technical College in Recreation
and Wildlife Management, his BS at Arkansas Tech University in
Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and his MS at Texas Tech University
in Wildlife Science. For information about his program, contact
Gary at comer.27@osu.edu.
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September
16, 2005
Contents
1. IL-IN Sea Grant - $450,000 to New Research
2. PA Sea Grant - EPA R/V Mudpuppy to sample sediment in Presque
Isle Bay
3. MI Sea Grant - High-Tech Buoy Monitors Weather in Mich.
4. OH Sea Grant - PAT
5. MI Sea Grant - Detroit River conservation initiatives to be
recognized at White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation
6. Events
- GLSGN - Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Regional Conference
- MI Sea Grant - Coastwatch Meeting at GLERL
- MI Sea Grant - Integrated Assessment
- OH Sea Grant - GLFLI
- WI Sea Grant: Workshop Announcement: Using the New Aquatic Invasive
Species Education Handbook
- OH Sea Grant - NAML
7. Publications
- IISG - The Helm - Summer 2005 - http://www.iisgcp.org/news/helm.htm
- WI Sea Grant -Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
- IISG - New Publications
- MI Sea Grant -- Project FLOW and Great Lakes Most Unwanted
- MI Sea Grant -- Shorelines
8. Staff News
- IISG Announces Interim Director
- MN Sea Grant - EPA Appoints Director of Duluth Laboratory
- IISG - New 'Sea Granters' On Board
- MN Sea Grant - Water on the Web Project Earns National Awards
- IISG - Award for AquaNIC Developer
- MI Sea Grant - Spotlight: A passion for the Great Lakes
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
1. IL-IN Sea Grant - $450,000 to New Research
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) has awarded a total of $450,000
to six research projects that address human and environmental
health issues in the southern Lake Michigan region. For the years
2006-2007, IISG will support studies on aquatic invasive species;
contaminants in drinking water, lakes and rivers; and the medicinal
potential of Lake Michigan bacteria. "These projects will
provide new information that will play a critical role in future
water resource policy making, planning, and management," said
Phil Mankin, IISG research coordinator.
Three researchers from the University of Illinois will assess
the impact of contaminants, but from a variety of perspectives.
John Braden, an economist, will measure the financial benefits
of cleaning up contaminated sites for communities near Great Lakes
Areas of Concern, which are waters that have an impaired ability
to support aquatic life. Braden hopes to speed up informed decision-making
about contaminated sediment remediation in the Great Lakes.
Robert Hudson, an environmental chemist, will study the distribution
and concentration of methylmercury--the form of mercury that poses
a threat to human health and the environment--in wetlands along
the southern shores of Lake Michigan. Wetlands can be a major source
of methylmercury in streams and lakes.
Contaminants in drinking water will be the subject of Michael
Plewa's research. Ironically, the process of disinfecting drinking
water can result in the development of by-products that, in some
cases, pose human health implications. Plewa, a geneticist, will
assess the toxicity of a number of disinfectant by-products, known
as DBPs, on mammal cells.
Two research projects will provide key information for managing
the problem of aquatic invasive species in local waters. Nadine
Folino-Rorem, a marine biologist at Wheaton College will study
Cordylophora caspia, a hydroid from the Caspian Sea that can be
found in southwestern Lake Michigan. Little is known about the
diet of these tiny, bottom-dwelling, invertebrate organisms in
Lake Michigan and their impact on the food chain.
The electric barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal is
designed to prevent invasive species from moving between Lake Michigan
and the Mississippi River. However, despite the barrier, barges
and boats may provide these species transportation through the
canal. Dan Schneider, an aquatic ecologist at the Illinois Natural
History Survey and the U of I, will identify the risks that these
vessels pose for transferring organisms and which species should
be targeted for management efforts.
Finally, stepping into a new frontier, which may have implications
beyond the region, Jimmy Orjala, a medicinal chemist at the University
of Illinois at Chicago, will look to the waters of Lake Michigan
for cures for disease. Taking advantage of new technology, he will
culture Lake Michigan bacteria that previously could not be grown
in the lab, and test these microbes for their anti-cancer and anti-tuberculosis
properties.
"Through these six studies, we will shed new light on some
critical problems that affect environmental quality and human health.
The results of these efforts will be more finely-tuned resource
policies and, ultimately, healthier, more vibrant communities,"
said William Sullivan, IISG director.
2. PA Sea Grant - EPA R/V Mudpuppy to sample sediment in Presque
Isle Bay
Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection are continuing the study of Presque Isle Bay sediment.
This September the EPA Research Vessel, Mudpuppy, will spend a
week collecting sediment cores in Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pennsylvania.
The Mudpuppy is a 32 foot, flat-bottom boat that is equipped to
core sediment in shallow rivers and harbors. It has performed sediment
sampling at 27 of the 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern, (AOC). Presque
Isle Bay is an Area of Concern in Recovery, identified first as
the Great Lakes' 43rd Area of Concern in 1991 and then attaining
a recovery designation in 2002.
Of the 26 American AOC's, 15 have identified restrictions
on dredging as a beneficial use impairment. The Presque Isle Bay
Area of Concern is one of these. Pennsylvania Sea Grant's
goal is to generate model sediment impairment standards that can
be used in other Areas of Concern as they work towards delistment.
In order to attain this goal Sea Grant has formed a Sediment Advisory
Group; compiled and evaluated existing sediment data; is attempting
to evaluate current sediment quality conditions in the AOC; and
in due course, will establish delisting criteria for the Presque
Isle Bay AOC. Peter Landrum and Steve Ruber of GLERL have lent
their expertise to this project. Peter Landrum is a member of the
Sediment Advisory Group. This group reviewed Sea Grant's plan
for Presque Isle Bay sediment sampling. Steve Ruber has mapped
the bottom of Presque Isle Bay using side scan sonar.
While in Erie, the Mudpuppy will work in tandem with the Environaut,
Gannon University's research vessel, to collect sediment cores
and grab samples from fifteen locations in Presque Isle Bay. This
material will be taken to the newly opened labs at the Tom Ridge
Environmental Center at Presque Isle. Here they will be prepared,
packaged and shipped to either the U.S.G.S. office in Columbia,
Missouri for toxicity testing or the EPA Fort Meade Lab for grain
size and some metal testing. Collected core samples will be aged
to determine deposition rates, along with total organic carbon,
PAHs, other organics and pesticides. In addition to the Bay sediment,
samples will also be collected from the mouth of Cascade Creek,
Mill Creek and Scott Run, the three tributaries which feed directly
into the Bay.
Results of these analyses will be made available to regulators,
scientists, stakeholders and the informed public in order to support
a variety of environmental decisions. Representatives of other
AOC's will be invited to resulting workshops in order to solicit
their input on sediment monitoring programs and delisting criteria.
3. MI Sea Grant - High-Tech Buoy Monitors Weather in Mich.
Excerpt from Yahoo News article By John Flesher, Associated
Press Writer Thu Aug 25, 8:34 PM ET
A solar-powered buoy bobbing on the surface of Grand Traverse Bay
is providing boaters, forecasters and other interested people with
up-to-date information about the Lake Michigan waterway's sometimes
volatile weather. The University of Michigan's Marine Hydrodynamics
Lab is managing data transmitted from the buoy, which was launched
last month. The information, updated every 10 minutes, became available
over the Internet this week. The buoy will be removed during winter,
when the bay surface often freezes. The device has been added to
a computer-linked network of Great Lakes buoys. Together, they
are part of an observation system under development to support
research into climate change, low oxygen levels and other topics.
The buoy also will supply information to a data center operated
by the National Weather Service, which manages two other buoys
in Lake Michigan.
The National Weather Service monitors the same conditions from
the Cherry Capital Airport, only a few miles away. "But the
wind changes dramatically as it encounters the edge of the land,"
said Guy Meadows, director of the university lab. "It's very
important to get measurements in the water itself." The buoy
already is proving valuable to the weather service office in Gaylord,
which prepares marine forecasts for a wide area that includes Grand
Traverse Bay. "Even with all the satellites and radars and
other tools we have, there's a surprising lack of direct measurements
of the marine environment," forecaster Steve Rowley said. "For
the first time, we have an instrument that can help provide those
measurements of the winds and waves."
"This is going to have a lot of practical applications for
near-coast users as well as the research community," Mark
Breederland, the Michigan Sea Grant Extension educator for northwestern
Michigan, said Thursday. The buoy is about 10 feet high, but only
the top 4.5 feet reaches above the surface. It's fitted with sensors
that measure wind speed and direction, wave height, and temperatures
of the air and surface water. It is anchored about 1.5 miles north
of Traverse City on the western arm of the bay, where the water
is 150 feet deep. The data will be valuable for recreational boaters,
sport and commercial fishermen and others who need accurate information
about conditions on the roughly 30-mile-long bay, Meadows said.
It also will assist educational programs. Law enforcement agencies
could consult the database for updates on water currents when searching
for drowning victims, Meadows said.
The buoy, which cost about $60,000, previously was placed in Lake
St. Clair. It generated information for a computer model the University
of Michigan lab developed to track water flow and predict when
pollutants such as E coli might drift near shore. Great Lakes beaches
sometimes are closed when sewer overflows contaminate the waters
with E. coli, a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, dehydration
and other illnesses. Scientists want to produce a similar model
for Grand Traverse Bay, Meadows said.
Data from buoy accessible at: http://www.engin.umich.edu/dept/name/facilities/mhl/current_proj.html
4. OH Sea Grant - PAT
The Ohio Sea Grant College Program hosted its Performance Appraisal
Team (PAT) August 21-25 in Columbus and at Stone Lab. With extensive
input and support from advisory committees and clientele, the
team was very impressed with the expertise, involvement, understanding,
dedication, and commitment of everyone they met. Lots of hard
work paid off as our rating was very high. It will likely be
several weeks before we receive the formal letter from the review
team.
5. MI Sea Grant - Detroit River conservation initiatives to
be recognized at White House Conference on Cooperative Conservation
Excerpt from Press Release
Over the past several years, a unique coalition of community,
business, education and governmental groups have quietly endeavored
to revitalize the Detroit River and its surrounding areas. As a
result of this collaboration, the 32-mile waterway that connects
Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, once neglected and polluted, has
become an inviting place for wildlife and a destination for the
public. The partnerships that have made this transformation possible
will receive national recognition at the White House Conference
on Cooperative Conservation in St. Louis Aug. 29-Aug. 31.
The Detroit River initiative is among 37 conservation projects
nationwide that will be highlighted at the conference. An overview
of the initiative will be presented by Mary Bohling, environmental
planner, DTE Energy; Barry Murray, Southeast Michigan extension
agent, Michigan Sea Grant; Anita Twardesky, co-chair, Downriver
Linked Greenways; and John Hartig, manager, Detroit River International
Wildlife Refuge. The four represent a cross-section of the many
organizations that have been deeply involved in the revitalization
of the Detroit River.
The conference, convened by the White House Council on Environmental
Quality, will focus on promoting cooperative conservation through
partnerships with state, tribal and local governments, communities,
private for-profit and non-profit organizations, and private citizens.
It will bring together interested participants and decision makers
who can advance cooperative conservation and identify ideas for
future conservation and environmental policies and initiatives.
"We are honored to be invited to the conference and delighted
to have the opportunity to share our achievements with our colleagues
from across the country. We're anxious to learn from them as well,"
said Bohling. "This conference is about collaboration, and
from our experiences with the Detroit River, that truly is the
way you make things happen."
Some of the numerous partnerships and projects that have helped
revitalize the Detroit River area include:
- The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. Located along
the lower Detroit River and western shoreline of Lake Erie, the
2,400-acre Refuge contains islands, coastal wetlands, marshes,
shoals and unique uplands, and includes four DTE Energy facilities
that are certified wildlife sites, due in large part to the conservation
efforts of DTE Energy volunteers. The company recently donated
$100,000 to help build a gateway at the refuge that will include
a visitor center, wildlife viewing stations,
hiking trails and more.
- The Downriver Linked Greenways. This organization has raised
more than $10 million for trail construction and has built nearly
15 miles of trails since 1999. It has completed a five-year master
plan, and worked with the National Park Service to create a signage
manual.
- The Greater Detroit American Heritage River Initiative of the
Metropolitan Affairs Coalition. The initiative raised $43 million
for projects involving environmental stewardship, economic development,
and celebrating history and culture.
- The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The group raised more than
$100 million that leveraged millions of dollars more to build
the
3.5-mile Detroit RiverWalk, one of the country's largest urban
waterfront redevelopment projects.
- The Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan GreenWays
Initiative. This effort provided $25 million and leveraged another
$65 million for communities to build greenways.
6. Events
GLSGN - Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Regional Conference
SAVE-the-Date ... June 11-14, 2006. Location: NOAA Thunder Bay
National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve in Alpena, MI.
MI Sea Grant - Coastwatch Meeting at GLERL
The Sea Grant Coastwatch project team will meet at GLERL on September
27th, 1-5pm. Conference call line will be available for other
programs to join in discussions of Coastwatch program evaluation,
cloud masking and image quality.
MI Sea Grant - Integrated Assessment
A workshop for Michigan's researchers about a formal approach to
synthesizing scientific input to decision making. October 12, 2005.
See http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/ia
OH Sea Grant - GLFLI
The second Great Lakes Fisheries Leadership Institute will be held
at October 7-9, 2005 at the F.T. Stone Laboratory, Put-in-Bay
Ohio. The agenda will focus on critical issues affecting the
Great Lakes and the audience focus will be on environmental and
outdoor writers.
WI Sea Grant: Workshop Announcement: Using the New Aquatic
Invasive Species Education Handbook
Is there interest in aquatic invasive species education in your
community? Are you providing support to local Aquatic Invasive
Species Grant recipients? Would you like to learn more about the
educational resources, programs, and funding that are available
to you? If so, plan to attend one of the upcoming workshops that
will premiere a brand new publication: "Aquatic Invasive Species:
A Handbook for Education Efforts".
Workshops: The purpose of these half-day workshops, provided by
Wisconsin Sea Grant, University of Wisconsin-Extension, and Wisconsin
DNR, is to launch our new invasive species education handbook.
All participants will receive a copy of the handbook and accompanying
resource CD. We will discuss aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin
and the statewide programs that allow volunteers to get involved
in the fight against these nuisance species. We will also review
the handbook contents and hopefully generate ideas for how you
can take this resource home and put it to good use!
Who should attend: The workshops are open to anyone, and we encourage
the following individuals to attend: UW-Extension Agents, LCD Employees,
DNR Lake Coordinators and Environmental Grant Specialists, lake
association representatives, representatives from interested municipalities,
and DNR Aquatic Invasive Species Grant recipients.
Where:
October 4th - Madison - Friedrick Center (UW-Madison Campus)
October 5th - Stevens Point - Student Union (UW-Stevens Point Campus)
October 6th - Minocqua - The Pointe Resort and Conference
When: 10 am - 3 pm
Cost: They're free! The workshops, including lunch, are being
provided by the National Sea Grant College Program and the Great
Lakes Commission, who is managing this grant in the Great Lakes
states.
Registration: Pre-registration is required. Contact Phil Moy at
(920) 683-4697, pmoy@uwc.edu or Diane Knier at (920) 683-4700 to
reserve your spot at one of the workshops.
Background: Aquatic invasive species are plants and animals that
have been introduced into Wisconsin waters and are having negative
economic, ecological, and recreational impacts. Awareness of aquatic
invasive species is growing in Wisconsin, and increasing numbers
of citizens are looking for ways to get involved in helping to
prevent their introduction and spread. Education is the basis for
more citizen involvement and effectiveness, and state agencies
are increasing their educational efforts. However, this battle
will not be won with a statewide education effort alone. Numerous
local groups - schools, counties, towns, lake associations, businesses
- have recognized this and are beginning to launch their own prevention
education efforts. Local programs are encouraged to collaborate
with and capitalize on statewide educational efforts to achieve
maximum effectiveness.
The new education handbook was developed jointly by UW - Extension,
Wisconsin Sea Grant, and the Department of Natural Resources. It
includes a compilation of information on statewide programs, resources,
contacts, case studies, and action strategies. It also provides
some suggested approaches for designing successful local education
efforts. We hope that this book will serve as a resource for those
who might be interested in taking on this issue but don't know
where to begin, or for individuals working in communities statewide
who might be called upon to provide support.
For more information about the workshops, contact: Phil Moy, Wisconsin
Sea Grant, pmoy@uwc.edu, 920-683-4697
OH Sea Grant - NAML
Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory will host the National Association
of Marine Laboratories (NAML) Annual Meeting at Stone Laboratory
on 21-23 September.
7. Publications
IISG - The Helm - Summer 2005 - http://www.iisgcp.org/news/helm.htm
- Plant Retailers Provide Potential Source of AIS
- A Fond Farewell to Dick Warner
- IISG Announces Interim Director
- Web Site Recruits AIS Detectives
- Fish School Is in Session
- AIS-HACCP Program Expands to Resource Managers
- Experts Focus on Southern Lake Michigan Region Water Supply
- Aquaculture Class Inspires High School Students
- Rip Current Awareness Can Save Lives
WI Sea Grant -Earthwatch Radio - http://ewradio.org
Podcast: http://ewradio.org/podcast/current/index.aspx
RSS: http://ewradio.org/rss/
- The Rewards of Doppler Radar -- The National Weather Service
made a big investment in Doppler radar during the 1990s, and
an
economist says it was a wise investment. (8/15/2005)
- Global Changes, Global Health -- Changes in the global climate
might give an advantage to small organisms that affect public
health. (8/16/2005)
- Lightning Rules -- A "bolt from the blue" can be
deadly if you don't respect the unpredictable nature of lightning.
(8/17/2005)
- Pack Mentality -- Pack rats collect a lot of stuff that helps
ecologists track nature's changes. (8/18/2005)
- The Call of the Reef -- The sounds of coral reefs might offer
a home-coming call for some kinds of marine fish. (8/19/2005)
- Back from the Abyss -- A Depression-era piece of oceanographic
history has been rescued from a scrap heap on Coney Island.
(8/22/2005)
- New Economic State -- New Mexico produces plenty of fossil
fuels, but it sees its future in solar energy and other renewable
resources. (8/23/2005)
- New Fish for Old Rigs -- A lot of offshore oil rigs go out
of business every year, but they might find new life as commercial
fish farms. (8/24/2005)
- Farming in Balance -- Researchers in Texas are looking for
ways to keep phosphorus from running off dairy farms and into
lakes and
streams. (8/25/2005)
- Healthy Environment -- The environment around you affects your
well-being. But your choices in health care can also affect the
environment. (8/26/2005)
- Toxic Snapshot -- A whale expert nips pieces of blubber off
the backs of whales to get a global picture of chemical pollution.
(8/29/2005)
- Uneasy Breathing -- A warmer world might be filled with more
air pollution, and people might have to change some daily routines
to
protect their health. (8/30/2005)
- Imposing Risk -- Some people live to seek thrills in the outdoors,
but others might not want to share the risk. (8/31/2005)
- Bad News in Bird Droppings -- Birds that eat contaminated fish
deliver a surprising amount of toxic chemicals to remote places
inside the Arctic Circle. (9/1/2005)
- Over a Barrel -- The rising price of oil might lead to new
energy policies, but an expert argues that there are better reasons
to
promote conservation and alternatives. (9/2/2005)
- No Sleep for Mother or Child -- A scientists who specializes
in the study of sleep finds that newborn dolphins and killer
whales
apparently don't need any sleep. (9/5/2005)
- At the Bottom of the Ballast Tank -- Ships can carry foreign
plants and animals across the oceans in their ballast tanks,
even
when the ballast tanks are virtually empty. (9/6/2005)
- Plowing Ahead -- Humans use nearly forty percent of the Earth's
landscapes, and we're putting the squeeze on nature, according
to
a new study. (9/7/2005)
- Rangers and Danger -- Attacks on park rangers hit an all-time
high last year -- not from animals, but from people. (9/8/2005)
- Sanctions on Shark Finning -- An organization that regulates
fishing in the Pacific Ocean takes action to end a wasteful
fishing practice called "shark finning." (9/9/2005)
- Trading Away
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