Sea Grant Electronic Newletters: 2006 Updates Archive

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• December 21

December 21, 2006

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

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

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

For more information about this free event call 614.292.8949.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 17

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 19, 2006

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

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

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

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

2. Publications
OH Sea Grant - New Publications

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 18, 2006

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6) NY Sea Grant - Study Shows Natural Chinook in the