Michigan Sea Grant

Lake Superior Fisheries Workshop 2021
2021-04-08 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Detroit)
Thursday, April 8, 2021, 6 – 8 p.m. EST
Location: Zoom
This workshop – ONLINE this year – will offer current research and information related to the status of the Lake Superior fishery. Michigan Sea Grant will host partners from the Michigan DNR Fisheries Division, the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Sea Lamprey Control team, and others to provide local research of interest. Directly after the programmed material and regulatory updates
Due to novel coronavirus and social distancing guidelines we are hosting a variation of this year’s workshops in a virtual, online format using a platform called Zoom.

SPEAKER
TITLE +
INSTITUTION
TOPIC

Martha Gerig
Lauren Jescovitch
Elliot Nelson
Extension Educators,
Michigan Sea Grant
Introductions

Dan O’Keefe
Extension Educator,
Michigan Sea Grant
Great Lakes Angler Diary

Shawn Sitar

Fisheries Research Biologist,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Status of lake trout

Ben Michaels
Fisheries Biologist,
Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission
Using hydroacoustic telemetry to assess the effects of mining waste on fish spawning behavior

Troy Zorn
Fisheries Research Biologist,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Coaster brook trout rehab

Kevin Mann
Fish Biologist,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sea Lamprey Control Program
Sea Lamprey Control in Lake Superior 2020

Patrick Hanchin

Lake Superior Basin Coordinator,
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Lake Superior Management Plan

Conclusion of Michigan Sea Grant-hosted Workshop.

Start of MDNR-facilitated Conversations & Coffee.

Cory Kovacs
George Madison
Fisheries Biologists – Lake Superior Management Units
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Regulation changes
Open questions and conversation

Registration for this event is free, but you must register by Wednesday, April 7, 2021.
In addition to receiving a confirmation email directly following this registration process, a link to the Zoom webinar will be e-mailed to all registrants on the morning of April 8.

Registration for Lake Superior Fisheries Workshop 2021 is open.
Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on April 7, 2021.
Register Online

Unveiling the Mystery: Demonstrating Michigan Sea Grant’s Work with Extension and Outreach
2021-03-30 16:00 - 17:00
This panel highlights Michigan Sea Grant’s work for development and implementation of educational programs as well as communicating evidence-based science to interested citizens.
Speakers
Mary Bohling
Mary is a Michigan Sea Grant Extension educator who works with coastal communities and businesses in the Detroit area, applying science-based knowledge to address Great Lakes issues. Her areas of expertise and programming include fisheries management, economic development, habitat restoration, coastal tourism initiatives, and greenway/water trail development.
Brandon Schroeder
Brandon serves as a Michigan Sea Grant Extension educator in northeast Michigan. His areas of expertise and programming include fisheries science and management, sustainable coastal tourism development, biodiversity conservation, and Great Lakes literacy education.
Cindy Hudson
Cindy is Michigan Sea Grant’s Extension Program communications manager, where she works with Extension educators to help promote their work, events, and activities. She also assists with impact reporting, editing news articles, writing press releases, taking photos and videos, and managing social media.
Registration: events.anr.msu.edu/EducationandOutreachLearningSeries3
Questions? Contact Dr. Lauren Jescovitch jescovit@msu.edu or Dr. Erika Vye ecvye@mtu.edu

What the Eyes Don't See: A Conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
2021-03-16 18:30 - 19:30
Don’t miss this upcoming virtual conversation between MISG Extension Educator Elliot Nelson and physician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a champion for science and community health in the Flint water crisis. Coming up on March 16 at 6:30-7:30 pm, the conversation will feature Dr. Mona’s book What the Eyes Don’t See, about the saga of health and water access in Flint.
The free virtual event is pesented by Michigan Humanities in partnership with the Pickford Community Library, an affiliate of the Superior District Library, and Elliot Nelson of Michigan Sea Grant.
The 2019–20 Great Michigan Read is presented by Michigan Humanities and supported by national, statewide, and local partners, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and The Meijer Foundation.
Click here to register!

Tapping into Education and Outreach Resources: Great Lakes Partnerships and Initiatives
2021-03-16 16:00 - 17:00
This panel explores Great Lakes outreach programs dedicated to both formal and informal education initiatives and how to connect research to schools and the broader public.
Erin Johnston
Erin is the wildlife biologist for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) Natural Resources Department. As the wildlife program lead, Erin oversees a number of projects and surveys related to bats, waterfowl, herptafauna, wolves, and more recently wetland communities on the L’Anse Reservation.
Lloyd Wescoat
Lloyd is the K-12 Education Program Assistant at the MTU Center for Science and Environmental Outreach, working with the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and the Western U.P. MiSTEM Network. Ms. Wescoat has assisted in providing educational opportunities and support for stewardship projects and to expand STEM opportunities in Western U.P. school districts.
Meaghan Gass
Meaghan is Michigan Sea Grant’s Extension educator for the Saginaw Bay region, where she works with coastal communities and partners to apply science-based knowledge to enhance the sustainable use of the Great Lakes. She also co-facilitates the Center for Great Lakes Literacy (www.cgll.org) with other Great Lakes Sea Grant Network partners.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Lauren Jescovitch jescovit@msu.edu or Dr. Erika Vye ecvye@mtu.edu
Sponsored by Michigan Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension, and the Great Lakes Research Center

Michigan Birding 101 (Session 4)
2021-03-11 19:00 - 20:00
February 18th – March 11th
Thursdays, from 7pm – 8pm
Location: Anywhere with internet via Zoom Webinar! (link sent after completion of registration)
Registration: https://events.anr.msu.edu/Birding101
Join us as we explore the wonderful hobby of birding over 4 one hour classes. This series will cover exciting topics like where to find rare winter birds, how to choose and use binoculars, how to identify common birds and how to plan out your next birding adventure. We will have instructional time at the start of each class followed by a Q&A session. This a great opportunity for those new to the hobby or those looking to get started!
Schedule:

February 18th – Birding Basics – Covering binocular basics, field guides, basic ID skills and how to plan birding trips
February 25th – Backyard Birding – Bird feeders, where to place them, what type of feed to use and detailed ID skills for backyard birds
March 4th – Winter Birding – What birds are around in Michigan Winters and where to find them
March 11th – Magnificent Migrations – How and why birds migrate and what to expect for birding in Michigan in the spring

2021 Great Lakes Conference: Great Lakes Food Webs, Invasive Species and Fisheries: An Interactive Conference
2021-03-09 09:15 - 14:30
9:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. March 9 | Online
Registration is now open for the 2021 Great Lakes conference! This year, this annual event will be held on Zoom and is free to attend, but registration is required. Three theme areas will be highlighted with three speakers per theme: Food Webs, Invasive Species, and Recovery of Great Lakes Whitefish and Cisco Fisheries. Participants will have ample opportunity to ask questions after the presentations. Please visit the Great Lakes website to learn more about this year’s conference.

Michigan Birding 101 (Session 3)
2021-03-04 19:00 - 20:00

Winter on the Great Lakes: Free Webinar
2021-03-03 15:00 - 16:30
Ice, Evaporation, and Water Level Impacts
FREE Webinar: March 3, 2021, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EST.
Learn more about Great Lakes ice, evaporation and water levels impacts with speakers Dr. John Lenters (Michigan Technological University), Jack Cox P.E. and Greg Weykamp (Edgewater Resources).
Sponsored by Michigan Sea Grant. For more information contact Extension Educator Mark Breederland, breederl@msu.edu, or 231-590-0413.
Registration: bit.ly/GreatLakesWinterWebinar

Michigan Birding 101
2021-02-25 19:00 - 20:00

Steelhead Fishery Workshop 2021
2021-02-25 18:00 - 20:30
February 25th, 2021 from 6-8:30 p.m. EST

Location: Zoom

The steelhead is one of Michigan’s premier gamefish, providing fishing opportunities for river, pier, surf, and boat anglers in a wide variety of waters around the state. Sea Grant is hosting this fishery workshop to provide a variety of perspectives on steelhead biology in both Great Lakes and river environments. There will also be some time for discussion of steelhead harvest limits.
For those who have not attended a fishery workshop before, these events offer a great opportunity to interact with scientists and fishery managers. In addition to taking a deep dive into existing data, we also discuss emerging management issues and areas for future research. We will even tell you how you can contribute to addressing research gaps by volunteering to collect data on stocked and wild steelhead.
This meeting will be hosted online using Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent out the morning of Thursday, February 25. A call-in line will also be available for those without internet access.
Agenda

6:00 Introduction and Michigan River Steelhead Volunteer Project Update
Dan O’Keefe – Extension Educator, MSU Extension & Michigan Sea Grant
6:15 Statewide Angler Survey Program – Steelhead Creel Studies in Rivers and Great Lakes
Tracy Claramunt – Fisheries Biologist, MDNR
6:45 Huron-Michigan Diet Study – What are Steelhead Eating, and is Anyone Eating Them?
Brian Roth – Associate Professor, Michigan State University
7:15 Comparison of Skamania and Winter Steelhead Performance
Jory Jonas – Fisheries Research Biologist Specialist, MDNR
7:45 Steelhead Harvest Limits and Lake Michigan Basin Management Updates
Jay Wesley – Lake Michigan Basin Coordinator, MDNR
8:15 Lake Huron Basin Steelhead Fisheries
Addie Dutton – Fisheries Biologist, MDNR
8:30 Adjourn

Registration for Steelhead Fishery Workshop 2021 is open.
Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on February 24, 2021.
Register Online

Michigan Birding 101 (Session 2)
2021-02-18 19:00 - 20:00

Virtual Shiver on the River
2021-02-12 14:00 - 15:00
A family friendly event to explore the rich history of Belle Isle and what the island has to offer.

About this Event

Friends of the Detroit River in partnership with Michigan Sea Grant presents Virtual Shiver on the River. A family friendly event with a focus on the rich history of Belle Isle and what the island has to offer, what is open on the island for the public to see, and a Q&A portion. If you have any questions about the event please email river@detroitriver.org.

Register

NOSB Great Lakes Bowl (Virtual)
2021-02-06 08:00 - 16:00
What is it?
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is a national academic competition where teams of high school students compete for the regional and national title. The matches feature quiz-bowl style rounds and challenge questions that test a team’s ocean and Great Lakes knowledge.
The questions focus on math and science related to ocean and Great Lakes biology, chemistry, geology, physics, technology, history, and economics.
Regional competitions are held throughout the nation in February and March, with the final national competition held between April and early Summer. Michigan Sea Grant hosts the regional Great Lakes Bowl at the University of Michigan.
Where and when?
The date and location of the national competition will be released later this year. The NOSB Great Lakes Bowl will be held virtually through Zoom on Saturday, February 6, 2021. The date and location of the national competition will be released later this year.

2021 Michigan Fish Producers Association Annual Conference
2021-01-23 10:00 - 17:00
Saturday, January 23, 2021 10am–5pm EST
Join us virtually to learn about topics relevant for the commercial fishing industry that includes research, regulations, and fish tales.
Feel free to join when a topic sounds interesting! You may join or leave whenever your time permits.
Conference link will be live 10 minutes prior to welcome.
Free admission! Register online: events.anr.msu.edu/MFPA2021

2021 MFPA Agenda (PDF)

Questions?
Lauren N. Jescovitch
Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator – Fisheries & Aquaculture
(570) 687-6818
jescovit@msu.edu

Michigan Water School Webinar: Water Policy
2020-11-19 15:00 - 17:00
WHAT IS WATER SCHOOL?
Michigan Water School is a program to help elected and appointed officials increase their knowledge about water management and gain access to tools and resources to help impact their local economy.
Water School topics include:

Factors that impact Michigan water
The Blue Economy
Fiscal benefits of water management
Incorporating water into local planning and place-making
Risk assessment approaches
Resources to help address water problems
Water policy at federal, tribal, state, and local levels

Hosted by Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan State University Extension, two-day Water School workshops are hosted in various locations around the state. Check the schedule for information about upcoming workshops. Please note that no workshops are being held in 2020, due to COVID-19.
In 2020, a four-part webinar series is capturing fundamental topics from sections of the Water School curriculum. Speakers will include educators and faculty from MSU and MSU Extension, as well as other experts providing local perspectives.
Register for one or more webinars in the series here: events.anr.msu.edu/WaterSchoolWebinarSeries2020

Knauss Great Lakes & Marine Policy Fellowship 101 Webinar
2020-11-10 17:00 - 18:30
Are you interested in a career in Great Lakes and marine policy? Join us to learn about Sea Grant’s Knauss Fellowship program and the careers of former fellows. The Knauss fellowship is a paid, one-year opportunity for graduate students to work in the United States government on Great Lakes and marine policy. This webinar will provide an overview of the program, a Q&A session with former Knauss Fellows, highlights of their careers, and networking opportunities with current and former fellows. Students from all disciplines are welcomed; you do not need experience in policy or water science. Registration is required and spaces are limited. Sign up today!
Meet the panelists:

Dr. Jeanette Davis, Ocean Science Policy Advisor, NOAA Fisheries
Julie Palakovich, Carr Maryland State Delegate, District 17
Helen Cheng, PhD student, Northeastern Univ.
Dr. Gonzalo Cid, Int’l Activities Coordinator, NOAA National Ocean Service

Registration

Knauss Info Session Flyer (PDF)

Michigan Water School Webinar: Water Finance and Planning
2020-11-05 15:00 - 17:00

13th Annual Freshwater Summit: Local Initiative Lightning Talks
2020-10-23 10:00 - 11:30
The 13th Annual Freshwater Summit will be held as a series of virtual meetings this year. While we can’t meet in person, we still want to gather as a community of learners to discuss current challenges and opportunities facing local and regional freshwater efforts.
Summit schedule and topics:
All sessions are held from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. on the first four Fridays in October.

Oct. 2 – Great Lakes Water Levels
Oct. 9 – Good Harbor Bay Research
Oct. 16 – Equity Concerns with Water Access and Management
Oct. 23 – Local Initiative Lightning Talks

The Freshwater Summit is a product of the Freshwater Roundtable organized by The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Michigan Sea Grant Extension, Great Lakes Environmental Center, Inland Seas Education Association, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Conservation Resource Alliance, Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council, and NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management.
For more information, check out the website or contact Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator Mark Breederland at breederl@msu.edu, or Christine at ccrissman@gtbay.org.

Register online

Michigan Water School Webinar: Water Quality
2020-10-22 15:00 - 17:00

13th Annual Freshwater Summit: Equity Concerns with Water Access and Management
2020-10-16 10:00 - 11:30

Great Lakes Aquaculture Day 2020
2020-10-10 09:30 - 17:30
Online conference with sessions for:

New aquaculture farmers
Current aquaculture farmers
Educators and students
Anyone interested in aquaculture!

Registration at the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) website: greatlakesseagrant.com/aquaculture

13th Annual Freshwater Summit: Good Harbor Bay Research
2020-10-09 10:00 - 11:30

Michigan Water School Webinar: Water Quantity
2020-10-08 15:00 - 17:00

13th Annual Freshwater Summit: Great Lakes Water Levels
2020-10-02 10:00 - 11:30

Michigan River Steelhead Project Kickoff Meeting
2020-09-24 19:00 - 20:30
Curious to find out how stocked and wild steelhead contribute to the run in your favorite river?
This meeting will give you a chance to network with biologists and other anglers in your area along with providing training on how to participate in collecting data on steelhead catches.
We hope to build volunteer teams for:
Betsie River
Manistee River
Pere Marquette River
Muskegon River
Grand River
St. Joseph River
Lake Huron Tributaries
Lake Superior Tributaries
Volunteers will commit to recording length and fin clip data on every steelhead caught October-May. Additional online meetings will provide the opportunity to share results while keeping data confidential
Register online to attend

Life of the Straits 2020 - A Virtual Program
2020-08-13 18:00 - 18:30, 2020-08-06 18:00 - 18:30, 2020-07-23 18:00 - 18:30
Thursdays, July 9 – Aug. 13, 2020, 6-6:30 p.m.
Overview
This program is specifically developed for 8-12 year olds in mind, but is open to whole families. The program will take place on Zoom on Thursday evenings throughout much of July and August. Each program will be a short series of fun filled info sessions on amazing features of the Straits of Mackianc like the Mackinac Bridge, local nature preserves and more. At the end of the info sessions will be interviews and interactive Q&As with local area experts. Each session will end with a challenge for families to go out and complete over the course of the week.
Dates/Topics
July 9 – Introduction and the Mackinac Bridge
July 16 – Inland Waterway
July 23 – Lighthouses
July 30 – The Les Cheneaux Islands
August 6 – Fort Michilimackinac
August 13 – Mackinac Island
Access
You will be emailed a link to access a Zoom webinar. You will need internet access and a desktop or laptop with a webcam and microphone, or a smartphone with the Zoom app to access the webinar. Each webinar will start out with cameras and microphones turned off, but at the end during the Q&A all participants will have their cameras and microphones activated to allow interaction. In addition, all proper security measures will be taking place that will prevent any security issues.
Registration
https://events.anr.msu.edu/LOTS2020

Life of the Straits 2020 – A Virtual Program
2020-07-30 18:00 - 18:30

High Water on the Great Lakes – Options for shore protection and stabilization
2020-07-22 18:00 - 19:00
Lakes Michigan-Huron to Reach Summer Peak in July 2020
July 22, 2020 from 6-7 p.m. EST.
Webinar to Discuss Options for Shore Protection and Stabilization with Expected Erosion
The US Army Corps of Engineers has just released the official July 2020 water levels update which shows that Lakes Michigan-Huron water levels will peak during July at their highest level recorded since accurate records began in 1918. The July 2020 level for Michigan-Huron is forecast to peak 3” higher than the prior highest July record which was set back in 1986. The lakes are currently at about 582.22 feet in elevation versus the past high July monthly average record of 581.99 feet in 1986 – again the highest in 101 “July averages”. If you think you’ve never ever seen the lakes this high in July, you are quite correct.
With this record-high waters, even smaller storms can drive waves to erode beaches and infrastructure. Erosion is to be expected throughout Fall 2020 with these high waters being the enabler of shoreline damage. While there are no easy solutions and erosion is quite site specific due to wave direction, topography and other factors, understanding coastal dynamics can help awareness and planning for coastal resiliency as the coastlines can undergo tremendous changes.
Michigan Sea Grant is pleased to host an evening webinar for all citizens, tribal and municipal officials, Great Lakes shoreline property owners, and other interested persons to explain wave dynamics and coastal engineering approaches. Topics will include bank toe erosion and slope stability; the role of nature-based solutions where appropriate; what water levels/waves one should design for; ice issues; and benefits of collaborating with shoreline neighbors. Michigan Sea Grant has invited Great Lakes coastal engineering practitioner Margaret Boshek to lead this discussion.
Zoom link / Registration: https://bit.ly/GLshorelines
The webinar will be recorded and made available on Michigan Sea Grant’s YouTube page with optional closed captions.
