Michigan Sea Grant

Michigan Birding 101
2021-02-25 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Detroit)
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

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, 2020-07-16 18:00 - 18:30, 2020-07-09 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.

Webinar: Conceptualizing a risk-based, hazardous material routing tool
2020-07-22 10:30 - 11:30
On Wednesday, June 24, tune in for the first webinar in a summer series about crude oil transport in the Great Lakes. The webinar series is hosted by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Crude Oil Transport Network and Michigan Sea Grant.

Each webinar will be available in a variety of formats: live on Zoom (see registration links below), live on Michigan Sea Grant’s Facebook page, and archived with captions on the series webpage.

June 24, 2020 at 10:30-11:30 am ET: Ramping up and ramping down: Crude oil rail shipments and community responses 2015 to present from a Lake Champlain perspective – Mark Malchoff, aquatic resources specialist, Lake Champlain Sea Grant. Register here.

July 22, 2020 at 10:30-11:30 am ET: Conceptualizing a risk-based, hazardous material routing tool – Kristin Lewis, principal technical advisor, U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center. Register here.
August 2020 (date and topic TBD)

About the Great Lakes Sea Grant Crude Oil Transport Network: The movement of crude oil through the Great Lakes basin and other critical northern watersheds presents a complex suite of opportunities and risks for the region. In partnership with the Great Lakes Commission and International Joint Commission, a network of Sea Grant professionals from throughout the Great Lakes region have assembled to provide stakeholders with risk-related resources on economic and environmental issues associated with transportation of crude oil in the Great Lakes basin and to create a forum to share knowledge, concerns, challenges, and progress. Find more details at: glslcrudeoiltransport.org

Webinar: Ramping up and ramping down: Crude oil rail shipments and community responses 2015 to present from a Lake Champlain perspective
2020-06-24 10:30 - 11:30

Fish Producers Webinar: Making the switch to direct marketing
2020-06-02 15:00 - 16:00
Join us for Michigan Sea Grant’s upcoming webinar: Fish Producers Webinar: Making the switch to direct marketing on Tuesday, June 2 at 3pm (EST). This webinar will be accessible by phone or computer, and will be recorded. Speakers from industry and resource agencies for Fish Producers in Michigan will be featured, and information will be more broadly applicable.
Please register here: https://bit.ly/3g7LjXT
For any questions or concerns, please email me at jescovit@msu.edu.

Michigan Fish Producers: Making the switch to direct marketing (PDF)

Les Cheneaux Islands Fisheries Workshop
2020-05-21 18:00 - 20:00
Online via Zoom
Spring fishery workshops – offered online this year – offer current research and information related to the status of the Lake Huron fishery
Michigan Sea Grant and Michigan State University Extension, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division, USGS Great Lakes Science Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and local fishery organizations annually host evening regional workshops across Lake Huron’s coastline.
These workshops are typically held across coastal Lake Huron communities each year, but 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.
Registration for this event is free, but you must register by May 20.
A link to the Zoom webinar will be e-mailed to all registrants on the morning of May 21.
Workshops are free and open to the public, these online workshops will provide valuable information for anglers, charter captains, resource professionals, and interested community members. Workshops will include information and status updates on topics such as fish populations and angler catch data, forage or prey fish surveys, offshore fisheries and native Lake Trout, status of Saginaw Bay Yellow Perch and Walleye, as well as updates on fisheries management activities, citizen science opportunities for anglers, and a variety of other Lake Huron topics of local interest.
Agenda:

Introductions (Brandon Schroeder, Michigan Sea Grant)
Les Cheneaux Islands Fish Community Survey (Dave Fielder, DNR Fisheries Research)
Cormorant Management Updates (Tony Aderman, USDA Wildlife Services)
Lake Huron-Michigan Predator Diet Study (Brian Roth and Jake Sawecki, MSU Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife)
GLATOS: Acoustic Telemetry talk relating to Cisco (Todd Hayden, USGS Hammond Bay Biological Station)
Management Updates (Dave Borgeson, DNR Fisheries Management)

Download Event Flyer

Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on May 20, 2020.
Register Online

Great Lakes BioBlitz Final Day
2020-05-20
Have you been cooped up for too long? Do you wish you could get your students outside? Are you looking for fun things to do solo or with your family? Then a bioblitz might be just the thing for you!
What is the Great Lakes Bioblitz? A bioblitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many wild, living things as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. This bioblitz focuses on the the Great Lakes region, and it runs for four weeks.
Who should participate in the bioblitz? Teachers, educators, students, families, and anyone else who can go outside and safely explore their surroundings.
Why should I participate in the bioblitz? Bioblitzes provide a way to record biodiversity, the variety of wild living things found in a given area. For the Great Lakes Bioblitz, Ontario, Canada, and each Great Lakes state will collectively make observations, and the observations from each region can be compared to the observations from another region.
How do I participate in the bioblitz?

Visit www.inaturalist.org on your computer, or download the iNaturalist app from your app store onto your mobile device.
Create an account (free).
Become a member of the Michigan Bioblitz (CGLL) project.
Become a member of the Great Lakes Bioblitz (CGLL) “umbrella” project .
Start making observations!

How do I find the projects on iNaturalist? Visit www.inaturalist.org and search for your regions’ project [your region name] Great Lakes Biolblitz (CGLL) and the umbrella project or click on the link below:

Great Lakes Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/great-lakes-bioblitz-cgll

Ontario Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ontario-bioblitz-cgll
Minnesota Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/minnesota-bioblitz-cgll
Wisconsin Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/wisconsin-bioblitz-cgll
Michigan Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/michigan-bioblitz-cgll
Illinois Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/illinois-bioblitz-cgll
Indiana Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/indiana-bioblitz-cgll
Ohio Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ohio-bioblitz-cgll
Pennsylvania Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/pennsylvania-bioblitz-cgll
New York Bioblitz (CGLL) – https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/new-york-bioblitz-cgll

When is it?

Starts: Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Ends: Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Questions about iNaturalist or the Great Lakes Bioblitz? Contact Marte Kitson at mkitson@d.umn.edu or 218-726-8305.

Fish Producers: Sanitation during COVID-19
2020-05-15 11:00 - 12:00
Based on the Fish Producers in Michigan Coffee Hour a few weeks ago, Michigan Sea Grant has organized a live webinar for Friday, May 15 at 11am ET to discuss sanitation during COVID-19. The webinar will open up with a review of sanitation procedures and introductions. Attendees will hear from industry perspectives and from Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). We will also host a Q&A session after the panelists speak. You may join using a computer or listen in on your phone.
Please register in advance: https://bit.ly/2SV94Zb After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The webinar will be recorded.
Find a PDF flyer here.
If you have any questions or have any accessibility needs, please email Lauren Jescovitch at jescovit@msu.edu.
