IISG serves up Asian carp at 44th Annual NOAA Fish Fry

Posted July 9th, 2019 in Aquaculture, Aquatic Invasive Species, Fisheries, News
two women and a man stand under a tent wearing Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant hats and white NOAA Fish Fry aprons
Lisa Kim (left), Tomas Höök and Hollis Jones prepared smoked silver carp spread on crackers for guests of the 44th Annual NOAA Fish Fry.
Fish from the Great Lakes region took center stage at the 44th annual National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fish Fry on June 5 in Washington, D.C. Both wild-caught and aquaculture-raised fish and shellfish were served to attendees by 17 seafood chefs and vendors, including Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), Michigan Sea Grant and Wisconsin Sea Grant.
 

U.S. Secretary of State Wilbur Ross samples Wisconsin-raised Atlantic salmon at the Wisconsin Sea Grant table. (Wisconsin Sea Grant Photo/Titus Seilheimer)

 

The fish fry promotes awareness and understanding of aquaculture and commercial fisheries. Every year, up to 1,100 people purchase a ticket to sample seafood near NOAA headquarters on the National Mall. Guest chefs come from locations around the United States from as far away as Alaska and Puerto Rico to Chesapeake Bay. 
 
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant shined a spotlight on an invasive species by serving smoked, wild-caught Asian carp, flaked to perfection and presented on crackers with a cream cheese spread. The silver carp, also known as silverfin, were wild-caught in the Midwest—but not in Lake Michigan, as IISG staff members were sure to point out. While this invader continues to spread and has reached Lake Calumet, just south of Chicago and only a few miles from the Lake Michigan shoreline, barriers have kept it from entering the Great Lake. 
 
For years, there has been a popular phrase in the aquatic invasive species crowd: “If you can’t beat ’em, eat ’em!” And that is exactly what IISG Director Tomas Höök told people at the fish fry as they sampled the silverfin spread. He was joined by Lisa Kim and Hollis Jones, Knauss Fellows working in Washington, D.C. Kim, sponsored by IISG, is an ocean policy analyst in the National Ocean Service headquarters, while Jones is sponsored by Louisiana Sea Grant and was placed as a research integration specialist with the National Sea Grant College Program.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

 
Writer: Hope Charters

IISG Instagram

The gales of November may come early, but, as usual, the nominations for the Lakies are right on time along with our official call for nominations!

Brought to you by the Teach Me About the Great Lakes podcast, The Lakies (aka "quite possibly not the least prestigious Great Lakes-focused awards ceremony there is”) are back.

Our goal isn`t to be the Official Arbiters of Quality, but to host a fun celebration of amazing Great Lakes-related research, outreach, and communication in the inimitable Teach Me style.

Nomination categories are:
-Great Lakes Science Communication of the Year
-Great Lakes Outreach Program of the Year
-Great Lakes News Event of the Year
-Great Lakes Research Finding of the Year
-Coolest Thing You Learned Listening to TMATGL in 2025
-Science Podcast of the Year (Non-TMATGL edition)
-Great Lakes Animal of the Year
-Great Lakes Non-Animal of the Year
-Great Lakes Sandwich of the Year
-Great Lakes Donut of the Year

The Details:
-Deadline: Nominations close on December 4th.
Process: It`s easy (just enter the name/title and a link).
-Self-Nominations: Highly encouraged. Don`t be shy.

We’d love to get a broad swath of work across both the serious and less-serious categories to celebrate. Feel free to pass the link on to interested people: https://bit.ly/Lakies25

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17913992691239654
The gales of November may come early, but, as usual, the nominations for the Lakies are right on time along with our official call for nominations! Brought to you by the Teach Me About the Great Lakes podcast, The Lakies (aka "quite possibly not the least prestigious Great Lakes-focused awards ceremony there is”) are back. Our goal isn't to be the Official Arbiters of Quality, but to host a fun celebration of amazing Great Lakes-related research, outreach, and communication in the inimitable Teach Me style.Nomination categories are:-Great Lakes Science Communication of the Year-Great Lakes Outreach Program of the Year-Great Lakes News Event of the Year-Great Lakes Research Finding of the Year-Coolest Thing You Learned Listening to TMATGL in 2025-Science Podcast of the Year (Non-TMATGL edition)-Great Lakes Animal of the Year-Great Lakes Non-Animal of the Year-Great Lakes Sandwich of the Year-Great Lakes Donut of the YearThe Details: -Deadline: Nominations close on December 4th.Process: It's easy (just enter the name/title and a link).-Self-Nominations: Highly encouraged. Don't be shy.We’d love to get a broad swath of work across both the serious and less-serious categories to celebrate. Feel free to pass the link on to interested people: https://bit.ly/Lakies25

Making Sense of Social Media: Presented by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant & Purdue Extension
‌
When: December 6, 2025, from 1 - 4:00 PM EST
Where: RDM Shrimp, RDM Shrimp, 101 N 850 E, Fowler, IN 47944
Registration Link in bio.
‌
Social media can be a great way to market your small business and products, but sometimes it might feel like you are casting a net again and again to find that your net is empty. After all, the point of using social media marketing is to connect with customers. By attending this workshop, you will:
-Hear Research Findings
-Participate in an Interactive Workshop Session
-Learn Real World Application
-Tour a Shrimp Farm
-Network at the “After Hour Social”
‌
This program is supported by the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and put on in partnership with the Indiana Aquaculture Association Inc, RDM Shrimp, and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University.
‌
For questions contact Amy Shambach by email (ashambac@purdue.edu) or phone (317-238-0511)

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18100693840687186
Making Sense of Social Media: Presented by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant & Purdue Extension‌When: December 6, 2025, from 1 - 4:00 PM ESTWhere: RDM Shrimp, RDM Shrimp, 101 N 850 E, Fowler, IN 47944Registration Link in bio.‌Social media can be a great way to market your small business and products, but sometimes it might feel like you are casting a net again and again to find that your net is empty. After all, the point of using social media marketing is to connect with customers. By attending this workshop, you will:-Hear Research Findings-Participate in an Interactive Workshop Session-Learn Real World Application-Tour a Shrimp Farm-Network at the “After Hour Social”‌This program is supported by the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and put on in partnership with the Indiana Aquaculture Association Inc, RDM Shrimp, and Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University.‌For questions contact Amy Shambach by email (ashambac@purdue.edu) or phone (317-238-0511)
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