“Highly invasive Asian carp are advancing on the Great Lakes, so fire up your grill. Asian carp are eaten and appreciated globally, but the fish have never been popular in America because they’re bony and are thought to be bottom-feeders (actually, you can tell your pesca-prejudiced pals, Asian carp are plankton-feeders.) Nevertheless, Asian carp burgers at Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop have been well-received.’90 percent of the people who try it like it,’ Dirk Fucik says. At Taste of Chicago one year, Fucik gave out 800 carp burgers in two hours.
Fucik fillets the carp, then grinds the remaining fish. ‘Once you’ve done that, it’s like ground anything,’ Fucik says. He’s used Asian carp in the meatballs in Italian wedding soup, and he’s received a lot of compliments for his Asian carp gefilte fish. Fucik recommends preparing his burgers with some cambozola cheese in the middle, or using Dirk’s Thai or ‘Terry-aki’ marinades. The burgers cost $6 per pound, compared to $18 a pound for salmon burgers.”
Recent News
- Tomas Höök signing off as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant director this summer
- Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant welcomes Stuart Carlton as the program’s new director
- Four Illinois and Indiana educators will set sail on Lake Michigan aboard EPA’s research ship
- Join IISG as a new pollution prevention outreach assistant
- Beach season means it’s time for lifesaving Lake Michigan water safety resources
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Attention STEM educators! Our new aquaponics curriculum is here! Designed for 9-12th grade classrooms with operating aquaponics systems, this curriculum, created by educators for educators, teaches STEM concepts through the lens of aquaponics, aligning with NGSS and Great Lakes Literacy Principles. Learn more at the link in bio.

Big news from Illinois‑Indiana Sea Grant! We’re thrilled to announce Dr. Stuart Carlton, our Assistant Director since 2018, will step into the Director role on July 14, 2025. Join us in congratulating Stuart, and read on at the link in bio to find out more about the transition!

🌊 Boost Your Great Lakes Literacy in 3 Easy Ways!
1️⃣ Read the Great Lakes Literacy Principles
2️⃣ Join a Sea Grant professional learning event
3️⃣ Explore Great Lakes educational resources
📬 The summer edition of the Center for Great Lakes Literacy newsletter supports all three—and more!
Perfect for educators, environmental leaders, and curious minds.
👉 Subscribe today and dive into a world of Great Lakes learning: https://conta.cc/3ZtrIKc or the link in bio.

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with fellow educators! Join us for a two-day, water-themed workshop on August 8-9, 2025, at the Dunes Learning Center located in Indiana Dunes National Park. Open to all 5-12th grade formal and non-formal educators, this event offers a chance to explore the natural world, network, and receive exclusive access to the newest Project WET Educator’s Guidebook: Water in Earth Systems.
The registration deadline is July 18th.
Learn more at the link in bio.
