In the Great Lakes region, invasive crayfish can have substantial environmental, economic, and social impacts once introduced to new waters. Since 2017, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) has facilitated the Great Lakes Invasive Crayfish Collaborative (ICC) to bring together science, management, and industry stakeholders to improve the management of invasive crayfish. Several key priorities are to target the main pathways that crayfish are spread and to improve the skills of natural resource professionals to adequately monitor for these species.

In recent years, the ICC has grown in size and scope. IISG developed a strategic plan, plus webinars, newsletters, and hands-on training for targeted audiences. To address key pathways, like pet stores and classrooms, retailers were surveyed to understand their motives and needs. And in 2025, a 2−12 grade curriculum was launched, along with an introductory teacher workshop. In addition, IISG held four Great Lakes region workshops to train natural resource professionals.

The ICC is now 150 members strong, including retailers and other stakeholders along with scientists, outreach professionals, and others. At the Great Lakes training sessions, 108 participants from agencies, conservation groups, county government, and other relevant entities increased their knowledge about crayfish, as well as sampling, reporting, and regulations. Twenty-one educators attended the crayfish curriculum workshop—in a follow-up survey, respondents’ reports add up to over 1,200 youth having participated in curriculum lessons, including conducting field sampling.