A study funded by the USDA North Central Regional Aquaculture Center analyzed public sentiment regarding five fishes to offer valuable insights for industry stakeholders, policymakers, and conservation organizations with vested interests in the management and preservation of these fishes. From July 2020 to June 2024, over 732,200 social media mentions referenced bluegill, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, walleye and yellow perch.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s annual magazine.

This issue highlights:

• Educators engage with Great Lakes scientists aboard the Lake Guardian 
• Scientists and educators investigate Lake Michigan biological hotspots
• IISG looks back on 30 years of AIS outreach
• Coastal communities face challenges in managing beach sand and structures
• Stuart Carlton is the new IISG director
• Tomas Höök reflects on his Sea Grant legacy

The use of live crayfish in classrooms has been identified as a pathway for the introduction of invasive crayfish into our local waterways. To address this issue, the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems curriculum was developed to teach students about Great Lakes ecosystems, the significance of native crayfish, and the ecological threats posed by invasive crayfish. It contains nine lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards, and Center for Great Lakes Literacy Principles. The curriculum is best suited for students in grades 6-12 but offers numerous adaptations/extensions to meet the divergent needs of students in grades 2–5.

This document is available on the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative website: https://invasivecrayfish.org/crayfish-curriculum/

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s annual magazine.

This issue highlights:

• Swimming Safer: Sharing knowledge, data, and resources
• IISG interns can have invaluable real world experience
• Spelling out nature’s benefits helps inform land use decisions
• Largemouth bass in the busy Chicago River are seeking out natural areas
• Educators explore water quality along the Wild Mile
• We’re funding new research to address emerging coastal issues

The role of the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) is to direct enhanced monitoring and research activities across each of the Laurentian Great Lakes to provide relevant information to address the science priorities of each Lake Partnership (established under the Lakewide Management Annex of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement). CSMI is an intensive effort to collect information on the health of one Great Lake each year, cycling through the lakes on a five-year period. In 2020/2021, it was Lake Michigan’s turn (over a two-year period due to COVID). This is an executive summary of the 2020/2021 research results and the associated white paper containing more specific information.

The brochure is an overview of what a fish producer thinking about small-scale fish processing needs to know. The overview includes training requirements, available facilities and highlights of select farmers who have gone through the process.

This is an annual summary of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant success stories.

Flip through the magazine: https://issuu.com/iiseagrant/docs/thehelm-2021

This document provides results of a 2019 national consumer survey of seafood preferences carried out by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Purdue University, Michigan State University, and Southern Illinois University.

The Helm is a collection of recent IISG success stories, describing some of our research, outreach, and education efforts to address coastal and Great Lakes issues in Illinois and Indiana.