The folks at Wildlife Forever have teamed up with several partners including the North American Fishing Club to produce a series of television programs about aquatic invasive species that are threatening our waters.
Episode three of “Silent Invaders” offers an up-close and informative look at Asian carp, just one of several species that has either taken hold in our waterways or is threatening to spread and cause significant changes to important ecosystems.
You can watch the entire episode online here, as well as episodes providing information about Zebra and Quagga mussels and round Gobies.
Category:
“Silent Invaders” episodes on YouTube bring viewers face to face with invasive species
January 14th, 2013 by Irene MilesIISG heads to the outdoor shows to kick off 2013
January 11th, 2013 by Irene Miles

In the news: New year brings new angle in the fight against AIS
January 2nd, 2013 by Irene MilesA new law set to take effect in Illinois this year is aimed at helping to curb the spread of aquatic invasive species throughout Illinois’ waterways.
From WBEZ 91.5:
“The agency has targeted 39 other plant and animal species as “high-risk” threats to the Great Lakes region. Now, the state of Illinois is hoping to put a dent in the critters’ spread with a law aimed at boaters.
The new state regulation, which goes into effect at the start of 2013, makes it illegal for a boat in one river or lake to pick up plants and then go into another body of water — at least without being cleaned first.”
The 12 days of A.I.S.-mas
December 21st, 2012 by Irene MilesMaking a Great Lakes-themed riff on a holiday classic, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has compiled some aquatic invasive species information in the form of a modified “Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Seven carp a-leaping, perhaps? Check out the full article, written by our friends at Wisconsin Sea Grant, and learn a little more about aquatic invasives in the process.
From everyone at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season.
IISG receives grant funding to expand AIS prevention work
December 19th, 2012 by Irene MilesFor more information, visit our webpage about aquatic invasive species.
In the news: Algae and invasives threatening Erie and other Great Lakes
November 26th, 2012 by Irene Miles“The major threats to all the lakes include invasive species that throw a delicate ecosystem out of balance. In Erie, more so than the other lakes, toxic algae threaten the health of visitors and create “dead zones” where no aquatic species can survive.At least 136 invasive species — plants, fish and mussels — have forever changed the lakes. But it’s the potential 137th invader that officials fear the most. The Asian carp wants nothing more than to spread through the Great Lakes and continue its feeding frenzy. Though a live fish has yet to be found, DNA tests suggest that they might already have infiltrated Lake Erie.”
In the news: Stopping invasive species by…giving your dog a bath?
November 19th, 2012 by Irene MilesThe ways for aquatic invasive species to be spread or introduced to waterways run the gamut, from bait buckets to trailers to…your loyal companion.
Wildlife Forever, a non-profit organization, has launched a campaign to let hunters know how they can help prevent the spread of AIS.
From The Great Lakes Echo:
“The non-profit Wildlife Forever received a $233,830 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to help teach hunters how to prevent aquatic hitchhikers.
The campaign will teach hunters to properly clean waders, waterfowl decoys and even hunting dogs to avoid transporting invasive species. The clean, drain, dry technique is the most effective way to prevent the transport of invasive species between different bodies of waters, according to the group.”
Visit the link above to find out more about the campaign, and to see some PSA videos that were recently produced about the Clean, Drain, Dry message.
In the news: Search resumes next week for signs of Asian carp
October 11th, 2012 by Irene MilesChicago area waters will be searched again beginning next week for indicators of Asian carp presence near Lake Michigan.
From WTAQ.com:
“Over 170 samples were taken from Chicago’s North Shore Channel from June through September – and 10-percent had the carp’s DNA. The same was true for 17 of 57 samples last month in the nearby Chicago River.
As a result, an actual search for the bloated carp will take place next Tuesday through Friday on the North Shore Channel and a six-mile stretch of the Chicago River west of the city.”
Read the complete article at the link above.
Asian carp hunters featured on Animal Planet program
October 3rd, 2012 by Irene Miles“The Animal Planet show that spent four days filming on and around the Illinois River last summer for a feature on the acrobatic insanity of everyone’s least favorite invasive fish, the Asian carp, will be shown Sunday.“Off the Hook: Extreme Catches,” with host/professional wrestler Eric Young presents “Carpocalypse Now” at 7 p.m. Sunday. Greg Gephards, who owns Schooners on War Memorial Drive and had a role in the production of the program, is hosting a party for the occasion.”
Recent News
- Illinois Indiana Sea Grant announces new coastal ecosystem and community resilience specialist
- Meet our Grad Student Scholars: Haribansha Timalsina
- 2025 Community Engaged Internships available with National Park Service and Urban Rivers
- Meet our Grad Student Scholars: Leah Turner
- New aquaponics curriculum brings STEM and sustainable agriculture to the classroom
IISG Instagram
The IISG program, in cooperation with the @nationalparkservice at @indianadunesnps and @UrbanRivers in Chicago, is offering two internship opportunities to support conservation policy efforts. Sea Grant’s national Community Engaged Internship (CEI) program aims to broaden participation in coastal, ocean, Great Lakes, and marine sciences providing training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision-makers, and citizens.
The program will do so by recruiting, retaining and engaging students in place-based research, extension, education, and/or communication that respects and integrates local ways of knowing.
Applications due March 17.
Learn more at the link in bio.

Meet IISG grad student scholar, Leah Turner! Leah is a second-year master’s student in the Department of Biology at @ballstateuniversity. Leah works in the Ward Lab, studying the effects of environmental contaminants on the behavior and cognition of fish at early life stages. The project, funded by IISG, is developmental exposure to citalopram, a common SSRI which alters development, behavior, and learning in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas).
Learn more about Leah’s work at the link in bio.

Happy International Women’s Day! A special thank you to the incredible members of our IISG community who inspire, lead, and drive change every day. 🎉

It’s almost our favorite time of the year...Rain Garden Rumble!
This will be our 6th annual competition where 28 native plant species go head-to-head (or bloom-to-bloom?) in a fierce competition. But the best part? YOU determine who is crowned champion.
There are a few ways to participate. First, fill out a bracket* (steps below). Then, vote in our daily Instagram polls or Facebook posts from March 18th through April 4th. The person who submits the most accurate bracket wins a sweet set of Illinois Extension "rain-care" merch (an umbrella and rain gauge)!👀
*You do NOT have to fill out a bracket to vote in the polls!
1. Click the link in our bio to open our official blog with more information regarding the event.
2. Scroll down and click our bracket.
3. In the tab that pops up, click the “download” icon.
4. Fill it out with your picks and save the document. Please include your name! Note that you can learn more about the plants by clicking their names in the bracket.
5. Submit your completed bracket to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu by Monday, March 17. Matches begin the following day on Facebook and Instagram.
May the best plant win...🌿🏆
#RainGardenRumble2025

Categories
- Aquaculture
- Aquatic Invasive Species
- Buoys
- Climate Ready Communities
- Director's Blog
- Education
- Featured
- Fellowships
- Fisheries
- Funded Research
- Funding
- Great Lakes Cleanup
- Great Lakes Data
- Healthy Waters
- Internships
- Jobs
- K-12 Education
- News
- Photos
- Program
- Recreation & Tourism
- Resources
- Sea Grant Scholars
- Stormwater & Green Infrastructure
- Sustainable Community Planning
- The Helm
- Uncategorized
- Video
- Water Resource Economics