**Great Lakes Sea Grant Network**

**Strategic Planning**

**Fisheries Abstract**

### August 2004

The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network is a regional network of 8 Sea Grant
programs (MN, WI, IL-IN, MI, OH, NY, PA and Lake Champlain). Each
conducts activities in the areas of research, education and outreach.

*The following document is based on current Strategic Plans and
Implementation Plans for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois-Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio and New York Sea Grant as well as the Year 7 proposal and
68-month progress report for Pennsylvania Sea Grant.* *New York and
Pennsylvania Sea Grant are bi-coastal programs (Great Lakes and
Atlantic); however, only the Great Lakes portions of their programs are
considered here.*

The national Sea Grant Program has currently designated 11 Themes to
guide Sea Grant program activities -- themes are not mutually exclusive
and specific program activities frequently support the goals of more
than one theme. '*Fisheries' is defined more broadly in this document
than in the national fisheries theme, but excludes aquaculture, seafood,
and invasive species except as relevant to wild or stocked fish.*

# Fisheries Theme

America's fisheries are under extreme stress from many sources, and new
management approaches must be found to cope with the difficult
challenges. The long list of needed research includes fish population
dynamics, stock assessment, habitat and ecosystem health, environmental
contamination, management strategies, fish biology and behavior, effects
of climate changes, management institutions, socioeconomic impacts, and
conflict resolution. Changes in fisheries affect society. It is
important that fisheries managers know how their decisions might affect
people who depend on fishery resources. When changes affect people, it
is equally important to help them cope.

National Goals:

-   Develop an ecosystem perspective in renewable resource management

-   Restore habitat and ecological conditions required by native species

-   Understand ecological variability and its role in resource
    management practices

Great Lakes fish ecosystems are arguably the most important freshwater
fish ecosystems in the world, ones that support a multibillion-dollar
sport fishery, tribal subsistence fisheries, and a valuable commercial
fishery. The Lake Erie commercial fishery is the largest freshwater
commercial fishery in the world, and the Great Lakes support large
recreational fisheries. The regeneration of Great Lakes fisheries is
often linked to an economic renaissance of the associated coastal
communities, and as one of the region's original industries, it is an
important cultural and historic link to our Great Lakes heritage,
including that of the Native American tribes. Ecosystem stressors, such
as aquatic invasive species, improper land use, fluctuating nutrients,
over exploitation, and disease, challenge the integrity of the Great
Lakes fisheries. Well-informed management is critical in this highly
populated and environmentally sensitive region. Sea Grant researchers
will develop ecosystem models to improve Great Lakes management
techniques; find ways to cope with aquatic nuisance species; monitor and
mitigate effects of contaminants and educate the public about them; and
assess and identify ways to prevent loss of habitat.

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Biological

    -   Restoration of native species -- coaster brook trout, lake
        sturgeon, Iowa darter

    -   Double-crested cormorant predation

    -   Food web interactions

    -   Key species (commercial and recreational) - lake herring,
        whitefish, salmonids, siscowet

-   Contaminants

-   Human Dimensions

    -   Stocking

    -   Regional Economic Value

    -   Declines in angling Effort

    -   Management implications

    -   Public involvement in management decision processes

GLSGN Goals:

-   Foster better understanding of the historical, cultural, ecological
    and economic significance of Great Lakes fisheries (WI)

    -   Provide economic impact data on Great Lakes fisheries to
        decision-makers (MI)

    -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop an economic survey of the Lake Erie
        steelhead fishery. (PA)

-   Support restoration of native fish species (MI)

-   Identify factors and conditions necessary for rehabilitation of
    self-sustaining populations of native fish species. (WI)

    -   Elucidate the dynamics of yellow perch recruitment and identify
        the key factors preventing the fishery's recovery from a
        population collapse in the early 1990s in Lake Michigan and
        recently in Green Bay. (WI)

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    -   Examine factors critical to coaster brook trout rehabilitation.
        (MN)

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    -   Examine factors critical to lake sturgeon rehabilitation. (MN)

    -   Number range CHAPTERCulture and ultimately restore the Iowa
        darter (state endangered species) and other species in Lake
        Erie. (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERcollected Iowa darters from Presque Isle
            Bay and attempting to develop brood stock for the
            restoration and restocking of this species to its historic
            range. (PA)

    -   Number range CHAPTERGenetics study on native mussel and fish
        relationships

-   Improve management of Great Lakes commercial and recreational
    fisheries from a whole-ecosystem perspective (WI)

    -   Assist fisheries managers, industry, and coastal communities in
        understanding the social, economic, and legal impacts of
        management strategies. (OH)

        -   Train skilled fisheries managers for the Great Lakes. (MN)

        -   Support research to enhance the fish management strategies
            (MI)

        -   Work with commercial, tribal, and sport fishers to
            facilitate stakeholder consensus (MI)

        -   Provide education and training for emerging fishery leaders
            (MI)

            -   Train leaders of commercial fishing, recreational
                fishing, tribal, and environmental organizations in the
                science behind fishery and ecosystem management. (MN)

                -   Developing a comprehensive curriculum to train
                    emerging Great Lakes fishery leaders about the
                    processes that influence fisheries management
                    decisions, genetics, stocking, and native fish
                    restoration. (MN)

                -   Facilitating the activities and success of the Great
                    Lakes Fishery Leaders, a cohort of individuals with
                    the knowledge and skills to effectively mange Great
                    Lakes fisheries issues. (MN)

                -   Crafting educational materials that will complement
                    fishery management objectives and assist
                    recreational anglers fishing on Lake Superior. (MN)

                -   Educate anglers and charter captains on food-web and
                    ecosystem dynamics of Lake Michigan thereby
                    empowering them to be informed participants in the
                    debate over management and regulation of the
                    fishery. (II)

    -   Develop methods and models (WI)

        -   Support research to enhance the understanding of fish
            production and recruitment dynamics (MI)

        -   Develop better ecosystem models so resource managers can
            improve fishery forecasts. (OH)

        -   Continue to support and lead ecosystem modeling efforts
            through the International Joint Commission and its Council
            of Great Lakes Research Managers. (OH)

        -   Support research and outreach efforts to develop and
            evaluate a variety of alternative allocation strategies.
            (OH)

        -   Determine sustainable fisheries harvest levels by species
            (sport and commercial). (MN)

        -   Develop predictive models of fish population/production
            dynamics. (MN,MI)

        -   Develop predictive models of fish recruitment dynamics (MI)

        -   Provide information about Lake Superior predator-prey
            relationships and the impacts on commercial and recreational
            fishing of the introduction of predator fish. (MN)

        -   Develop models that link hydrodynamics and water quality to
            fish or shellfish biomass and production. (NY)

        -   Put fisheries simulation models on a Web site so that
            interested commercial fishermen, anglers, environmentalists,
            teachers, students and others can explore how the Lake
            Superior fishery may change with changing management
            strategies. (MN)

        -   Publish all historical data on Lake Superior fisheries on a
            CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or on the Web. (MN)

    -   Seek opportunities to collaborate with resource management
        agencies and assist in the development management strategies.
        (OH)

        -   Develop collaborative programs with the Ohio Department of
            Natural Resources and Ohio Division of Wildlife to assist in
            the development and evaluation of management strategies.
            (OH)

        -   Assist management agencies with conflict resolution and
            gathering user input. (OH)

    -   Identify and evaluate modifications that will maintain or
        restore fisheries health by reducing inadvertent fishing
        mortality in recreational fisheries, bycatch in commercial
        fisheries and overall gear effects on habitats. (NY)

    -   Develop information on how to control effort, how to identify
        sustainable effort, and how sanctuaries can contribute to
        fisheries sustainability. (NY)

-   Improve both the biological and human aspects of the Lake Michigan
    fishery through attainment, transfer, and application of knowledge
    concerning the Lake's food web and ecosystem dynamics (II).

    -   Develop a process understanding of population, system and
        community-level changes in ecologically or economically
        important living coastal resources. (NY)

        -   Document changes in food web dynamics. (MN)

        -   Examine the effects of various physiological and behavioral
            processes on the dynamics of fished populations and their
            predators. (NY)

        -   Via an ecosystem approach, study the food web dynamics in
            southern Lake Michigan to gain a better understanding of
            certain elements of the food chain and the chemical and
            physical factors that significantly affect them. (II)

        -   Develop new or use existing tools to evaluate the effects of
            recent ecosystem changes on current and future sport and
            commercial finfish and shellfish fisheries and to identify
            harvesting and management policy responses to overcome
            barriers to sustainability. (NY)

    -   Identify factors influencing disease prevalence in fish and
        shellfish and how to identify them, assess their impacts and
        manage them to reduce pathologies. (NY)

        -   Number range CHAPTERStudy on avian botulism mortality rates
            in waterfowl and disease transmission pathways (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERCollaborating to have fish tested
                for botulism in an effort to discover the pathways of
                transmission for this epidemic. Also arranged for
                botulism testing in live fish. (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop workshops that address problems
            associated with avian botulism on Lake Erie. (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERMeeting with Pennsylvania agencies re
            botulism outbreak to leverage state agency support and
            resources (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERFact sheets and posters to identify the
            problems associated with avian botulism: dangers associated
            with the handling of dead birds and fish, food safety
            procedures pertaining to handling, cooking, and smoking of
            fish. (PA)

    -   Via an ecosystem approach, relate toxic substances/materials to
        trophic levels in the food chain that may be at risk because of
        high exposure. (II)

        -   Number range CHAPTERAssist the PAC in the monitoring of fish
            tumors and possible development of additional genetic
            biomarkers. (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop a monitoring plan for fish
                tumors and assisted in obtaining funding to support
                these efforts. (PA)

            -   Assist in the collection and analysis of fish tissue
                samples for dioxin and other contaminants. (PA)

            -   Support monitoring and histological studies pertaining
                to the Presque Isle Bay fish tumor studies. (PA)

            -   Involve students in monitoring (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERSupport fisheries studies related to
            Presque Isle Bay Area of Recovery including support for
            research on hybridization of brown bullheads and other
            species susceptible to tumor promotion. (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERHistological, hybridization,
                reproduction and monitoring studies of brown bullheads.
                (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERGenetic research on the development
                of a biomarker for brown bullheads. The biomarker was
                used to determine what chemicals were causing tumor
                formation in brown bullhead. (PA)

        -   Assist in refining beneficial-use listing criteria in
            relation to fish tumors and deformities. (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERFish tumor conferences and
                proceedings to facilitate the coordination of
                standardized fish tumor rates and severity ratings for
                all AOCs and to develop standardized listing and
                monitoring criteria for fish tumors and deformities in
                Great Lakes AOCs. (PA)

            -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop concept paper on
                standardized criteria for assessing fish tumors in Great
                Lakes AOCs and present it to the IJC. (PA)

    -   Educate Lake Michigan anglers, charter captains, and managers on
        the accumulation and synergistic effect of toxins in the
        organisms of the lake and its connecting waters to enhance their
        ability to make more informed decisions regarding consumption
        and management of Great Lakes species. (II)

        -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop a curriculum on fish advisories,
            contaminants, and tumors affecting Great Lakes fish (PA)

-   Facilitate Sustainable Use of Economically Important Coastal
    Fisheries (NY, MN, MI)

    -   Develop capabilities to predict socio-economic responses of
        coastal communities to changes in fishery resources or
        accessibility. (NY)

    -   Support the economic viability of the sport and commercial
        fisheries (MI)

    -   Work with commercial, tribal, and sport fishers to adopt
        practices based on sound science (MI)

    -   Prepare a technical summary evaluating economic impact of a
        potential buy-out of the commercial fishery and inform
        decision-makers of the results. (OH)

    -   Work with commercial, tribal, and sport fishers to lead efforts
        to enhance and promote the economic viability of Michigan's
        Great Lakes fisheries (MI)

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-   Identify fisheries educational opportunities for K-12 students,
    teachers, and the public (MI)

# Ecosystems and Habitats Theme

Coastal areas host some of the most ancient, complex and productive
ecosystems on Earth. Coastal ecosystems are critical habitat for
numerous species of recreational fishes, waterfowl, and migratory birds.
A healthy national economy also depends on healthy coastal ecosystems;
which possess the capacity to supply two-thirds of the world's seafood.
Coastal areas provide essential habitat for 75% of U.S. commercial
landings of fish and shellfish as well as critical habitat for numerous
species of recreational fishes, waterfowl, migratory birds, amphibians
and mammals. The continuing rapid urbanization of our coasts has
destroyed a significant amount of coastal wetlands, degraded water
quality, and severely stressed coastal ecosystems.

National Goals:

-   Developing a quantitative understanding of the structure and
    function of critical nearshore habitats and coastal ecosystems.

-   Identify the processes that control the transport, transformation
    and fate of biogeochemically important materials in the nearshore
    area, the impact of riverine inflows, and the influence of watershed
    management on coastal and estuarine systems.

-   Minimizing the negative impacts of human-induced changes to coastal
    ecosystems, and

-   Developing and implementing methods of restoring damaged coastal
    habitats.

Nowhere is an understanding of the linkages between terrestrial and
aquatic environments more critical to resource quality, sustainability
and management than in the Great Lakes region. With nearly 9,500 miles
of shoreline, the Great Lakes are aquatic systems dominated by their
coastal watersheds. Habitat issues are critical for sustainability of
Great Lakes' resources. According to the 1999 State of the Lakes Report,
prepared by the USEPA and Environment Canada, "Wetlands are important
ecologically, socially, and economically, and are one of the most
productive ecosystems in the world. Wetland plant and animal communities
are not only adapted to life on the edge of the terrestrial and aquatic
zones, they depend on it and on lake level fluctuations for their
continued survival."

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Successes of point-source discharge cleanups in promoting fisheries
    restoration

-   Habitat rehabilitation

-   Wetlands

-   Development in the coastal zone

-   Contaminants

GLSGN Goals:

-   Developing better qualitative and quantitative understanding of how
    coastal ecosystems and habitats function. (MN, NY)

    -   Support research to enhance the understanding of the
        relationship of habitat productivity to fish health, production,
        and rehabilitation. (MI)

    -   Develop a better understanding of critical and/or sensitive
        coastal habitats that may have a significant effect on the
        population dynamics of specific fish species and/or their food
        source. (II)

        -   Develop an understanding of the importance of the near-shore
            environments and its importance to the aquatic food web.
            (WI)

        -   Locate and document all spawning grounds along the Minnesota
            North Shore. (MN)

    -   Evaluate the significance of invertebrate species to planktonic
        and benthic food webs and the role of these organisms in the
        Great Lakes food web transfer of energy and contaminants. (WI)

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    -   Develop better energetics modeling for the biotic communities in
        Lake Superior. (MN)

    -   Provide more information on how individual fish species fit into
        the Lake Superior fish communities. (MN)

    -   Number range CHAPTERAssessed the habitat needs and range of the
        tadpole madtom in Presque Isle Bay. (PA)

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-   Design and implement a comprehensive research and outreach program
    to promote a balance between economic growth and coastal resource
    quality for healthy coastal communities and coastal ecosystems. (MN)

    -   Facilitating formulation of appropriate natural resources public
        policy. (MN)

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-   Protect or Enhance Coastal Habitats (NY, MI)

    -   Prevent the degradation of fish habitat (MI)

        -   Develop or refine techniques to determine the ecological
            value of coastal habitats, to examine the effect of human
            activities on habitat quality and/or habitat fragmentation,
            to determine if or when habitats have been degraded, and to
            identify and evaluate the effectiveness of remediation
            techniques to restore those habitats. (NY)

            -   Develop and promulgate educational programs that
                estimate human carrying capacity and manage human access
                to coastal areas. (NY)

            -   Support research and outreach efforts to determine the
                impacts of habitat alteration and loss on the fishery
                and the entire aquatic ecosystem. (OH)

    -   Promote fish habitat restoration (MI)

        -   Support research to enhance the understanding of fish
            ecosystem rehabilitation and enhancement (MI)

        -   Use small grants programs, endowments and public involvement
            to provide support for coastal habitat restoration. (NY)

            -   Educate community groups, professionals and agencies
                about the benefits of and techniques for improving the
                quality (structure or ecosystem function) of threatened,
                degraded or compromised coastal habitats (e.g., Areas of
                Concern). (NY)

            -   Create partnerships to improve and enhance spawning
                habitat and nursery grounds to optimize native species
                rehabilitation (WI)

            -   Number range CHAPTERWork with local fisheries groups to
                enhance native fish habitat structures. A fact sheet was
                compiled that described the type and location of
                underwater structures. (PA)

    -   Support research and outreach efforts to determine the
        biological and economic impacts of artificial reefs and assist
        with their continued development where and when appropriate.
        (OH)

        -   Continue evaluations of fish use of artificial reefs
            constructed with rubble from old Cleveland Stadium. (OH)

        -   Collaborate with the Ohio Division of Wildlife to establish
            a tagging program to characterize smallmouth bass use of
            artificial reefs. (OH)

        -   Support research to map Lake Erie's artificial reefs and
            transfer the information to users. (OH)

        -   Investigate the development of a deep-water artificial reef
            demonstration project. (OH)

        -   Evaluate intentionally sinking vessels as artificial
            habitats and diver destinations as done in many of our
            coastal states. (OH)

-   Enhance the health of coastal residents by reducing the risks from
    contaminants and coastal pathogens (II)

    -   Develop a better understanding of the fate and effect of toxic
        chemicals and biological contaminants in near shore waters, the
        wetlands of southern Lake Michigan, and selected inland waters.
        (II)

    -   Provide information in a multi-lingual format to consumers of
        fish and other aquatic organisms detailing the potential health
        risks of consuming organisms obtained in contaminated water and
        the ways to reduce risk. (II)

    -   Number range CHAPTERDevelop standardized criteria for the
        analysis of fish tumors and other deformities in Great Lakes
        AOCs and standardized tumor sampling and monitoring criteria for
        use in all AOCs. (PA)

-   Quantify the potential effects of climate change on Great Lakes
    hydrology and ecosystems, including fisheries productivity. (WI)

**Aquatic Invasive Species Theme**

U.S Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, told attendees at a
January 1999 Sea Grant

Conference on Marine Bioinvasions that "Marine bioinvasions have large
consequences for our food supply, our economy, our fishing industry and
human health." In addition, distribution of brood stock for global
aquaculture and of exotic species (and their parasites) by the aquarium
industry both contribute an additional source of NIS/ANS.

National Goals:

-   Understand the ecological changes effected by exotic aquatic species

The fisheries of the Great Lakes have been strongly influenced by
ecological changes brought about by deliberate as well as unintentional
introductions of exotic species. Sea lampreys contributed to the
collapse of native fish populations. Alewife and smelt replaced the
native forage fishes. Thriving recreational fisheries have developed
around the introduced Pacific salmon species. New invaders -- such as
zebra mussels, round goby, ruffe and white perch -- pose different and
equally significant challenges. Key research challenges include
developing ways to control the spread of exotics, creative methods for
reducing their adverse ecological effects, and the combination of
conceptual and analytical tools required to evaluate the future of
fishery restoration efforts.

The GLSGN addresses a wide array of ANS-related goals -- the following
subset includes only those most directly related to fisheries in the
program strategic plans.

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Impacts to Food Web Dynamics

    -   Mechanisms of food web disruption -- influence of size,
        morphometry, climate, latitude and community factors in
        mediating impacts

    -   Forecasting resultant food web structure

    -   Round goby, ruffe

-   Impact of aquatic invasive species on the fishery

    -   Impacts to Lake Trout, yellow perch, smelt

GLSGN Goals:

-   Evaluate the biological and economic impacts of exotic aquatic
    species on the Great Lakes' fisheries, and develop scientific
    approaches to guide control practices for dealing with exotic
    aquatic species. (WI)

    -   Examine aquatic invasive species impacts on food web dynamics.
        (MN)

    -   Support research to enhance the understanding of the impact of
        invasive species on food web dynamics and fish populations (MI)

    -   Number range CHAPTEREcosystem impact of the round goby on Lake
        Erie tributary streams. (PA)

    -   Number range CHAPTERRound goby diet study in Lake Erie
        concerning the biomagnification of polycyclic aromatic
        hydrocarbons (PAHs) in round goby via zebra mussel consumption.
        (PA)

-   Develop programs, in cooperation with federal, state, and local
    governments, to quantify and minimize the impact of aquatic nuisance
    species and to control and prevent their introduction into coastal
    and Great Lakes waters. (OH, NY)

    -   Minimize the spread of aquatic nuisance species from Great
        Lakes' waters into inland waters. (OH)

        -   Number range CHAPTERDevelopment and implementation of new
            regulations banning possession of injurious invasive
            species. (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERIncrease awareness of exotic species
            transfer laws. (PA)

        -   Number range CHAPTERDevelopment of outreach materials
            related to the transfer of AIS. (PA)

    -   Continue outreach/education programs for the live bait industry,
        aquaculture, and angling public to prevent ANS spread. (OH, PA)

        -   Enable Ohio's live bait industry to comply with new and
            pending regulations designed to control the spread of
            aquatic nuisance species and to help the industry implement
            a system for certifying bait species to be ANS-free. (OH)

        -   Number range CHAPTERANS HACCP training workshops for federal
            and state agency staff; private bait fish dealers; fish
            production managers; and fish management personnel,
            consultants, and researchers (PA)

            -   Collaborate with the Ohio Division of Wildlife to
                develop a HACCP-style live bait inspection and
                certification procedure that can be adopted by the live
                bait industry. (OH)

            -   Number range CHAPTERContinue to facilitate ANS HACCP
                workshops at regional and state venues. (PA)

    -   Number range CHAPTERDevelopment of statewide Invasive Species
        Management Plans (with state agencies) -- (PA)

# Aquaculture Theme

Worldwide, aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of agriculture. The
growth of the aquaculture industry is driven, to a large extent, by
three factors: (1) the expanding human population, (2) the fact that
harvests of many of the world's wild fisheries have met or exceeded
their maximum sustainable yield, and (3) an increase in per capita
seafood consumption, based largely on the increasing realization of the
health benefits of diets high in seafood.

National Goal: Develop the scientific, technological information and
expertise needed to propagate and successfully culture fish with
commercial and/or recreational value to the United States as well as the
rest of the world.

NEED PARAGRAPH -- AQUACULTURE IN THE GREAT LAKES (stats??)

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Decline in wild harvests/ Reduce fishing pressure on wild stocks

-   Bait, stocking

-   Cool-climate freshwater species,

-   Negative environmental impacts (on wild fish)

    -   Effluent

    -   AIS

    -   Disease

    -   Genetic contamination

-   Intensive culture methods

    -   Stress and disease

GLSGN Goals:

-   Increase general awareness of the economic potentials of freshwater
    aquaculture in the Great Lakes region. (WI)

    -   Develop technical materials and utilize one-on-one consultation,
        hands-on training, and electronic technologies to the targeted
        audiences. (II)

        -   Train Minnesota fish farmers and others about new
            technologies and techniques for raising baitfish (MN)

-   Fostering an economically-viable aquaculture industry. Increase the
    size and **profitability** of aquaculture industries. (MN, II)

    -   Develop **new technology** to improve the economic viability and
        sustainability of aquaculture. (MN, OH)

        -   Establish the biological, physical, chemical, environmental
            and economic parameters for optimizing the performance of
            various aquaculture systems (WI) particularly Recirculating
            Aquaculture Systems and other Intensive Aquaculture
            Technology. (WI)

        -   Develop grow out system technology and increase the
            fundamental knowledge of animal **husbandry** in such areas
            as reproduction, hatchery technology, growth, nutrition, and
            disease diagnosis and control. Enhance aquaculture through
            biotechnology by developing heartier fish, healthier feeds,
            and improved strategies for disease control. (OH)

            -   Improve the growth and controlled reproduction of
                cultured fish by developing biotechnological approaches.
                (WI)

            -   Conduct basic research to improve the nutritional and
                reproduction efficiencies of cool water species. (II)

                -   Number range CHAPTERA fish integrated nutrient
                    system for hybrid striped bass. (PA)

            -   Investigate the key life cycles and nutritional
                requirements of baitfish species that should be
                exploited for aquaculture. (MN)

            -   Improve fish feed effectiveness through nutritional
                analyses, life-stage feeding strategies and the use of
                alternative feed ingredients. (WI)

            -   Improve feeding efficiency and feed cost-effectiveness
                through nutritional analysis and identification of
                alternative nutrient sources, especially using Minnesota
                grown plants. (MN)

            -   Characterize and develop methodologies to control the
                adverse effects of stress on intensively cultured fish.
                (WI)

            -   Identify, detect and control disease and parasites to
                maintain fish health in aquaculture systems. (WI)

                -   Number range CHAPTERControl and prevention of
                    infectious salmon anemia. (PA)

    -   Develop **technical information** (on aquaculture organisms,
        systems and techniques) to support economically sound business
        opportunities by overcoming current technological, marketing,
        regulatory or policy barriers to aquaculture development. (NY,
        PA)

        -   Increase Ohio's production of farm-raised crayfish and
            baitfish and assist producers in expanding markets for these
            products. (OH)

-   Fostering an environmentally-sound aquaculture industry. (MN)

    -   Develop improved, environmentally-sensitive methodologies and
        technologies to treat aquaculture effluent cost-effectively
        (meet effluent water quality standards). (MN, WI)

    -   Provide training to baitfish producers on how to control the
        spread of ANS in their harvest and stocking activities. (WI)

    -   Develop environmental risk assessment approaches for
        genetically-modified fish in aquaculture facilities. (MN)

    -   Number range CHAPTERWater quality control, aquatic toxicology,
        and waste management in recirculating aquaculture systems. (PA)

-   Identify and respond to needs and opportunities for producing fish
    in support of scientific research and **native species
    rehabilitation**. (WI)

    -   Develop technical information on aquaculture organisms, systems
        and techniques to support rehabilitation or sustainability of
        aquatic populations by overcoming current technological,
        marketing, regulatory or policy barriers to aquaculture
        development. (NY)

    -   Develop aquaculture techniques for species that are currently
        harvested from the wild or are at or beyond sustainable
        production levels. (MN)

**Coastal Communities and Economies Theme**

Coastal communities depend on healthy ecosystems for their economic
survival. Population growth, increasing tourism and development can
compromise the health and integrity of coastal ecosystems and, in turn,
the economic sustainability of coastal communities. Economic growth must
complement environmental conservation in a way that meets present needs
without compromising future generations' quality of life: That is the
definition of sustainability.

National Goals:

-   Help coastal communities achieve economic and environmental
    sustainability

-   Improve coastal community leadership and planning capacities to
    jointly address economic, environmental and social issues.

The changing structure of coastal businesses and industries offers
opportunities for Sea Grant to contribute to the regional economy. The
current service-centered (recreation, tourism, marina, etc.) emphasis
now rivals the commercial trade, transportation, and resource product
emphasis (manufacturing, commercial fishing, and seafood processing)
that dominated coastal business activities for most of the eighteenth,
nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. As more of the population has moved
toward the coasts, the service industry has developed to meet the needs
of the coastal migrants and to respond to the desires of residents and
visitors alike for access to coastal attractions. Tourism, including
ecotourism and nature-based tourism, is playing a greater role in the
economy the Great Lakes region. As sportfishing activities decline with
the fisheries, chambers of commerce are looking for alternative
marketing strategies to lure tourists and their dollars. In 2002, the
estimated 1,746 Great Lakes charter firms made an estimated 93,209
charter trips. In the Great Lakes Region, these charter-fishing firms
brought in estimated total sales of \$34.5 million.

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   service-centered (recreation, tourism, marina, etc.)

    -   Charter Businesses

    -   Marinas

    -   Tourism

-   commercial trade and resource product emphasis (commercial fishing
    and seafood processing)

GLSGN Goals:

-   Improve the decision-making processes. (OH)

    -   Collaborate with the State Agencies on research and outreach
        efforts to evaluate management strategies and disseminate
        results. (OH)

        -   Join the Division of Wildlife on a Management Team for Lake
            Erie. (OH)

    -   Develop and prioritize research and outreach efforts related to
        the evaluation of coastal recreation in collaboration with
        management agencies, the private sector, and local governments.
        (OH)

    -   Support research and outreach efforts to determine the economic
        and environmental impacts of various types of coastal recreation
        to assist resource managers. (OH)

    -   Generate databases of public opinions, attitudes, and values to
        influence management decisions. (OH)

        -   Continue socio-economic research with coastal recreational
            users including surveys at boat and sport shows. (OH)

    -   Share research results with state and regional management
        agencies and professional associations (e.g. Lake Erie Marine
        Trades Association) to aid in prioritizing research. (OH)

    -   Empower interested citizen leaders to participate in
        decision-making processes

        -   Great Lakes Fisheries Leadership Institute

-   Reverse the decline in sport fishing participation and enable
    fishing businesses to retain clientele. (OH)

    -   Explore ways to interact with the National Outreach Strategy for
        Recreational Fishing and Boating to increase participation in
        angling and boating. (OH)

    -   Continue to host Sea Camp for 4-H youth and develop a Lake Erie
        Fishing program for 4-H. (OH)

-   Increase profitability in the charter fishing industry through
    business and technology development and education. (OH, MN)

    -   Conduct the Ohio Charter Captains Conference annually and
        conduct business surveys every 4-5 years. (OH)

    -   Number range CHAPTEREstablish a relationship with charter boat
        operations conducting business on the Lake Erie shoreline of
        Pennsylvania, while providing data that would be of benefit to
        all. (PA)

    -   Number range CHAPTEREnhance the continued development and use of
        the Erie Bayfront as a charter boat tourism resource and
        destination for local and out-of-town anglers. (PA)

    -   

-   Concentrate research and outreach efforts to support business
    development and retention in tackle manufacturing and sales, bait
    production and sales, etc. (OH)

-   Increase the profitability (competitiveness) of marine businesses
    through business and technology research, education, and outreach.
    (OH, NY)

    -   Assist water-dependent businesses in improving management,
        operation programs, marketing strategies and responses to
        regulations and management policies to enhance business
        efficiency, effectiveness, cost competitiveness, and
        profitability. (NY)

    -   Continue to cooperate with the ODNR Division of Watercraft and
        the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association to inventory and report
        boat sales figures within Ohio. (OH)

    -   Conduct research to upgrade and refine figures on the economic
        impact of boating in Ohio in cooperation with the Ohio Division
        of Watercraft and the Lake Erie Marine Trades (OH)Association
        and share/interpret the results for decision makers.

-   Design and evaluate approaches to enhance tourism and eco-tourism
    opportunities that help develop and/or promote
    environmentally-sustainable economically-stable tourism markets.
    (NY)

    -   Identify, assess and encourage the use of innovative techniques
        and technologies to prevent, control or reduce the environmental
        impact of marina operations, boating and other coastal-dependent
        businesses in a cost-effective manner. (NY)

-   Increase recreational access. (OH)

    -   Assist coastal communities with planning to upgrade coastal
        parks, beaches and marina facilities. (OH)

**Seafood Science and Technology Theme**

This national theme aims to develop new ways for Americans to reap the
bounty of our waters on a sustainable basis. Sea Grant-sponsored
research and technology transfer in this theme helps the seafood
industry by improving processing technology, products and methods for
assuring seafood safety. As wild fish stocks decline, we need to find
new ways to reduce waste and by-catch by improving fishing gear,
developing markets for underused species, and ensuring the safety and
quality of products through better storage, processing and packaging
techniques.

Examples of Sea Grant-supported research and technology transfer in this
area includes applying Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point methods in
commercial processing to ensure seafood safety, developing
super-absorbant gels from fish protein extracts, and finding ways to use
omega-3 fatty acids common in fish oils as nutraceuticals -- foods or
food additives that confer nutritional, therapeutic or preventative
medical benefits to individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease,
certain forms of cancer and diabetes, hypertension and other health
problems.

The seafood industry could gain from efforts to develop innovative
marketing strategies. These strategies should aim to make consumers
aware of the many positive nutritional benefits associated with seafood
consumption and proper ways to handle, store and prepare it to maximize
safety and palatability. Objective information will help consumers make
educated decisions about the practices that best meet their individual
health and economic needs and constraints. Because consumers are likely
to utilize a variety of information sources, an educational strategy
that targets information multipliers like Cooperative Extension and
other food and nutrition professionals, the media, industry, consumer,
and sportfishing groups, and retail and food service businesses is
needed to effectively and efficiently reach a broad consumer audience.
Such information could also form the basis of marketing campaigns for
seafood retailers, serving the needs of the consumer and industry at the
same time.

National Goal: Improve the safety, quality, shelf-life and marketability
of existing and new seafood and seafood-derived products.

REGIONAL PARAGRAPH (economic value of seafood?)

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Economic value to region/nation

-   Profitability

-   Regulatory changes

-   Marketing

-   Sustainable harvests

-   New products

-   Seafood safety

    -   HACCP

    -   Pathogens and toxins

    -   Transgenics

    -   Language barriers in addressing subsistence fishing populations

-   Health benefits

GLSGN Goals:

-   Help develop and initiate, in partnership with industry groups and
    federal, state, and local regulatory authorities, effective consumer
    education strategies that support wise growth and development of the
    seafood industry. (NY, MN)

    -   Expanding aquatic animal product utilization. (MN)

    -   Develop innovative, cost-effective technologies for processing
        seafood and bringing new products to market. (NY)

-   Develop new uses for seafood and Great Lakes fisheries products and
    by-products, including finding novel uses for by-catch, invasive
    exotic fishes and underutilized species for developing new
    fisheries. (WI)

    -   Evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of using fish
        oils for making nutraceuticals. (WI)

    -   Determine potential uses, product development, and marketability
        of the siscowet trout and other nontraditional species. (MN)

        -   Conduct a synthesis workshop to explore the fishery
            management, product development, and marketing issues
            surrounding the development of a siscowet trout fishery for
            their oil or other use. (MN)

-   Improve the Quality and Safety of New York State's Commercial and
    Sport-Caught Seafood Products: (NY)

    -   Providing the seafood industry with information, techniques, and
        risk management principles for ensuring seafood safety. (MN)

    -   Coordinate efforts by the seafood industry and federal, state
        and local regulatory authorities to enhance the safety of
        seafood products and to successfully complete the transition to
        a state-of-the-art food safety control system (e.g., HACCP).
        (NY)

        -   Develop, test, and deliver new and innovative educational
            and training programs on seafood safety hazards and improved
            sanitation practices for consumers, the seafood industry and
            regulatory community as part of the national Seafood
            Education and HACCP (or other stateof-the-art system)
            Alliance. (NY)

        -   Support and conduct HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control
            Point) training for the seafood industry (and commercial and
            aquaculture industries). (OH)

# Improve HACCP compliance within the Ohio Seafood industry. (OH)

# Number range CHAPTER*Seafood Sense Workshop -* *Seafood Sense 2002 and 2003*, which covered seafood safety and preparation issues. (PA)

-   Develop techniques to maintain or increase seafood quality during
    the period from catch to consumption. (NY)

    -   Develop better methods for detecting contaminated seafood,
        improving processing and depuration, increasing storage life,
        and controlling parasites and disease sources. (MN)

# Describe the impacts of cultural habits of fish consumption, including preparation methods and quantities consumed. (MN)

# Identify the risks of contaminant burdens, pathogens and chemicals for seafood safety, develop cost-effective analytical techniques, and determine strategies for minimizing, eliminating or remediating potential impacts. (NY) 

# Better describe environmental contaminant levels and fish advisories. (MN) 

# Work on potential human health and wildlife advisories. (PA)

# Helping consumers understand the health risks of consuming seafood. (MN) 

# Number range CHAPTERContinue working with partners on the delivery of fish consumption advisories to anglers and at-risk members of the public. (PA)

# Number range CHAPTERNumber range CHAPTERDevelop new, user-friendly fish consumption advisories (PA)

# Number range CHAPTERDevelop and distribute easy-to-read English and foreign language versions of the current fish advisory, especially languages used by subsistence fishing communities (PA) 

# Number range CHAPTERContinue to support research on the development of consumption advisories for snapping turtles in northwest Pennsylvania and the Lake Erie watershed. (PA)

# Develop materials on Number range CHAPTER how to properly prepare fish in order to minimize intake of PCBs. (PA)

# Helping consumers understand the health benefits of consuming seafood. (MN)

# Determine health implications of omega fatty acids and fish oil supplements. (MN)

**Biotechnology Theme**

The United States leads the world in marine biotechnology research
expertise. Focused academic research in marine and aquatic biotechnology
in concert with commercial development offers the promise of societal
benefits as well as economic growth, leading to new industries and
employment opportunities. It will also help upgrade and advance higher
education to meet U.S. needs in an increasingly technical world. The
national Sea Grant network has identified five key areas for investment
in biotechnology: (1) marine natural products, (2) biomolecular
processes discovery, (3) marine environmental biotechnology, (4) marine
resource management, and (5) seafood safety and processing.

National Goal: Encourage and support a wide range of freshwater and
marine biotechnology research for:

-   Restoring and protecting aquatic ecosystems

-   Improving risk characterization of toxicants to aquatic animal life

-   Enhancing aquaculture and seafood safety

-   Developing new pharmaceuticals, biomaterials and bioprocesses

From a scientific standpoint, the study of freshwater aquatic organisms
provides an essential complement to the studies of marine organisms. For
the Great Lakes region -- which already supports a vibrant and growing
biotechnology industry -- biotechnology offers new opportunities for
addressing such problems as contamination of Great Lakes fish and
sediments with toxins, control of nonindigenous species, and enhanced
production at public game fish hatcheries and private bait and food fish
farms.

Highlighted Regional Issues:

-   Protection of biodiversity/genetic diversity

GLSGN Goals:

-   Use new biotechnology techniques to determine genetics of
    economically important fish. (MN)

-   Develop more accurate approaches for assessing and predicting the
    risks to feral fish populations exposed to persistent
    bioaccumulative chemical contaminants. (WI)

    -   Explore mechanisms and sites of action of chemical contaminants
        on aquatic organisms. (MN)

    -   Evaluate the effects of exposure to endocrine-disrupting
        chemical contaminants on growth, development, reproduction,
        pathology, and disease control in wild and cultured fish. (MN)

    -   Develop gene microarrays in fish for identifying alterations in
        gene expression associated with chemical and physical stresses
        (WI)

        -   Communicate information about this issue and UW research on
            it to the public and potential investigators. (WI)

-   Develop biotechnological tools for addressing problems and issues
    related to aquaculture, ANS, fisheries, seafood products and water
    quality. (WI)

**Digital Ocean Theme**

Current U.S. facilities are demonstrating that the technology exists to
collect real-time ocean data and readily share it via the Internet.
Remote sensing, real time data collection and analysis, wireless
telemetry from fixed instruments, better fish stock assessment tools,
... all offer tremendous opportunities to improve fisheries management.

National Goals:

-   Partner to develop an integrated and sustained ocean observing
    system

-   Develop tools to assimilate data from distributed observatories

-   Connect these assimilated data with various existing computer models

The Great Lakes region is in the vanguard of development of integrated
ocean observing systems (IOOS). The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network is
among the lead players in development of a business plan for a Great
Lakes Observing System (GLOS) and will likely lead the development of
outreach for such a system.

GLSGN Goals:

-   Build on work pioneered by Sea Grant to develop methods for creating
    digital representations, or models, of aquatic resources and
    phenomena. (MN)

    -   Developing new technologies and new products that help us better
        understand and manage Great Lakes and coastal resources. (MN)

    -   Applying technological advances to coastal, as well as inland,
        problems and needs. (MN)

    -   Using technological advances to teach students and train
        professionals in aquatic resource management, particularly with
        regard to Great Lakes, marine, and coastal issues. (MN)

    -   Use new technologies to assess fish stocks in the Great Lakes.
        (MN)