Gov. Thompson Proclaims ‘Sea Grant College Day’
Gov. Tommy G. Thompson has proclaimed Wednesday, Oct. 15, as “Sea Grant College Day” in the State of Wisconsin in recognition of the University of Wisconsin’s 25th anniversary as a Sea Grant College.
“I congratulate the University of Wisconsin for the resounding success of its Sea Grant College Program,” Thompson said in his proclamation, “and for Sea Grant’s 25 years of statewide leadership in bringing the vast, high-quality academic resources of the State of Wisconsin to bear on the many Great Lakes-related issues and opportunities facing the people of Wisconsin and the entire Great Lakes region.”
Wisconsin Sea Grant Achievements Highlighted in the Governor’s Proclamation:
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The federally and state-funded UW program is part of a national network of 29 university-based Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of the United States’ coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources. The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute in Madison administers the Wisconsin program.
The goals of the Sea Grant program in Wisconsin are to increase the understanding of the Great Lakes system and promote the protection, sustainable development and wise stewardship of Great Lakes resources, according to UW Sea Grant Institute Director Anders W. Andren. Each year, more than 150 Wisconsin faculty, staff and students participate in some three dozen Sea Grant-sponsored research, outreach and education projects at various UW System campuses and at the state’s private colleges and universities. Total funding for the program currently stands at about $3 million a year, Andren said.
Over the last 25 years, UW Sea Grant has focused on addressing pollution problems, determining the human health risks of toxic contaminants in fish, improving scuba diving safety, reducing property losses caused by coastal flooding and shore erosion, improving fisheries management, assisting with freshwater aquaculture development, finding better ways to process and preserve seafood, and, most recently, responding to zebra mussels and other exotic species.
“We are pleased with the success of the Wisconsin program and our many accomplishments over the last 25 years,” Andren said. “We are also grateful to Congress and the State of Wisconsin for their continuous strong support for the Sea Grant program.”
In October 1972, then-U.S. Secretary of Commerce Peter G. Peterson designated the University of Wisconsin a Sea Grant College for its “sustained excellence in research, education and public service dedicated to wise use of America’s marine resources.”
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program is internationally recognized for its contribution to leading-edge research. Sea Grant-supported scientists and staff are regularly called upon to provide objective technical advice to federal agencies and laboratories, including the U.S.-Canadian International Joint Commission, Great Lakes Fisheries Commission, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and North Central Regional Aquaculture Center, among others.
The National Sea Grant College Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Wisconsin Sea Grant Achievements Highlighted in the Governor’s Proclamation: The University of Wisconsin’s Sea Grant College helped create and supports internationally recognized programs for the study of fishes and other living aquatic resources, toxic contaminants and water quality, freshwater aquaculture, seafood science, aquatic biotechnology, estuarine and coastal processes, and policy studies. **The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program has been instrumental in establishing an effective statewide network of world-class scientists, engineers, educators and outreach specialists at Wisconsin’s public and private colleges and universities. **The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program has contributed to more enlightened, science-based management of the state’s valuable coastal and Great Lakes resources. **The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program has helped pioneer and nurture the development of Wisconsin’s fast-growing multimillion-dollar aquaculture industry. **The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program has a strong record of public service and education through its Communications and Advisory Services programs in cooperation with the public and private sector, including 25 years of support for the award-winning regional “Earthwatch” public service radio program. **The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program has become a major source of scientific and policy personnel and expertise by helping more than 400 students throughout the state earn their master’s and doctoral degrees.