Federal aid to support lake research

The UW Sea Grant Institute will receive $1.83 million in federal support for the second year of its 2000-02 program.

Coupled with $1.5 million in matching funds from the state of Wisconsin and private sources, the federal grant will support more than two dozen Great Lakes-related research, outreach, and education projects involving more than 170 faculty, staff, and students at seven UW System campuses including UW–Madison.

“This grant allows UW Sea Grant to continue addressing pressing issues in the Great Lakes region through scientific research, public outreach, and education,” says UW Sea Grant Director Anders W. Andren. “For example, we are seeking to better understand the population fluctuations of lake trout in Lake Superior and of yellow perch in Lake Michigan, and we hope our findings will support the sustainable use and enjoyment of these fisheries far into the future.

“We’re also giving special emphasis to learning how contaminants and pathogens enter aquatic environments, how they affect fish, wildlife, and humans, and what ultimately happens to them in Great Lakes systems,” Andren says.

Other UW Sea Grant research areas include fostering freshwater aquaculture; understanding the developmental and reproductive effects of endocrine disrupters; developing Great Lakes applications of cutting-edge biotechnology; advancing knowledge about Lake Superior’s food webs, trout populations, and local economies; enhancing safety for recreational scuba divers; and probing the complex land-water interactions that characterize coastal regions.

The grant will also support the work of eight Sea Grant Advisory Services specialists who provide free statewide assistance in aquaculture, water quality issues, geographic information systems, and recreational and commercial fishing.

Other specialist services include Great Lakes-related business development and coastal engineering advice, contaminated sediment remediation technologies, and K-12 and public education programs.