Minnesota Sea Grant (MNSG)

A man smiles in the front of a canoe, with a person paddling the canoe behind him. In the background is another canoe with two people paddling. Credit: George Peterson.

A young girl smiles while paddling a paddleboard on water covered with lily pads. Credit: Diana Johnson.

A person paddles a kayak with a fishing rod in it on a clear, blue day. Credit: Josh Kempf.

These paddlers understood the assignment: stay safe, look good doing it. 🛶💅

Congrats to our 2025 #PaddleSafe Photo Quest champs!
📸 Diana Jones — “Morning Boarding”
📸 George Peterson — “Protected Paddling on Saganaga Lake”
📸 Josh Kempf — “Nor Shor”

Stay buoyant out there, folks.

A close-up image of microplastics. Image credit: Chesapeake Bay Program/Flickr.

Your students can scroll less & filter more!

Join MNSG researcher & UMN #Duluth professor Melissa Mauer-Jones in a statewide project to track #microplastic pollution in #Minnesota’s waters. 🧪

Hands-on, microscope-ready, and perfect for grades 9–12 science classes.
🔗 z.umn.edu/mnsg_micropl...

Green algae building up against a sandy shoreline. Credit: MPCA.

If your favorite lake ever looks like a matcha latte gone wrong, that might be a harmful algal bloom (#HABs).

Join #TwinPorts Climate Conversations on 10/14 to learn what’s blooming, why it happens & what it means for people, pets & the places we swim.🧪

💻 Free + virtual: z.umn.edu/mnsg_tpcc-habs

You already know we like to talk #LakeSuperior. 🌊

This next talk? #PFAS and “forever chemicals.”

Join us Oct. 7 @ 1 p.m. CT for Let’s Talk Lake Superior: Chemical Contaminants.

And what do herring gull eggs have to do with it, anyways? 💧🧪
🔗 z.umn.edu/mnsg_letstal...

#GreatLakes #WaterSky

Three educators sit around a table smiling and discussing while using a green laser pointer to shine light through colored liquid samples in test tubes. Credit: A. Shie/MNSG.

Happy World Teachers’ Day! 🍎

✏️ Shaping young minds is no small fish, thanks to all the educators who dive deep every day.

Looking for resources to keep students hooked on science? 👉 cgll.org

#WorldTeachersDay #GreatLakes

A tray of smoked trout Cobb salad with wild rice, cheddar, red onion, tomato, and lettuce, labeled with a Sky Lakes Catering sign. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

🐟 Celebrate #SeafoodMonth by choosing local Great Lakes fish!

Buying #GreatLakes fish means fresher meals, fewer food miles, and stronger rural economies.

Support local fishers and farmers → freshfishfinder.org

#BuyLocal #EatLocal

A fillet of salmon with herbs, spices, and lemon slices on a dark background. Text reads, “October is National Seafood Month: Advancing science for sustainable choices.” Minnesota Sea Grant logo at the bottom. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

October is #NationalSeafoodMonth! 🐟

This is a perfect time to highlight #aquaculture: the breeding, rearing, & harvesting of fish & other aquatic organisms in natural & constructed water environments.

Aquaculture = agriculture!

Learn more about #GreatLakes aquaculture: greatlakesaquaculture.org

Illustrated postcard-style graphic showing how the Great Lakes Blue Economy supports fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, tourism, clean water, renewable energy, and resilient communities. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

Sending you #GreatLakes vibes this #PostcardDay 💌🌊

From fisheries to aquaculture to clean water, our #BlueEconomy connects people, nature, and communities.

Get the postcard for yourself: seagrant.umn.edu/about

Minnesota Sea Grant graphic: Call for Hosts Webinar on the 2026–2027 Science & Policy Fellowship with QR code and partner logos. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

Want to host a #Minnesota Sea Grant Science & Policy Fellow in 2026–2027?

🌊 Learn more at our upcoming info webinar with Alex Frie, aimed at prospective hosts: agencies, committees & nonprofits.

🔗 Register: z.umn.edu/mnsg_scipol-...
#WaterScience #WaterSky

Burke Center Associate Director Matt Hudson holding scientific equipment on a boat in front of rocky cliffs. Credit: Matt Hudson/Burke Center.

From the ashes of Northland College, a new era emerges. 🔥 The Burke Center for Ecosystem Research has risen to keep #LakeSuperior ship-shape!

Hear Matt Hudson share the story with #TwinPorts Freshwater Folk on Oct. 1 @ noon.

👉 z.umn.edu/mnsg_tpff-bu...

A girl wearing an apron holds a plate with a fish taco on it. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

🐟 Welcome to the 3rd stage of the #GreatLakes Aquaculture Collaborative 3.0!

From 2024–2027, GLAC is focusing on #aquaculture literacy—helping people of all ages and backgrounds make informed choices about farmed + wild Great Lakes fish. 🧪

Learn more 👉 greatlakesaquaculture.org

MNSG's Kelsey Prihoda speaks to a tour group about Great Lakes vessels in front of the William A. Irvin Museum Ship. Credit: Amy Schrank/MNSG.

⚓On #WorldMaritimeDay, we’re celebrating the #GreatLakes as a maritime superhighway that connects MN to the world.

This month, MNSG’s Kelsey Prihoda led a hands-on tour at the #UMN Extension Conference exploring ships, the #Duluth waterfront, & ballast water research.🚢

👉 z.umn.edu/mnsg_glshipp...

Center for Great Lakes Literacy website brimming with resources for educators | Michigan Sea Grant Sep 9, 2025 | News

The new Center for Great Lakes Literacy website is brimming with resources for educators!

Explore the ever-expanding resource library full of data-driven lessons, curriculum packages, success stories, videos, storymaps, and more. buff.ly/EqWx1QR

@uwiscseagrant.bsky.social @mnseagrant.bsky.social

Researchers stand among dense cattails along a Minnesota lakeshore, with a small boat in the water and bright clouds overhead. Credit: A. Schrank/MNSG.

Apostrophes don’t go just anywhere. Neither should hybrid cattails. 🌿

Invasive hybrid #cattails can replace diverse native plants & reduce fish habitat. MNSG researchers are testing whether small-scale removals can help restore lakeshores.

🔗 z.umn.edu/mnsg_cattails
#NationalPunctuationDay

Graphic announcing Paddle Safe Photo Quest contest extension until September 30. Encourages submission of safe paddling photos with examples shown, including wearing life jackets and checking a float plan. Link to enter: z.umn.edu/mnsg_photoquest25.

Fall paddling = some of the best paddling. 🍂

There’s still time to get on the water—or submit photos from your summer trips!

📸 Enter the 2025 Paddle Safe Photo Quest by Sept. 30 for a chance to win 1 of 3 watersport prize packages: z.umn.edu/mnsg_photoqu...

#PaddleSafe #TwinPorts

Be prepared for cold water. Even if it feels warm outside, rivers, lakes, and streams can still be cold and running fast. Always wear your life vest and consider cold water protection gear. Cold water can kill. Credit: National Weather Service.

The equinox is imminent!🍁

Water in the #GreatLakes stays cold even in early fall, and #hypothermia risk rises even on mild days. Learn prevention & treatment tips in Minnesota Sea Grant’s guide.

🔗https://z.umn.edu/mnsg_hypothermia
#WeatherReady

A street sweeper demonstrates how it cleans dirt off roads. Credit: M. Karschnia/MNSG.

🍂 With fall leaves comes extra phosphorus from stormwater rinsed into watersheds.

Research from MNSG & @minnesotawater's Clean Sweep project suggests sweeping high-canopy streets yields big water quality gains.

More info: z.umn.edu/mnsg_cleansw...
#WaterQuality #WaterSky

Graphic with icons of a pipeline, railcar, ship, and truck above the text “HazMaTON: Hazardous Material Transport Outreach Network.” Below, a notice reads: “9/17 Webinar CANCELED.” Credit: MNSG.

🚨 Program Update: The Sept. 17 #HazMaTON webinar has been cancelled, which means the 2025 summer series has wrapped up early.

Catch recordings of past webinars on our YouTube playlist 👉 z.umn.edu/mnsg_hazmato...

Kieran Smith smiles while paddling a canoe during fall. Credit: Kieran Smith.

Congrats to Kieran Smith! 👏

Since 2021, he’s built our #Aquaculture Lab & led our #YellowPerch project, supporting #Minnesota fish producers.

Kieran’s headed to a new role with collaborator Dr. John Bischof—we’ll miss him but can’t wait to see what’s next! 🐟💡 #SeaGrant

Dense fog is a road hazard: Turn on your low-beam headlights when approaching fog. Drive slowly, and keep your distance from other vehicles. Consider delaying travel when a Dense Fog Advisory is issued. Credit: National Weather Service.

Dense fog often develops along #LakeSuperior + across #Minnesota this time of year. 🌫️

➡️ Use low beams
➡️ Slow down
➡️ Don’t pass unless necessary

Be sure you can stop within the distance you can see. Learn more: weather.gov/safety/fog
#WeatherReady

Lake Champlain as seen from an overlook on a clear day. Image credit: Annacecchini/Wikimedia Commons.

Don’t miss the final #HazMaTON Summer Webinar of 2025!

Ben Fisher (USGS) will show how Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps help protect #LakeChamplain’s 587 miles of shoreline in the event of a spill.🧪

🗓️ Sept. 17 | 11 a.m. CT
🔗 Register: z.umn.edu/hazmaton25_l...

Free + open to the public!

Graphic with the Minnesota Sea Grant Science & Policy Fellow logo and text: “Call for Hosts: 2026–2027.” Highlights reasons to host a fellow: Get it done. Think fresh. Grow leaders. Includes QR code and program link.

🚨 Call for Hosts!

#Minnesota Sea Grant is seeking organizations to host Science & Policy Fellows (2026–2027). Fellows bring fresh expertise to projects on #WaterQuality, invasive species, and climate impacts.

📅 Info webinar: Sept. 16 | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
🔗 Register: z.umn.edu/mnsg_25scipo...

A large wave crashing into a concrete structure on a cloudy day on Lake Superior. Credit: Jerry Bielicki/MNSG.

Stronger storms mean more pressure on #Minnesota’s shorelines. 🌊

This #NationalPreparednessMonth, we’re highlighting how community resilience helps protect homes, habitats, and communities across the Great Lakes. 💪

#ClimateResilience #LakeSuperior #WaterSky

Two green kayaks and paddles on a rocky beach of Lake Superior at sunset. Credit: Adobe Stock/Matt Hopper.

Hello, fall! 🍁

With meteorological autumn comes cooler temps and bigger waves on #LakeSuperior. If you’re paddling this season, check real-time conditions and safety info at PaddleSafeTwinPorts.org.

Stay safe while enjoying the surf! 🌊

Madison Bell smiles at a Minnesota Sea Grant table in the shade at the Minnesota State Fair. Credit: J. Grenn/MNSG.

Julia Grenn interacts with kids at Minnesota Sea Grant's table at the Minnesota State Fair. Credit: M. Bell/MNSG.

Minnesota Sea Grant brought fish science to the #MNStateFair for Wonderful Water Day! 🐟🌊

Kids tested water quality like real scientists and got a close-up look at live Artemia (tiny food for fish) under our imaging scope. 🔬

Learn more about our work: z.umn.edu/mnsg_sfa

A child watches two adults fillet a fish. Credit: C. Dettmann/MNSG.

Fish aren’t just tasty—they’re brain food! 🧠🐟

This school year, explore youth-led #aquaculture + seafood resources from #Minnesota Sea Grant + Spark-Y: cookbooks, fish filet + taco demos, lesson plans + more. Perfect for classrooms + kitchens!

🍽️ z.umn.edu/MNSG-Spark-Y
#EduSky 🍎

💦 Driveways, rooftops, & compacted soils don’t soak up water like nature does — and all that runoff can spell trouble for our lakes.

Join Itasca Waters + MNSG for a Water Wisdom webinar on managing stormwater runoff from your shoreline property. 🧪

📅 Sept 4 | 12–1pm CT
👉 z.umn.edu/mnsg_pww-run...

Flowchart showing “Lake association efforts” leading to “Environmental quality of lake,” with a cloud labeled “Confounding Factors” in between. Arrows point into the cloud from “Ecoregion,” “Aquatic Invasive Species,” “Size of Lake,” and two unlabeled question marks. Credit: Anna Peterson-Bauman.

💧 How do lake associations shape water quality over time?

UMD grad student Anna Peterson-Bauman shares research on how social connections, recruitment, & shoreline development influence long-term lake health. 🧪

📅 9/3/25
📍 Large Lakes Observatory + Zoom
🔗 Register: z.umn.edu/mnsg_tpff-la...

Two people sit at a table using the Watershed Game Coast Model map, with one person pointing to an area on the game board. A Sea Grant Minnesota logo is in the corner. Credit: MNSG.

💧 Back to school meets #WaterQualityMonth!

MN Sea Grant’s Watershed Game helps students & local leaders explore how land use decisions impact our water.

🧩 Classroom & community versions.
🌊 Stream, river, lake & coastal models available!

🔗 z.umn.edu/MNSG-WSG
#WaterSky #EduSky 🍎

Close-up of a person holding a heavily shredded car tire, with the Minnesota Sea Grant logo in the corner. Credit: TireZoo/Flickr.

Researchers at #UMN's NRRI are tracking #TireWearParticles—tiny contaminants that release toxic chemicals harmful to fish—to protect #LakeSuperior’s watersheds. 🌊🐟

This MNSG–funded project is part of our #WaterQualityMonth spotlight!🧪

Learn more about the project🔗 z.umn.edu/mnsg_twp
#WaterSky