Lake Erie

What you should know about algal blooms

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You may have seen Toledo in the news the past few days as it worked to provide safe tap water for as many as 400,000 people. Fortunately, on Monday the two-day ban was lifted when it was determined the water met Ohio EPA standards. The ban was due to increased levels of the toxin microcystin, produced by blue-green algal blooms which occur in warm waters found in freshwater lakes, ponds and also in marine waters around the world. As the algae die, the toxin is released into the water. For this reason boiling does not make the HAB water safe to drink.

HABs 2014-08-07

Photo credit: EarthObservatory.NASA.gov (8/06/2014)

Wind conditions on Saturday (August 2) kept the bloom concentrated near the mouth of the Maumee River and apparently large amounts of the bloom were taken in at the Toledo water intake. When wind conditions changed, the bloom appeared to move away from the mouth of the Maumee River and out into the western basin of Lake Erie. The bloom is not large and remains within forecast parameters, but it is obviously very toxic and in a very bad location. Unfortunately, it is likely to persist well into October, when cooler weather arrives, and will not reach its peak until September.

Ohio Sea Grant and the Ohio Sea Grant Extension Program professionals have been working to address the Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) issue for years. Factors favorable to HAB formation include highly fertile water, sunny weather, warm temperatures, and selective grazing by zooplankton and or zebra/quagga mussels. Selective grazing removes the “good” algae and leaves the cyanobacteria that make up the HAB.

These short (1-4 page) fact sheets provide more information:

Harmful Algal Blooms in Ohio Waters

10 Things I Should Know About Algal Blooms

For more information on the Ohio Sea Grant Program and the Ohio Sea Grant Extension Program professionals, go here.

(Submitted by Frank Lichtkoppler, Professor & Extension Specialist, Ohio Sea Grant Program)

Ohio Clean Marinas Program: Growing Businesses and Improving the Environment

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Clean Marinas Strip

Is boating in your summer plans? Whether you captain your own vessel or are simply along for the ride, it is important to remember how each of us can help maintain environmental quality. Through the Ohio Clean Marinas Program, marinas and boaters can learn to use simple, innovative solutions to keep Ohio’s coastal and inland waterway resources clean. After meeting a set of required and recommended best management practices, interested marinas can become certified as an Ohio Clean Marina and benefit from the public recognition and compliance assistance that helps grow their business.

Since 2006, the Ohio Clean Marinas Program has been spearheading the Ohio Shrink-Wrap Recycling Program to collect the low-density polyethylene used to cover boats and protect them from the harsh winter weather. Instead of going into landfills, to date more than 2.2 million pounds of that plastic has been collected and recycled by nearly 150 marinas and greenhouses – an excellent example of the potential for boaters and marinas to reduce their environmental impact. That 2.2 million pounds is a lot of plastic!

You can learn more about clean marinas and clean boating at the Ohio Clean Marinas Program website, and don’t forget to Follow us on Facebook!

The Ohio Clean Marinas Program is a proactive partnership among the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and OSU Extension, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Lake Erie Marine Trades Association, and other public and private sector partners that are connected to Ohio’s recreational boating industry.

(Submitted by Sarah Orlando, Ohio Clean Marinas Program Coordinator, Ohio Sea Grant College Program)

Sign up now for Lake Erie Sport Fishing Class & Workshop

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Go to school to learn how to fish? You bet!! Enhance your fishing skills this summer with the following credit and non-credit sport fishing courses at Stone Lab on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie:

Lake Erie Sport Fishing – June 15-21 (KNSFHP 1140.05/2.0 undergraduate credit hours)
1-week, for-credit Course at Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie

Stone LabThis one-week course is an introduction to techniques and equipment used in Lake Erie sport fishing combining Lake Erie angling trips (extensive on-water training) with lectures that include related aquatic science information. Students are required to live in Stone Laboratory housing on Gibraltar Island. Click here for complete information, including course description, syllabus and tuition/housing costs and fees. Register soon!

Lake Erie Sport Fishing Workshop – August 29-31
3-day, non-credit Workshop at Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie

Sport Fishing Workshop 2014In this non-credit workshop, you will learn technical concepts used by experienced Lake Erie anglers through personal instruction and fishing experience aboard Stone Lab’s vessel R/V Gibraltar III. Bypass empty water and increase fishing effectiveness by learning gamefish behavior and seasonal movements,  strategies using specialized gear, recognizing feeding patterns and selecting tackle and gear. Walleye fishing will be the primary activity; however, time will be allotted for smallmouth and largemouth bass, panfish and yellow perch. Deadline to apply is June 27. Workshop fee is $450. Cost includes room and meals for two nights and three days. Click here for complete information about the workshop, including description, agenda and application process.

(Submitted by Tory Gabriel, Fisheries Outreach Coordinator, Ohio Sea Grant College Program)