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Ohio Sea Grant Display at Cleveland Boat Show Educates Visitors about Lake Erie Issues | Ohio Sea Grant

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Ohio Sea Grant Display at Cleveland Boat Show Educates Visitors about Lake Erie Issues

12:00 pm, Tue January 10, 2012 –

Cleveland, OH Visitors to the Mid-America Boat Show can learn about the major environmental issues facing Lake Erie, including dead zones, Asian carp, harmful algal blooms, and unwanted medications, January 13 – 22 at the Cleveland I-X Center. Sea Grant experts will be available at the program’s display booth throughout the show to discuss Lake Erie topics and educational opportunities at Stone Laboratory.

"The show provides an incredible opportunity for students, teachers, and the general public to have their questions answered and interact with Ohio State University scientists from Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab working on Lake Erie," says Dr. Jeff Reutter, Director Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab.

Visitors to the boat show can support Stone Lab’s research and education by purchasing admission on January 16, Lake Erie Day. The event’s managing organization, Lake Erie Marine Trades Association (LEMTA), donates $1 from every admission ticket purchased that day to Stone Lab student scholarships.

From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on January 16, experts will be available at the Ohio Sea Grant display near the Pirate Island stage to answer questions and visitors can hear presentations from the following experts about the critical issues facing Lake Erie.

  • Reutter—Current issues affecting Lake Erie, including dead zones and harmful algal blooms and a forecast of the lake’s future
  • Sea Grant Specialists Dave Kelch and Tory Gabriel—Lake Erie fishery, proper disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals, and Asian carp and other aquatic invasive species
  • Ohio Sea Grant Assistant Director Dr. Chris Winslow—Impacts of the invasive round goby on Lake Erie’s native yellow perch and smallmouth bass
  • Stone Lab Manager and OSU Diving Safety Officer Matt Thomas—Diving in Lake Erie, as well as Lake Erie amphibians and reptiles, including the Lake Erie Watersnake
  • Ohio Clean Marinas Coordinator Sarah Orlando—Benefits from the Ohio Clean Marinas program, which includes 37 Ohio marinas, and how boaters can become certified Clean Boaters to support a cleaner Lake Erie

Children ages 17 and under can make their own Lake Erie walleye lure. College and advanced high school students can sign up for summer classes at Stone Lab, Sea Grant’s research laboratory at Put-in-Bay. Educators can book their classes for science field trip opportunities and register for college-credit classes available at the lab.

"Recreational boating and fishing on Lake Erie combine for an annual $4 billion industry so understanding Lake Erie and its issues is critical for the quality of our lives and the thousands of small businesses that count on boating and fishing for their livelihood," says Ken Alvey, LEMTA President and Boat Show Manager. "The Boat Show supports OSU’s Sea Grant because of the program’s priceless research and education regarding Lake Erie’s scientific challenges, recreational opportunities, and economic impact of its watershed."

For more details and tickets, visit clevelandboatshow.com.

Ohio State University’s Ohio Sea Grant program is part of NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 32 Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. For information on Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab, visit ohioseagrant.osu.edu.

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Contact:
Jeff Reutter, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory, Director, 614.292.8949, reutter.1@osu.edu.

ARTICLE TITLE: Ohio Sea Grant Display at Cleveland Boat Show Educates Visitors about Lake Erie Issues PUBLISHED: 12:00 pm, Tue January 10, 2012 | MODIFIED: 1:12 pm, Tue April 28, 2015
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Matthew Forte
Authored By: Matthew Forte
Associate Editor, Ohio Sea Grant College Program

Matthew Forte is a lifelong fan of U.S. history. When he isn’t renovating his house or playing with his two infant sons, he is reading history books or substitute teaching.