The opportunities for enhanced quality of life are many through the wise
use of southern Lake Michigan resources and agriculture. The Midwest has
the potential to be a rich source of seafood for the region and to have
a well-informed population regarding the benefits and risks of eating
fish. The Great Lakes also provide a potential source of cutting-edge
biomedicine. Just as there are potential medicines from the sea, there
may be opportunities in the Great Lakes for similar discoveries.
Chicago is one of the five largest U.S. seafood markets in the U.S. and
imports 99 percent of the products consumed in the Midwest. Right now,
less than one percent of the farm-raised seafood consumed in the U.S. is
produced in the Midwest, but with such a large consumer base, these
numbers are expected to increase. The region also can boast of a ready
supply of corn and soybeans for low cost fish feed and potential
producers receptive to diversifying their existing farm operations.
Many fish species found in Lake Michigan and nearby waters contain
contaminants that exceed U.S. EPA advisory levels for consumption. The
Chicago region and northwest Indiana are culturally diverse areas
inhabited by many non-English speaking and lower income families who
consume Lake Michigan fish for subsistence. These residents are in need
of understandable information that will enable them to interpret and
evaluate the potential health risks of consuming this food source.
Biotechnology and biomedicine play important roles in developing
techniques and methodologies that can benefit human health and the
health of the environment. These can include tools to improve feed for
farm-raised fish, use reproductive strategies for nuisance species,
determine ecological risks, and develop pharmaceuticals. The benefits of
an ecologically sustainable technology industry in Illinois and Indiana
are enormous and the need for further research is evident.
Goals
- Increase the safety and quality of seafood and aquaculture
products produced, processed, and consumed in the United States
- Increase the use of aquaculture information in secondary
education
- Improve the profitability of aquaculture industries in Illinois
and Indiana
- Provide resources and opportunities for the growth of
biotechnology and biomedicine
- Improve the understanding and application of fish consumption
advisories by anglers and consumers
Funded Research
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Leslie Dorworth
Aquatic Ecology Specialist
Department of Biology
Purdue University Calumet
Hammond, IN 46323-2094
Phone: 219-989-2726
Fax: 219-989-2130
dorworth@calumet.purdue.edu |
Kwamena Quagrainie
Aquaculture Marketing Specialist
Dept. of Agricultural Economics
Purdue University
403 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-4200
Phone: 765-494-4200
Fax: 765-494-9176
kquagrai@purdue.edu
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Elizabeth Hinchey Malloy
Great Lakes Ecosystem Specialist
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
77 West Jackson Blvd. (G-17J)
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 312-866-3451
Fax: 312-353-2018
hinchey.elizabeth@epa.gov
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Susan Boehme
Coastal Sediment Specialist
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
EPA Great Lakes National Program Office
77 West Jackson Blvd. (G-17J)
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 312-353-4383
Fax: 312-353-2018
boehme.susan@epa.gov
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