Goals, Objectives, & Outcomes

Goals, Objectives, & Outcomes

Goal

The primary goal of the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) is to support an environmentally responsible, science-based, competitive, and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region.

Land-Based Aquaculture

GLAC recognizes the significant economic importance of freshwater quality and sportfishing in the region and that both must be protected. The proposed research and outreach efforts will focus exclusively on land-based aquaculture systems and not those that use waters of the Great Lakes. 

GLAC 1.0

  • September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2024
  • $1,026.820

Objectives

  1. Establish Great Lakes Sea Grant network leadership to coordinate the Sea Grant team, direct team initiatives, and lead future priority setting and proposal development. Form state-level advisory groups and a regional advisory group to ensure strong ties to industry to inform research, education, and outreach efforts. 
  2. Develop resource-sharing initiatives that identify and screen the best available science supporting the aquaculture industry through a website, listserv, and webinars. 
  3. Host an annual aquaculture meeting and/or conference to provide a relevant platform for Great Lakes-based science, research, data gathering, and information sharing with a focus on delivery to the aquaculture industry.
  4. Identify research needs of Great Lakes aquaculture producers and develop strategies to meet those needs.
  5. Quantify consumer demand for Great Lakes aquaculture and provide that information to producers, retailers, and policymakers on desired species, attributes, labeling, and production processes.
  6. Identify policy-related challenges and opportunities through statistical policy analysis and key stakeholder input.
  7. Generate a compilation of science-based recommendations for expanding Great Lakes aquaculture and for dissemination of information by the AC.

GLAC 2.0

  • Advancing the GLAC
  • September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2025
  • $425,000

Objectives

  1. Continue to improve GLAC’s network leadership by maintaining collaboration among the Great Lakes Sea Grant programs and GLAC state and regional advisory groups, and use their feedback to pursue funding to develop and coordinate aquaculture research in Great Lakes states.
  2. Facilitate collaboration between producers and state aquaculture associations, link these state groups to national and regional aquaculture organizations, and support underrepresented producer, student, and conference speaker attendance at state aquaculture association meetings.
  3. Deliver to Great Lakes state agencies, policymakers, and legislators educational materials about aquaculture, the potential for successful aquaculture and aquaponics businesses in both rural and urban underserved areas, and information about how these groups can engage with and support the aquaculture industry in their state.
  4. Synthesize existing aquaculture laws, regulations, policies within the Great Lakes states and ground-truth these policies to determine how agencies interpret and implement these rules.
  5. Develop collaborations among private, state, and tribal organizations including aquaculture producers, commercial fishers, and seafood processors in the Great Lakes region to address food system and supply-chain challenges.

GLAC 3.0

  • Advancing Aquaculture Literacy
  • September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027
  • $750,000

Objectives

  1. Provide aquaculture literacy for consumer audiences, relevant to the Great Lakes region, to increase their understanding of aquaculture and empower them to make informed decisions about farmed and wild fish and seafood.
  2. Enhance connectivity of the Great Lakes region and national aquaculture community by (a) expanding GLAC’s existing industry advisory groups to include members of the consumer seafood sector and a state hatchery representative, (b) expanding the literacy content of the GLAC website to include content aimed at consumers, K-12 audiences, regulators, and legislators, and linking to the Aquaculture Information Exchange (AIE), and (c) liaising with other regional aquaculture hubs annually.
  3. Support and amplify regional aquaculture literacy efforts targeted at K-12 teachers and youth.
  4. Develop aquaculture literacy and communication materials and methods for Great lakes regulatory agencies and facilitate communication among multiple state agencies and private aquaculture producers.
  5. Develop and deliver aquaculture literacy products to legislators and policymakers to increase their understanding of aquaculture and the potential economic, social, and environmental benefits of the industry in their state. 
  6. Work with tribal and state commercial fisheries and regional aquaculture producers to develop a brand that identifies Great Lakes seafood to consumers, includes wild-caught and farm-raised fish and seafood, and emphasizes the importance of both products in our regional seafood system.

GLAC Organizational Structure

Regional Aquaculture Leadership

Minnesota Sea Grant

State Leadership

  • Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
  • Lake Champlain Sea Grant
  • Michigan Sea Grant
  • New York Sea Grant
  • Ohio Sea Grant
  • Wisconsin Sea Grant

State Advisory Groups

  • Illinois AG
  • Indiana AG
  • Lake Champlain AG
  • Michigan AG
  • New York AG
  • Minnesota AG
  • Ohio AG
  • Wisconsin AG

Regional Advisory Group

Representatives from each state advisory group

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