CROWN POINT, N.Y. — A free short course on Lake Champlain’s aquatic ecology will be offered Aug. 29 and 30 at the Crown Point Historic Site in Crown Point, N.Y.
The class will run from 6-8:30 p.m. on Aug. 29, and from 5:30-9 p.m. on Aug. 30 at the site’s museum theater. Participants may attend either or both sessions. A light supper will be served.
The event is sponsored by the Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG) Program, University of Vermont Extension and the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. Space is limited, so preregistration is requested by Aug. 25.
To register, go to www.uvm.edu/seagrant/fisheries-leadership-institute. To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact Kris Stepenuck at 802-656-8504 or Mark Malchoff at 518-564-3037 by Aug. 12.
In the first session, experts from the sponsoring organizations will share their knowledge about lakes, including a broad overview of the fish, macroinvertebrate and plankton communities residing in Lake Champlain, to help participants better understand how the lake’s structure impacts what lives there and the flow of energy through the lake ecosystem. They also will discuss the interaction between lake health and human activities.
The fisheries of Lake Champlain will be covered on the second night including the history and management, biology and ecology of common game and non-game species and threats to economically important fisheries. In addition, participants will learn about sea lamprey management, catch and release guidelines and the latest on new aquatic invasive species arrivals, including what to watch for and how to prevent further spread.
The course is part of a LCSG effort to increase public awareness of issues facing Lake Champlain including climate-driven disturbances to Lake Champlain Basin aquatic ecosystems. It is open to everyone and may be of particular interest to sport fishing industry-related businesses, tourism organizations and elected officials.