About Sea Grant
Sea Grant is a national network of 34 programs located in coastal and Great Lakes states, as well as Puerto Rico and Guam. These programs represent unique partnerships between state universities and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which administers the program.
For over 50 years, this National Sea Grant College Program has supported coastal and Great Lakes communities. Congressional committees have repeatedly cited Sea Grant as one of the most efficient and cost-effective programs funded by the federal government.
In addition to addressing local challenges and opportunities, each Sea Grant program concentrates on four major focus areas:
- Healthy coastal ecosystems
- Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
- Resilient communities and economies
- Environmental literacy and workforce development
Sea Grant programs accomplish these goals through collaborative research, education, and outreach efforts designed to apply science to real-world environmental and socioeconomic needs.
About the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network
Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, along with their connecting channels, make up North America’s Great Lakes system (also known as the Laurentian Great Lakes). The world’s largest freshwater system, the Great Lakes are a tremendous resource shared among eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. Learn more about the Great Lakes.
The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network includes the following Sea Grant programs:
- Illinois-Indiana
- Lake Champlain
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
Through its network of extension educators and its use of engaging communication and education techniques, the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network plays a central role in supplying the region and the nation with usable solutions to pressing problems and providing the basic information needed to better manage Great Lakes resources for present and future generations of Americans.