![Icons for five Sea grant focus areas: Healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economics, environmental literacy and workforce development, and great lakes transport](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/folwell_full/public/2023-12/mnsg_focusareas_all_web.png?itok=ajwBYgUM)
![Jagged pieces of ice on shore of Lake Superior.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2023-02/ls-ice-m-thoms-2021-img_5061-cropped.jpg?itok=48W7Da1z)
I wanted a tool to measure the thawing potential that weather exerts on lakes in spring so my friends, colleagues, and family could better plan for spring activities. So I made a fun widget called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out Widget to help track thawing in spring.
![Lake Superior, Minnesota Point, Duluth-Superior harbor aerial view](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2023-01/lake-superior-harbor-aerial-view-img_8499-cropped.jpg?itok=2t-Sgmoe)
The open water of Lake Superior (right) and the frozen water of the Duluth-Superior harbor (left). Image credit: M. Thoms
![Person standing next to large fish tank holding a liquid dropper.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2023-01/1-mnsg-yellow-perch-feeding-larval-yep-kieran-smith-by-amy-schrank.jpg?itok=0tN9mz_l)
Our January 2023 extension column is by MNSG Aquaculture Extension Associate Kieran Smith and is an update on Minnesota Sea Grant’s Egg-to-Market Yellow Perch Project.
![The United States Capitol building in Washington D.C.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2023-01/us-capitol-flickr-gageskidmore.jpg?itok=WzPhBglo)
Our February 2023 communications column is by Minnesota Sea Grant (MNSG) Communications Associate Hannah Cullen who introduces MNSG's 2023 Knauss Fellows.
![Aerial view of Duluth's Lincoln Park and surrounding neighborhoods.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-12/1-lincolnpark_1920x1080_red.jpg?itok=ir8Rs92z)
Our December 2022 extension column is by MNSG Resilience Extension Educator Madison Rodman and highlights Minnesota Sea Grant’s work on the One Block at a Time project.
![Duluth aerial lift bridge, a ship, sail boats, summer day.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-10/20158_duluth_harbor_8908-crop.jpg?itok=2DyT9jkr)
The November extension column is by Great Lakes Sea Grant Transportation Extension Educator Kelsey Prihoda. Embodying Sea Grant’s long-standing nationwide role to bring science together with communities for solutions that work, Minnesota Sea Grant is working to provide outreach, community engagement, and research on hazardous material transport in the Great Lakes.
![Parking lot with sediment traps, forebays, infiltration basins, rock inlets.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-10/picture1.jpg?itok=Ex0riO6b)
The October extension column is by Minnesota Sea Grant and Water Resources Center Water Resource Management and Policy Extension Educator John Bilotta. Stormwater best management practices established through research are used to prevent and minimize impact to local water resources.
Photo credit: J. Bilotta.
![Tent on grass, hill in background, clouds in sky.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-09/agaaming-aki-tents-sky_50411521-2000pxw.jpg?itok=PxowSXq8)
This month’s extension column is by Minnesota Sea Grant (MNSG) undergraduate intern Megan Gilles who writes about a MNSG environmental literacy project designed to teach youth about nature and science in an outdoor setting.
![Two Yellow Perch reflected in a glass in a tank.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-07/mnsg_newslettter_yep_picture_2000x.jpg?itok=LdTIpB-C)
Our August 2022 Extension Column highlights MNSG's Egg-to-Market Yellow Perch project. Above, two Yellow Perch that are less than 2 inches total length, both appearing to wonder who that good-looking fish is in the reflection.
Image credit: Kieran Smith/MNSG
![Fish laying on top of snow, ice fishers in background.](/sites/seagrant.umn.edu/files/styles/article_lists/public/2022-02/2022-02-16-Ext-Col-Yellow-perch-ice-fishing-AdobeStock_247312063-2000x555_0.jpg?itok=qNx0BmlM)
Our three-part March Extension Column highlights Minnesota Sea Grant's annual fisheries and aquaculture student award, project presentations and updates.
Image credit: ©kremldepall - stock.adobe.com