Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Trails Conference

Celebrate community partnerships and educational innovations in sharing fisheries heritage stories at September conference.

Immerse yourself in the local fisheries heritage with West Shore Fishing Museum hosts who will share guided tours of their educational exhibits and commercial fishing vessel collection.
Immerse yourself in the local fisheries heritage with West Shore Fishing Museum hosts who will share guided tours of their educational exhibits and commercial fishing vessel collection.

Are you a maritime heritage enthusiast? Do you have a passion for exploring the stories and history of our Great Lakes fisheries? You are invited to join and participate in the Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Trails Conference on Sept. 21-22, 2015, in Menominee, Mich. 

Our Great Lakes fisheries (past, present, and future) can benefit local museum programs, promote Great Lakes literacy, enhance coastal tourism development opportunities, and support community development efforts. Come to the conference and learn more about Michigan’s Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Consortium projects and partnerships, including opportunities to collaborate among this growing statewide fisheries heritage tourism trail network.

The conference is a networking opportunity, bringing together museums, resource experts and community partners to connect with Great Lakes fisheries and maritime heritage, communities and coastal tourism. Sponsored by the Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Consortium,

Michigan Sea Grant, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan State University and the West Shore Fishing Museum, this two-day conference will offer:

• Conference kick-off and networking reception begins at 1 p.m. (CST, noon EST) Sept. 21, 2015, with a luncheon (provided) and guided tours of Menominee’s West Shore Fishing Museum’s collection of historic commercial fishing vessels and educational exhibits.

Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Consortium business meeting (open to all interested) will be held at 4 p.m. (CST) Sept. 21, 2015 at the West Shore Fishing Museum. Attend and learn more about the planning and projects of this statewide network of organizations collaborating with a common interest in protecting and promoting our Great Lakes fisheries heritage.

• Conference educational sessions begin Sept. 22, 2015, in Marinette, Wis. Join in the conversation with knowledgeable experts and speakers sharing ideas and experiences toward engaging, innovative educational strategies for bringing fisheries heritage stories to life – within museums, among communities, and across a Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Trail. Review a more detailed agenda online to learn more about educational topics and contributing speakers.

Great Lakes Fisheries Heritage Trail logo

Learn more and register online today

Visit the conference website to register online today. This educational program is open to everyone interested in promoting maritime heritage tourism

and Great Lakes stewardship. To save your seat, please register by Sept. 17.

Registration is $30, $10 for students and includes lunch and guided tours at West Shore Fishing Museum on Sept. 21 and participation in educational conference sessions, including meals on Sept. 22. There is no cost to attend the Consortium business meeting on Sept. 21. 

For additional information about this educational program contact Brandon Schroeder, Michigan Sea Grant (schroe45@msu.edu, 989-354-9885).

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.

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