This coming Saturday is World Fish Migration Day and, from 10am to 4pm, visitors who come to Chicago’s famed Shedd Aquarium will get more than just the usual stunning displays of amazing aquatic life – they’ll also get a chance to meet aquatic scientists who are studying how and why fish move.
Visitors can undertake a scavenger hunt of sorts as they fill in their “Migratory Fish Passport.” See migratory species up close and on display. Talk with fisheries researchers about how they monitor fish populations and what they’re learning. And, of course, get a photo of their heads in our amazing “fish face cut-outs.”
Why are we so concerned about the world’s migratory fish? Well, because a lot of species need to reach upstream habitat for a healthy life cycle. Dams, road culverts and other barriers often stand in their way. With hydropower projects proposed on some of the world’s biggest rivers, these fish species that are both ecologically important and essential sources of protein for many cultures are in danger of being greatly diminished.
World Fish Migration Day and the Center for Limnology’s participation at the Shedd Aquarium is just one way to help spread the word about the importance of reducing fish migration barriers and getting fish back on the run!
Hope to see you Saturday! 10am to 4pm at the Shedd Aquarium!
In the meantime, we’ll leave you with a remarkable video shot by CFL grad student, Andy Stevens, of a white sucker run in a Lake Michigan tributary. Enjoy!