Itasca County Aquatic Invasive Species Program

05/16/2026

Registration for the Aquatic Plant ID Workshop is officially open! This event usually sells out so register early! Visit z.umn.edu/plantIDreg to secure your spot in the workshop today.

05/15/2026

Here's an interesting article on eDNA (environmental DNA) from a slightly different perspective. You will be hearing about eDNA a lot more often this year. The Itasca SWCD AIS Program is planning on taking eDNA samples from 50 Itasca County Lakes this summer.

The environmental DNA market is growing rapidly due to rising biodiversity monitoring, invasive species detection, and genomic research applications. Explore market trends, drivers, segmentation, regional insights, competitive landscape, and future growth opportunities through 2030.

05/10/2026

"In Minnesota, fishing is never just about the fish. It is about the future we choose to preserve," Nick Phelps writes.

05/09/2026

A new study led by researchers from MAISRC and UMN Extension takes a closer look at what boating anglers actually do at the boat launch and where critical prevention steps are being missed. Bottom line: Most boaters are trying to do
the right thing but with more precise messaging and practical support, we can help ensure they do all the right things, every time. Read the full study linked here!

https://www.reabic.net/journals/mbi/2026/1/MBI_2026_Weber_etal.pdf

05/06/2026

Welcome Fisherman to Grand Rapids, Itasca County, Minnesota. We wish you the best of luck, and be safe!

This Friday, Tom Neustrom Fishing Promotions and Grant Prokop will be sharing fishing tips from Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods-check back to watch the Friday Feature video reel!

LEARN MORE: https://visitgrandrapids.com/explore-outdoors/lakes-fishing/

05/05/2026

Don't release bait or animals and plants from aquariums into MN waters. It's illegal.

04/17/2026

This project will address two aquatic invasive species, mystery snails and rusty crayfish, organized by Kelsey Taylor of Barr Engineering and MAISRC partners Amber Ulseth, Val Brady, Jake Walsh, and Megan Weber. Both species can reach high densities and may threaten culturally and ecologically important native aquatic plants like manoomin (wild rice), yet many resource managers and communities lack clear guidance and capacity for control.

The plans will draw on current and emerging MAISRC research, past management efforts, and expertise from partners including the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Tribal partners, natural resource managers, and researchers will be involved in developing one community action and response plan for mystery snails and one for rusty crayfish.

The goal is to expand the capacity of communities, managers, and organizations across Minnesota to detect, manage, and reduce populations of mystery snails and rusty crayfish, helping protect manoomin and aquatic ecosystems statewide.

For more information on this project and others in our 2026 Externship cohort, please visit our page here: https://maisrc.umn.edu/research/externship

04/09/2026

Have you ever experienced an itchy sensation after swimming in a Minnesota lake? MAISRC is researching how zebra mussels and mystery snails may increase exposure to the swimmer’s itch parasite. Learn how to protect yourself from swimmer’s itch with info from our fact sheet!

https://maisrc.umn.edu/research-projects/66

04/09/2026

GRAND RAPIDS — With thousands of lakes and waterways across Itasca County, local volunteers are playing an increasingly important role in protecting Minnesota’s natural resources from aquatic invasive species.

04/09/2026

In this MAISRC 2026 Externship project, Jimmy Marty of EOR, Inc. and MAISRC partners Dan Larkin and Alex Bajcz will test a potential new way to manage Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) in Minnesota lakes by supporting a naturally occurring biocontrol: the native milfoil weevil. The study will install fish-exclusion cages that protect existing weevil populations from fish predation. The approach is based on promising results from a pilot project in Wisconsin, where protected weevil populations increased and contributed to reductions in EWM.

To find out more about this project and potential management actions, visit our Externship Program page: https://maisrc.umn.edu/research/externship