Welcome to the Lake Michigan Biological Station website. The Lake Michigan Biological Station is located in the North Unit of Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, Illinois. Lake Michigan Biological Station was founded in 1985 and primarily conducted creel surveys on the Illinois shoreline of Lake Michigan. Since its inception the station has expanded its capacity to include a wide array of research studies including fish, invertebrates, plankton, and more. The Lake Michigan Biological Station samples Lake Michigan and the Chicago Area Waterway System from the beginning of June until the end of November on three research vessels the R/V Namaycush, R/V Sculpin, and R/V Bloater. Find out more about our current projects here.
Our primary focus is on research and outreach to:
- Improve management of Lake Michigan fisheries
- Understand the ecology of the lake
- To prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species
The Lake Michigan Biological Station is supported by:
