Workshops
Ontario Underwater: Sports Fishes of the Great Lakes

Name: Ontario Underwater: Sports Fishes of the Great Lakes
Start: 2026-01-25T13:00:00-0500
End: 2026-01-25T16:00:00-0500
Location: Royal Ontario Museum

Date

Sunday, Jan 25, 2026 13:00

Registration Opens

Monday, Nov 3, 2025 10:00

Location

Level 2,

Earth Rangers Studio

Admission

Workshops - Public: $110.00 Workshops - Member: $102.00

Audience

Adults (19+)

Two women examine a fish at an identification workshop.

Date

Sunday, Jan 25, 2026 13:00

Registration Opens

Monday, Nov 3, 2025 10:00

Location

Level 2,

Earth Rangers Studio

Admission

Workshops - Public: $110.00 Workshops - Member: $102.00

Audience

Adults (19+)

Dive deep and learn more about the freshwater fish species of the Great Lakes with ROM staff members Mary Burridge and John Furlone. Inspired by the Museum’s active research program, participants will become Ichthyologists for an afternoon, learning how to identify some of the most popular sport fishes in the Great Lakes and examining their roles in the ecosystem.

From small baitfish species to large predators such as Chinook Salmon, you’ll learn tips and tricks for identifying some of the most sought-after species in the Great Lakes. Additionally, you’ll gain a better understanding of the threats facing this great, diverse, natural resource, including invasive fish and poor fishing practices.

Participants can expect to handle preserved fish from the collection and receive hands-on instruction from the Ichthyology staff.

This workshop is suitable for everyone from beginner biologists to expert anglers. A copy of the ROM publication, A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of Ontario, is included in your registration.

Please note that this workshop will include the handling of ethanol-preserved specimens. This workshop may not be suitable for participants with a sensitivity to strong scents.

Speaker

Mary Burridge

Mary Burridge is an Assistant Curator of Ichthyology in the Department of Natural History. She teaches the Ontario Fish Identification Workshop and is a contributing editor to ROM magazine. She also works with the large collection of fishes at the ROM and manages the frozen fish tissue collection, which is becoming increasingly important for molecular research. Mary is a co-author of the fourth book in the ROM field guide series, The ROM Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Ontario, which has just been published.

Bio

John Furlone

John Furlone is a graduate from the University of Guelph and Sir Sandford Fleming College where he studied Fish & Wildlife before working as a Fisheries Technician on Lake Simcoe for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry.

Currently John works at as a Collections Technician for Fishes at ROM, where he helps manage and maintain over 1.5 million specimens in the wet collections. He also plays a major role in teaching and facilitating ROM's Fish Identification Workshops alongside Mary Burridge, Erling Holm, and Brenna Wells. The 3-to 4-day workshops teach participants how to identify the 150 freshwater fish species found in our lakes and streams. Currently there are 4 fish identification courses taught at ROM each year from April to May (Introductory, Minnows, Species at Risk, and Invasive Species), and each welcomes a variety of participants, including students, environmental consultants, Provincial and Federal staff, and fish enthusiasts.

Bio