Great Lakes Fish Award Winners

Logo of Great Lakes Fishery Commission featuring a stylized map of the Great Lakes within a green circle, surrounded by a blue border with white text that reads 'Great Lakes Fishery Commission' and 'Protecting Our Fishery'.

Created in partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to celebrate important fish species that provide valuable ecosystem services to Great Lakes Tribal, commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries, and to raise awareness of non-native fish species that negatively impact the ecosystem.

2026 Award Winners

  • 1st – Charlotte Li

    K-3rd Grade - Rainbow Trout - WA

  • 1st – Aleki Ollikainen

    4th-6th Grade - Pike - VA

  • 1st – Caroline Yang

    7th-9th Grade - Largemouth Bass - WA

  • 1st – Zia Lee

    10th-12th Grade - Rainbow Trout - WA

  • Jessica Wu

    2nd - Jessica Wu

    K-3rd Grade - Rainbow Trout - WA

  • 2nd - Isabella Puzyreva

    4th-6th Grade - Yellow Perch - GA

  • 2nd - Nina Bao

    7th-9th Grade - Brook Trout - PA

  • 2nd - Jianna Westerfield

    10th-12th Grade - Largemouth Bass - IL

  • 3rd - Liana Wu

    K-3rd Grade - Lake Sturgeon + Largemouth Bass - PA

  • 3rd - Jax Zhang

    4th-6th Grade - Longnose Gar - GA

  • 3rd - Zihan Xu

    7th-9th Grade - Rainbow Trout - VA

  • 3rd - Josephine Lin

    10th-12th Grade - Sturgeon & Round Goby-MI

2025 Award Winners

  • Colorful painting of a large rainbow trout in a river with rocky shores and mountains in the background. A fishing line with a pink bait is in the trout's mouth, and the water is lively with waves.

    1st – Yiling Lao

    K-3rd Grade - Rainbow Trout - MI

  • A person holding a fishing net with a rainbow trout caught inside, surrounded by water and rocks.

    1st – Annabelle Mu

    4th-6th Grade - Rainbow Trout - VA

  • Two men in outdoor clothing releasing a large fish into a river, with mountain scenery and flying birds in the background.

    1st – Ethan Kim

    7th-9th Grade - Sturgeon - NY

  • Fishes swimming underwater beside a deep-sea submersible with robotic arms.

    1st – Jamila Shin

    10th-12th Grade - Sturgeon & Round Roby - NJ