Bottom feeders, trash fish.

These are just some of the nicknames for suckers.

The most abundant group of migratory fish in the Great Lakes.

But this much maligned fish is actually super important to the health of our ecosystems, Shedd Aquarium scientist has recruited a team of volunteers to help her learn more about the suckers life cycle and along with collecting data, they're helping her change perceptions about this fish or Patty.

Lee joins us now with more.

Patty.

First, tell us about sucker Fish in the role they play in the Great Lakes.

Well, they're not land breeze, which somebody him for they are in need of fish in the Great and that rough designation means that they're not a game fish like Trout are out.

While I that people actively want to catch and >> 8.

But as you mentioned, they are super important to the ecosystems because they are that migratory fish that moves every spring from the lakes, into our streams and creeks into the tributaries.

And they act like little gardeners, fertilizing the stream beds and they also serve as prey 4 other larger fish.

Birds like eagles and osprey and even wolves.

So they're a vital part of the food chain do a lot of lot of work.

Certainly do a lot of shed scientists is working to change the narrative around suckers.

How are volunteers helping her do that?

Dr Karen Murchie at the Shedd Aquarium.

You know, because of that designation, what they've been labeled an they're not as valued.

>> As a game fish, there hasn't been a whole lot of studies done on them and we don't know very much about them and considering how important they are.

We don't know what threatens them or what their vulnerabilities are.

And one of the most important things that we need to know is what triggers that migration.

So that's what Dr Murchie has been studying because she can't be everywhere at once.

She needs all of these volunteers to monitor streams basically from the north suburbs of Chicago, up to the tip of Door County all along.

Lake Superior and she has them, you know, every day going out to their assigned station and checking are the suckers here yet or this occurs here yet noting all of the conditions and then when do they actually show up right sure they'll be fun for those who watching come with that report.

So in these 8 years of collecting data, what are the findings and what they mean?

So after going through all of this data, temperature is a huge Precisely.

They determine the precise temperature, which 43.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

That's the water temperature in those creeks that this occurs.

We're like, alright, time to go reproduce and actually on top of that, with the volunteers have also done is while they're at their sites, talking to all the people are like, what are you doing?

And they're telling them all the things that I just told you about sucker Fish.

So multiply Dr Murchie by all the volunteers.

She has plus meet.

Plus, you now get the word out about sucker Fish.

Not a trash study.

We're at 43.0 3 degrees agrees.

Not a 10th.

light on your mark.

Get set.

Go spa 15 seconds left.

Patty, what is next for care in March and volunteers will now that they've got that temperature.

It's like what else might go along with that?

And is there a potential for mismatch between when they're ready?

If the water gets warmer earlier, then when plants and other things are ready to take up those nutrients that they're bringing.

So again, it's this whole intricate web that we're only just now starting to actually take a look at very interesting sucker Fish.

Patty, what Lee, thank you so