Executive Committee Conference Call
Members Present: Al Van Vooren, Blaine Parker, John Chapman, Mark Sytsma, Scott Smith, Susan Ellis, Ted Grosholz, Tina Proctor
Members Absent: Dwight Williamson, Karen McDowell
Next call is February 10, 2005
1. ANS Task Force Meeting and Regional Panel Coordinator Meeting
Susan reported on the ANS Task Force meeting she attended November 16-18 in Crystal City, Virginia. Following the Task Force meeting was a meeting for the Regional Panel Coordinators and Chairs. There was a discussion of the roles of the panels and the ANS staff agreed to send out a list. There was a warning about the Panels not being engaged in advocacy but encouraging states to be advocates. The Panels were also asked not to send letters to support grant proposals.
The next ANS Task Force meeting will be in May in Monterey, CA. The WRP will have ˝ day to present issues and accomplishments. Susan will create a committee to plan the panel. Ted volunteered to work on this committee. Mark was asked to attend to report on the WRP funded project completed this year.
Susan suggested that the EC check out http://www.habitattitude.net to get informed about the national outreach program targeting aquarium users.
Dorn Carlson, NOAA, is the chair of the ANSTF Research Committee. He has asked Susan to recommend a WRP member to serve on the committee. She attended the first conference call of about 20 people where the committee was setting up protocols. Mark and John requested more information about what the committee will be working on. Susan will e-mail the information to Tina to relay to the EC.
Scott mentioned that he is serving on the ANSTF Screening Committee which will be having a meeting the week of February 21st.
2. Federal Representation on WRP
There are gaps in the federal representation on the Panel. Currently we have no representative from the Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers. NOAA has appointed a new representative, Blake Feist, who works for the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. Tina will work with the other agencies to get people appointed. Tina will ask Linda Drees if she is willing to participate on the Executive Committee until our election this fall.
3. Current Legislation in the State of Washington
Scott reported on legislation which will be introduced to put a $3.00 fee on recreational boats, raising approximately $800,000 per year. The money will go to: 1) create a prevention program in the Department of Fish and Wildlife for ANS being carried on recreational watercraft, 2) create a freshwater algae control program in the Department of Ecology, and 3) to improve the inspection of large boats at weigh stations by the State Patrol.
4. New “at large – inland interests” Member
The EC talked about possible people to fill this slot and whether the EC has the authority to go ahead and make that appointment. Tina will check the Minutes from the Annual Meeting. If not, we will have an e-mail election.
5. Rapid Response Plan Update
The agreement with Mike Fraidenburg and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission is completed. He will be writing a “strawman” plan and putting together a meeting of stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest. Tina will send a message to the e-mail list asking for interest in being involved in this process.
6. Desert Fishes Council Meeting
John reported on the Desert Fishes Council meeting he attended as the WRP representative on November 10-14. It was an excellent, informal meeting and he is impressed how much the group accomplishes given that most native fishes in the Great Basin are in trouble. John spoke to the Council about the WRP and our desire to work with them on a symposium on ANS at their next meeting in Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico. They were enthusiastic about having the WRP help sponsor their next meeting. John will take the lead on arranging sponsorship, working with Panel members to make presentations and getting Mexican scientists involved. Susan will work on getting southwestern State representatives there as well.
7. WRP Committees
Susan has heard from WRP members that they would like to become more involved, given that we only have one meeting per year. She would like to get a small group of 6-8 members together to review other Regional Panels committee structures and make a recommendation to the Panel about restructuring the WRP committees. Ted suggested that the Panel could focus on Working Groups modeled on the Invasive Species Advisory Committee to the National Invasive Species Council. The EC supported the creation of an ad hoc group to make a recommendation.
8. Annual Meeting 2005
Tina will work with Tom Mosher in Kansas to put together a team to start working on the WRP 2005 Annual Meeting in Wichita. There has been some discussion about having the meeting in conjunction with a Mississippi River Basin Panel meeting. Blaine said he would be willing to work on the planning team.
9. Review of Work Plan 2004
Attached to the Minutes is a revised list of the Work Plan Projects for 2004 and which ones are completed. The EC decided to direct the $3,300 remaining in the “Facilitating US/Mexico Cooperation” fund to the Desert Fishes Council to co-sponsor their next meeting in November, 2005 in Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico. The only other remaining funds are the $2,500 targeting improving the involvement of tribes in the WRP and State ANS Management planning. We had intended to use the funds to work with the Western Regional Chapter of the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, but that didn’t happen last year. Blaine will propose a use for the funds at the next EC meeting.
Tina will send a report to the members on the Work Plan for 2004 and the proposals approved for 2005.
10. Meetings
The Western Aquatic Plant Management Society meeting is in Denver, March 10-11. Tina and Mark will be attending. Tina will give a presentation about the WRP. The web site is http://www.wapms.org/index.html
The North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference will have a whole day session on invasive species. Speakers include Steve Williams, FWS Director and Fran Maneilla, NPS Director and Scott Smith. The website is http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/.
11. Colorado Wildlife Commission
Tina attended the Colorado Wildlife Commission meeting this morning. The Colorado Division of Wildlife was given permission to close the New Zealand mudsnail infested waters in Boulder Creek, east of Boulder, for 90 days while the staff prepares a statewide NZMS plan.
12. New isopod on West Coast
John reported on a new isopod that parasitizes mud shrimp and interferes with reproduction. John looked for mud shrimp in Willapa Bay, a place where they used to be abundant, and there are none there now. There is a concern that the mud shrimp may be wiped out before anyone takes notice
Minutes prepared by Tina Proctor, WRP Panel Coordinator
Executive Committee Minutes
Thursday, January 13, 2005
bettina_proctor@fws.gov