ANS Task Force update - Sharon Gross

• Draft strategic plan in 2001 - will be able to tie activities with the plan. This will also help the regional panels in furthering national goals. Focus on prevention and control.
• New panels: Northeast; Midwest; Mississippi
• Fostering state ANS plans
• Working with National Invasive Species Council to make sure that ANS issues are a focus
• Rapid response plan
• Reauthorization of National Invasive Species Act as well as funding for authorizations. Big push--ballast water
• 11th international ANS conference - session on building consensus - will feature reps from all the panels.

Invasives Screening Workshop - Mike Fraidenberg

Technical sessions for one day on Tuesday. Problem solving session Wednesday morning. Sentiment that system needs to change. Consensus of broad principles about what should be achieved and then ideas about how they should be achieved. Work in progress. Solution lies in cooperation, looking at multiple needs.

WRP Project Updates:

• State ANS Plan Facilitation - Mike Fraidenberg
  California and Arizona will have a workshop to give process assistance as well as giving WRP members as technical assistance. Alaska and Montana are also moving ahead with their state plans.

• Rapid Response Plan - Patrick Akers
  Final draft in September. However, got recent substantive reviews. Will take any comments and write one more draft by January 31. Will send to executive committee for reviews. Will be given to ANS Task Force. The Rapid Response Plan contains:
  • Elements of an eradication program
  • Other sample model systems
  • Model system--emphasis on need for clear authority; mechanism to resolve environmental issues; expertise in response programs, including planning
  • State-level ANS council
  • Rapid Response Fund
  • State Departments with operation capability for define situations or taxa

Member Reports:

Domingo Cravalho - Hawaii (doesn’t yet have an officially appointed member) -Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai and Maui all have Invasive Species Committees

Earl Chilton - Texas - ANS statewide management plan just implemented last year. Problems with giant salvinia, water hyacinth, water lettuce, alligator weed. Working on national giant salvinia management plan.

Gary Skiba - Colorado - Attempted to get funding for ANS plan but hopefully will have funding next fiscal year to do a plan. Mollusk-crustacean survey statewide - basic inventory. Also reptiles and amphibians. Funded a project in cooperation with BuRec on control of saltcedar. Release of bio-control in area near Pueblo. Active purple loosestrife control. DOW doesn’t have authority for plants; need to make tie to wildlife habitat.

Keith Ward - US Coast Guard - Pacific area - Coop agreement with California - Coast Guard will get information from ships that California needs. International Maritime Organization - CG is making recommendations for international ballast water standards.

Kevin Anderson - Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team - Works in shared waters in British Columbia and Washington. Counterpart in Canada is Pat Limm in BC. Educational materials BMP for disposal of packing material; information brochure on ANS; green crab monitoring in Puget Sound; education about water gardening and also development of pet returns. Request for proposals regarding a specific pathway of ANS introduction; design criteria for monitoring plans for three estuaries.

Randy Radant - Utah DOW - 1998 - ANS Action Team created, including 10 federal, state and private entities which meet on consistent basis. Outreach and education including brochures and signs to alert recreationalists and boaters. Eurasian watermilfoil in two lakes–preventing spread. NPS watching vehicles coming to Lake Powell for ANS - will wash at NPS expense before they are put in the water. Information to boaters as they get their annual boating registrations. Distributing New Zealand mudsnail watch cards to biologists.

Mark Dahlberg - Arizona Game and Fish Dept. - Publishing ANS information in fishing regulations; just made it illegal to move crayfish in state of Arizona. Will be doing ANS plan this year.

Dennis Wright - Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans - Completed major exercise - Introductions and Transfers Protocol does include screening process. Program to look at developing invasive species policy to cover aquatic and terrestrial. Draft expected by September 2002. In western region, not much federal work on ANS, but working with three provinces. Garrison Diversion project - working with US federal agencies.

Susan Ellis - California Dept. Fish and Game - Marine algae (Caulerpa)- $2 million on eradication and some for outreach/education. International Caulerpa taxifolia Conference on Jan. 31 and Feb 1, 2002 in San Diego, CA. Nine species of Caulerpa banned in California. Ballast water - looking at developing mandatory program. Hyacinth and egeria - will be doing spraying. NZ mud snails in Owens River valley. No new sites of Hydrilla. Northern pike problem in lake in N. California - working in increased communication in communities. Rotenoned in 1996, but pike still there. Outreach - putting some information in fishing regulations.

Kim Webb - CALFED Bay Delta Program - $300 million in the last 3 years through RFP’s. Examples: Formation of advisory council for SF Bay Delta to take rapid response plan and put it into action. Outreach and Education - RIDNIS (Reducing the Introduction and Damage of Aquatic Nonindigenous Species) project working with industry. Outreach and Education on zebra mussels, plus monitoring. Surveys and food habits of mitten crabs.

Marcy Bast - Saskachewan Resource Management - Awareness of zebra mussels and doing education; projects on carp; no success with getting rid of purple loosestrife. Strongest tool is working with private landowners. Have done some bio-control.

Lynn Schleuter - North Dakota Game and Fish Department - Working with mass media because North Dakotans not that knowledgeable about ANS. 3 major newspapers on the same day. Lots of radio interviews. ANS in fishing tournaments - no importation of live baits; requiring boats to be cleaned before launching. Will be doing risk assessment on likelihood of establishment and likelihood of nuisance species. Counties are working on getting rid of purple loosestrife. Saltcedar on upper end of MO River - trying to treat.

Tony Willardson - Western Water Council - Water administrators in 18 western states. Members are appointed by the governors. The staff is in Salt Lake City and the Council deals with a broad range of water issues.

Henry Lee - US EPA - IMO standards for ballast water - exploring possibilities of using performance standards = number of larvae per liter. Internal workshops - info on EPA OWOW website. Effects of Invasive Species on GPRA goals. STAR grants awarded $3.5 million - 8 grants. EMAP - largescale monitoring of inland and coastal waters. Next year will be intertidal marshes. Henry will evaluate for invasive species.

Tim Gallagher - Montana Dept. Fish, Wildlife and Parks - (doesn’t yet have an officially appointed member). Fishing regulations will have pages on ANS. ANS boat survey with help from Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Montanans not aware of ANS. Installed a traveler information system in Kalispell area to alert motorists pulling boats about ANS issues. Started working on ANS state plan. Working draft available to public in May; final plan due in September.

Tom Mosher - Kansas Dept. Wildlife and Parks - Dead zebra mussels on Missouri River and also a dead shell in a holding tank at a catfish tournament. Will require that boats at catfish tournaments be inspected - will have disinfection equipment available. Boater survey with Sea Grant. Also 100th Meridian boater surveys. Zebra mussel info with all boater registrations for the next two years.

Linda Sheehan - The Ocean Conservancy - Sued EPA requesting reponse to an earlier petition regarding regulating ballast water under the Clean Water Act. Sued NMFS, FWS, ACOE on expansion projects at Port of Oakland - lawsuits in court now. Issue is that federal agencies didn’t take invasive species into account when they approved the expansions projects. Involved with Invasive Species Advisory Committee - worked on letter to Council on bio-terrorism threats. Will be preparing for Calfornia state ballast water law.

Bob Piorkowski - Alaska Department of Fish and Game - Don’t have a significant problem yet. Regulations are good. Infestation of yellow perch in a lake in Kenai - sportfish division moved rapidly and removed them from the lake. Concerns: green crab, Atlantic salmon. Resources are limited. Greatest success has been through the governor’s office. Will be working on a state ANS Plan. Will also be doing education and outreach.

Adelheid Herrmann - Bering Sea Fisherman’s Association - Want more tribal involvement in the Alaska state planning process. Concern with ballast water. RCAC did biological invasion in cold-water systems study.

Anita Cook - Nevada Division of Wildlife - Education and outreach for ANS message. 5,000 litter bags plus education materials in boat registrations. Working on surveys and maps. Coordinating with universities on databases; literature search; anecdotal evidence. Asking field staff to record sightings of ANS species. New exotic fish - jaguar cichlid in a warm water pond. Problems in Nevada with bullfrogs, tilapia, saltcedar, tall whitetop and aquarium fish.

Mike Stone - Wyoming Game and Fish Department - Have not started ANS plan yet. Monitoring for zebra mussels. New Zealand mudsnails in Yellowstone Park. Contributed funds on New Zealand mudsnails at U. Of Wyoming. Consumption of snails by trout and competition with native snails. Education and outreach and coordination with other states.

Marcia Brockbank - San Francisco Bay Estuary Project - Partnerships for Outreach and Education. TMDL process for San Francisco Bay. Western Ballast Water Outreach Program.

Mark Systma - Portland State Unversity - OR DOA found that aquatic weeds are more economically damaging than terrestrial weeds. OR State ANS plan submitted by governor - approved by ANS Task Force. Invasive Species Council was formed in Oregon. Legislation established a Rapid Response Fund, which is now empty. Ballast Water Bill passed. No implementation money yet. Center for Lakes and Reservoirs was identified by statute to address ANS management issues in Oregon.

Blaine Parker - Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (4 tribes in the Columbia Basin) - tribes most concerned with zebra mussels and mitten crabs. Working with fishing tournaments.

Pam Meacham - WA Dept. Of Fish and Wildlife - Boater surveys; DOT inspects commercially hauled boats - 3 boats found with zebra mussels. ZM monitoring in 92 sites. Cooperating with neighboring states. Helped BC with green crab monitoring. Also green crab monitoring and control of green crabs in coastal estuaries. Signs at 900 boat launches. One sign is education and another is about designated waters. Will work on modifying ballast water law this year.

The Nature Conservancy - Alan Holt

May, 2000 Threat Assessment for 62 Top-Priority Sites.

By far, the most wide-spread and critical threats is invasives. “Every piece of natural habitat that we have protected in our entire history is at risk.” IAS threat is a condition to be managed, is not a one-time problem to be solved. TNC is widely engaged, but no cohesive strategy. In this case, TNC recognizes that government action is imperative as is mobilization of the commercial sector. Need to focus on prevention. Also need to recognize that we have to maximize native biodiversity in invaded systems. TNC is creating a 5-year initiative to raise $10 million. Hired Ann Bartuska as Executive Director (abartuska@tnc.org)

Strategies:

• 1. Elevate the political profile of the IAS issue
  
• 2. Invest in new research partnerships
  
• 3. Enhance the capacity of field programs
  
• 4. Team with business and government in a public-private communications campaign

Headwaters vs. Talent Decision - Kathy Hamel (WA Dept. Of Ecology); Terry McNabb (AquaTechnex, Inc.)

Court decision of March, 2001 - has changed the way aquatic pesticide applications are regulated in nine western states. Talent Irrigation District uses acrolein to control aquatic vegetation. Highly toxic chemical but it rapidly breaks down. Acrolein entered Bear Creek and 92,000 salmon and steelhead were killed. Talent paid $400,000 in fines. Environmental group (Headwaters, Inc.) sued that NPDES permit should be required. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals court decision open to state interpretation. It impacts the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Nevada, Hawaii, Idaho, Alaska and Arizona, plus Guam. In Washington state, Attorney General says any pesticide application in aquatic situation will require NPDES permit–includes vegetation control, mosquito control, removal of fish with rotenone. It may hinder the ability to act quickly to ANS threats.

NPDES - program under Clean Water Act. Traditionally, it has involved industrial wastewater, sewage effluent, etc. Washington will have a number of different general permits that will have a list of chemicals (five years). Difficult to fit aquatic pesticide application to a point source control model. Permits also require monitoring - which adds significantly to the cost. If states don’t do this, they will be at risk for third party lawsuits.

Impact on businesses - loss of employees and sales. Large impact on on-going projects. Aquatic Pesticide Coalition (APC) is an industry and user association. Aquatic herbicide was not ruled as a pollutant, but is in the same category as waste discharge. APC working with EPA to help solve Ninth Circuit states problems.

West Coast Ballast Water Issues - Jodi Cassell, California Sea Grant
Development of poster and brochure to tell the ballast water story, “Stop Ballast Water Invasions” - distributed by Coast Guard and shipping agents to ships. Will continue the project for two years - if states want to be included in the next printing, contact Jodi. Co-sponsored meetings with other groups involved in ballast water. Also have funds to support travel to meetings about ballast water. Funds from CALFED and National Sea Grant College Program.

100th Meridian Activities - Bob Pittman
New website and listserv. Database from the boating survey is available; U. Of Texas at Arlington. Travelers Information System set up in NE Oklahoma to warn trailored boats about possible ANS issues. New 100th Meridian group in Colorado River Basin - meeting in February 13th in Las Vegas. Next 100th Meridian team meeting will be next summer. Working on bringing in more stakeholders - e.g. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Lewis and Clark Activities - Blaine Parker, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission Stephen Phillips, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
Working with Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council. Council’s next meeting is in April in Lewiston, Idaho - Blaine will do a presentation on ANS. They are developing a stewardship brochure regarding cultural awareness, private lands, ANS, water safety. Denny Lassuy gave them bullets to put in the brochure. PSMFC has funding from FWS to do educational activities along the Missouri River. Will also do two Travelers Information System stations in Montana. Also signs at boat ramps plus 100,000 Zap the Zebra brochures. Bonneville Power funding: Crime witness program - at all Bureau of Reclamation and ACOE properties. Stickers with hotline number.

Caulerpa Presentation - Steve Murray and Susan Frisch, California State University, Fullerton
Availability of species of Caulerpa and “live rock” in aquarium outlets in Southern California. Caulerpa taxifolia (Mediterranean form) - vector is from aquaria. Other Caulerpa species are also invasive. In California, 9 species are banned (importation, possession and sale). Live rock in aquarium stores has many kinds of living material attached to rocks. Visited 50 stores in Southern California - found 16 taxa of Caulerpa.

NewZealand Mudsnail in the Western USA - David Richards, Eco-Analysts, Inc.
This snail is successful because it is parthenogenic (all that have been found so far are female); tolerates many aquatic environments; no natural controls. Discovered in Snake River and Madison River in mid-1980's. Vector is trout aquaculture in this area; trout brought in from New Zealand. Presently in 1) Snake River, 2) throughout Yellowstone Park, 3) mouth of Columbia River, and 4) Owens River in California. Most recently in Priest Lake area in Washington. Densities in Yellowstone up to 500,000 per square meter. Research results: growth rates highest at 21 degrees C; competes with Bliss Rapids Snail; native snail populations in certain areas are nose diving. Also finding other arthropods populations are decreasing having impact on trout food. New infestations may be by hatchery stocking trucks in Idaho. Also anglers may be moving them around. Control by freezing equipment or drying out in warm conditions. NZMS having huge impact on the river ecology in Yellowstone National Park.

The National Invasive Species Act of 1996: Overview and Next Steps - Linda Sheehan, The Ocean Conservancy
Basic elements: Ballast Water management; research and monitoring; education and outreach; ANSTF and panels; non-ballast controls; appropriations through 2002. National Ballast Information Clearinghouse Interim Report (Oct. 2000) showed that only 1/5th of regulated vessels submitted required reports in first 12 months. Up to 90% reporting in California because of regulations which make ballast water exchange mandatory. Coast Guard Report due January 2002; will likely recommend nationwide, mandatory ballast water management. Go to www.thomas.loc.gov and search on ballast water. Currently 4 bills introduced but no real comprehensive package to reauthorize the legislation yet. Expect other bills after Coast Guard Report is released.

Stop Westward Aquatic Threats Act (Baird, WA) - Scott Smith, Washington Dept. Fish and Wildlife
Focuses on westward spread of zebra mussels; more funding for 100th Meridian Initiative and Western Regional Panel. Increases funding for state ANS management plans as well as creation of plans. Authorizes construction and operation of research facility at the Western Fisheries Research Center at Meristone Island, Washington.

Coordination of Regional Panels - Doug Jensen, Minnesota Sea Grant Presentation of reasons for increased coordination between the regional panels. There are currently three panels with one in the formation stage in the northeast. Others may be formed soon in the mid-Atlantic, Mississippi River and the southeast. It would be beneficial to address common priority issues or national needs, leverage resources, increase consistency and avoid duplication of efforts. There are many common issues including the invasive species screening process that was discussed earlier this week.

Suggestions for coordination include:

• create liaisons
• invite other panels to speak
• hold multi-panel meeting
• share newsletters, listservs, etc.
• share work plans and look for funding on coordinated projects

The Great Lakes Panel developed a Biological Invasions brochure, which is designed for Congress and the media. It is currently out of stock and they want to updated it. They are soliciting funding or in-kind resources and will send the WRP a proposal. The Panel has also developed ANS specific watch cards: ruffe, round goby, purple loosestrife. They will be printing new ones at 3 cents each in the next six months, if any members are interesting in ordering them. before they are printed.

Columbia River ANS Initiative - Mark Systma, Portland State University
Senator Wyden worked with Port of Portland and Port of Astoria to develop an ANS initiative and secured $500,000 appropriation to fund research on ANS in the Columbia River. The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University will conduct studies of the organisms found in the ballast water of ships entering the Columbia River and the role barge traffic plays in linking coastal/estuarine and inland biological invasions.

Panel Business - Jim Athearn, Army Corps of Engineers

• Resolution: WRP delegates to the Executive Committee the authority to update the list of Appointing Organizations. Passed by simple majority
• Resolution: Accept new section to Guide to Procedures under Budget Procedures. Passed by simple majority.

Suggestion was made to communicate with Native American Fish and Wildlife Society to increase tribal contact.

Suggestion that we change voting procedures to clarify that voting will be by simple majority of attendees at meetings. Gary Skiba will provide suggested language for a later vote.

Discussion about possible new member, Bob McMahon, University of Texas at Arlington. It was agreed to extend an invitation to Bob to be the “Inland-Academic” member. Discussion regarding the difficulty of academic members (and others) to get money to travel to the meetings.

Randy Brown has resigned as an Executive Committee member. Scott thanked him for his hard work on behalf of the WRP and his service on the Executive Committee. Susan Ellis was voted by the Panel as a new Executive Committee member.

Budget Report - Jim Athearn

		Budget Expense to Date	Balance
WRP Operating Funds (FY00)
WRP Brochure Contract	$40,000	$38,000	$2,000
Rapid Response Plan	$12,000	$9,500	$2,500
	$52,000	$47,500	$4,500

WRP Operating Funds (FY01)
Logistical Support (WRP)	$16,150	$12,123	$4,027
Logistical Support (WDFW)	$7,500	$5,007	$2,493
Screening Workshop	$10,500	$10,500	0
State Plan Workshop	$18,000	$2,426	$15,574
	$52,150	$30,056	$22,094

Visioning - Scott Smith

Blaine Parker - prevent any new invaders into Columbia Basin via the Lewis and Clark commemoration

Marcia Brockbank - will work with recreational boaters to get out ANS message.

Adelheid Hermann - build awareness about ANS - especially through Native American Fish and Wildlife Society meeting in April in Alaska. Work with other tribal members on WRP to get more communication with tribes.

Tony Willardson - increase awareness with water users.

Susan Ellis - finish California state ANS plan.

Kim Webb - work with regulatory agencies in San Francisco Bay to adopt a Rapid Response Plan.

Henry Lee - empower feds as well as states. WRP needs to meet with EPA regions to heighten awareness of ANS issues. Will set up times to meet.

Marc Dahlberg - finish Arizona ANS plan.

John Chapman - working on international cooperation

Linda Sheehan - will be working compiling information on available databases; also preparing one-page fact sheets

Tom Mosher - strengthen the “front door” to the west.

Mike Stone - coordination with other western states to increase the inland state participation in WRP activities.

Kevin Anderson - reinvigorate what Puget Sound ------ activities on ANS issues. Work with other estuary programs to monitor for ANS.

Jim Athearn - will push for ACOE national ANS policy. Foster communication between agencies.

Scott Smith - continue to work as Chair for WRP. Implementing first stages of screening process in Washington. Work on designation of infested waters.

Earl Chilton - will continue to look for money to run the ANS program. Finish giant salvinia action plan.

Gary Skiba - create invasive species plan for Colorado (aquatic and terrestrial).

Marcy Bast - prevention efforts in Sasketchewan.

Domingo - transfer information government officials back home. Main focus has been terrestrial in the past. Prevention and rapid response.

Suggestions:

Create list of species of concern for all the states.

Ensure that we have national pressure through legislation to help the states.

Public Comment: No public comment

Next meeting: September 10-12, 2002
Salt Lake City, Utah

Submitted by:
Bettina Proctor, Western Regional Panel Coordinator
(303) 236-7862, ext. 260