Draft Minutes
2. Minutes of September l998 Annual WRP meeting approved.
3. Member updates - >
Oregon (Mark Systma, Russel Harding)- 2 Bills pertaining to Invasives introduced in Oregon legislature. A bill making it a felony to introduce exotics into Oregon died in committee after being amended into a ballast water bill. Oregon Chapter of Lake Management Society promoted an aquatic weed control bill including formation of a Center for Lakes and Reservoirs. Funding from lottery dollars will support Center. Pacific States Marine Fishery Commission - BPA has funded a $50,000 to work on a zebra mussel control coordination project on Columbia River. There is a similar Center for Exotic Species Research in Riverside , mitten crab and zebra mussels important.
Wyoming (Mike Stone)- Colorado River Fish and Wildlife Directors met in January 1999 but did not proceed with regional ANS management plan because didn’t have funding to write and implement the plan. Further, the Directors agreed that a regional plan on invasives was larger than wildlife agencies and should include other resource management agencies. They were interested in Western Governors’ Association involvement in development of an approach for such large regional efforts. Wyoming continues to tighten up bait fish regulations.
Coast Guard (John Koster) - Guidelines reviewed regulations. CG initiated its implementation of NISA96 with ballast water management survey program on July 1, 1999. Forty dedicated people working on the program nationwide. [Heard at Pacific Ballast Water Group meeting: U.S. Congressman Steve Kuykendall may introduce legislation to make ballast water exchange mandatory nationwide]. URLs for USCG Ballast Water Management Program: www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mso4/Contents.htm; National Ballast Information Clearinghouse at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center www.serc.si.edu/invasions/ballast.htm (results of level of compliance with the National Voluntary Guidelines, etc. on a quarterly basis. First quarterly stats should be available mid-October 1999 or thereafter).
Alaska - Prince William Sound Citizens Advisory Committee (Marilyn Leland ) Ballast Water Research study complete and Smithsonian is writing the report. PRSCAC are working on long range plan on how to effectively use the data.
USDA (Tim McNary)- Has written a code of federal regulation that give clear authority over interstate shipment of noxious weeds. Caulerpa listed as federal noxious weed. Discussion ensued on introduction of weeds through horticulture shipments - example given of burr weed in bulbs from Holland shipment at Home Depot.
Washington (Scott Smith) - Green Crab and Zebra Mussel Monitoring and Control Program received a $400,000 funding appropriation from the legislature. WDFW received an Americorp Grant to hire an individual to provide public education on zebra mussel and green crab prevention on Columbia and Snake Rivers.
California (Marsha Brockbank) Aquatic Nuisance Species identified as TMDL. Regional Water Quality Board listed exotic species as a pollutant under section 303 of the Clean Water Act.
Colorado (Chuck Loeffler)- Stimulate interest in exotics in legislature. Whirling disease has received attention. Purple loosestrife found in one new location along the Arkansas River in southeast Colorado and removed. Asian clams in CO. White paper, looking at import exotics through pet industry and agriculture. CDOW would like to have another Zebra mussel workshop in Denver. However, funding is not available for implementation. Zebra mussel informational flyers will be mailed to approximately 125,000 registered boaters in Colorado in December l999.
Sea Grant (Paul Olin) reported green crab recruitment down. Washington State reported this phenomenon also.
CALFED (Kim Webb) For those not familiar with CALFED, Kim identified the role of CALFED in ecosystem restoration in San Francisco Bay - 2 million dollars have been allocated for research and management activities on invasive. A draft regional invasive species management plan has been developed and submitted to various organizations for independent review.
National Marine Fisheries (Bob Emmet) - A draft paper on Atlantic Salmon to address impacts of this species native salmon has been developed.
Manitoba (Wendy Valley)- Purple loosestrife being managed through biological control. Province using the l00th Meridian survey. International boating survey in l994 at check stations. Zebra mussels found on boat coming from Ontario. Unfortunately funding for invasive species work is limited.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Jim Athearn)- Substantial concern being raised by resource agencies regarding impact of boater movement during Lewis and Clark Bicentennial on importation of exotics. A federal interagency working group has formed to coordinate Lewis and Clark Activities however not clear that invasive species are being considered in this coordination effort. There is a strong interest to have invasive species considered in this coordination effort. Good opportunity to thwart z.m. spread and provide I & E to a large number of people.
California (Nate Dechoretz)-CALFED- Raises fine to$25,000?, Regulation now in place that DOT have to use native species to on road control. EIR being developed on egeria. Aquatic Nuisance Species workshop planned for California in spring 2000. State of California resource department considering hiring of an invasive species coordinator.
4. 1998-1999 WRP Annual Report distributed by Linda Drees, Panel coordinator. Provided a brief accomplishment report on work plan activities
5. New Members - Chair recognized new memberships in Panel including North American Lake Management Society and British Columbia. Members voted to include Canadian Federal Member from Fisheries and Oceans Canada in WRP.
6. Legislative and Policy Developments
WGA IPA - Paul Gertler described the WGA resolution on invasive and the work he is conducting to assist the Governors in outlining a western region strategy on invasive species management. He explained it will be value added actions of WGA to invasive species management arena. He is establishing a working group. Strategies being considered include; a Public education campaign which targets local decisions makers, Systematic look at gaps, policy, practices, where those are causing problem.
Gulf of Mexico Program - Gulf of Mexico ANS Regional Panel is being formed and Texas will participate on this Panel.
CA Proposed Ballast Water Regulations - CA is the lst state to make ballast water regulation mandatory. Sea Grant outreach efforts on technology transfer on ballast water underway. Sea Grant newsletter on ballast water topics coming out soon. Contact Karen Hart.
CALFED (Kim Webb) - CAL FED has requested that the WRP provide independent review of the invasive species plans. The Panel voted to conduct this review and to assign a subcommittee to be responsible for the review.
Salvinia Response Team -(Bob Pitman, USFWS) provided an update on interagency Salvinia Response in Lower Colorado. Salvinia continues to spread and is a major concern to resource managers in the region. A meeting of Texas cooperators organized by Bob Pitman (USFWS) was held on October 6, l999 in conjunction with the Panel meeting.
North American Weed Management Society Standards on Weeds. Rita Beard with the Forest Service described the newly developed Weed Mapping Standards which are being proposed for adoption by all state and federal agencies. She described the history of development of the standards and the standard components. The standards are now being reviewed by a number of agencies and it is being proposed that the standards be adopted as national standards
Regulatory approaches - Clean List vs. Dirty Lists - The Panel heard a presentation from Randy Westbrook(APHIS) on the pros and cons of listing approaches for invasive species. He also discussed need for improved coordination. At the end of the presentation the Panel agreed to develop a policy statement for ANS promoting adoption of a Clean List Approach.
Rapid Response Guidelines - Copies of the generic rapid response protocol were distributed to the WRP members. The chair explained to the WRP that the ANSTF requested the Panel to consider development of such guidelines. The WRP agreed to review and comment on the response protocols and to submit the revised protocols to the ANSTF.
Coastal Committee Coordination with Pacific Coast Ballast Water Group - Extensive discussion occurred in the coastal committee regarding coordination of the Coastal Committee activity on ballast water and that occurring with the Pacific Coast Ballast Water Group. NISA states that the WRP will coordinate where possible with other entities conducting invasive species work in the region. Therefore it was decided by the committee and submitted to the Panel that the Panel appoint 3 members of the coastal committee to the Ballast Water Group. An attempt will be made to hold a coastal committee meeting in conjunction with the Ballast Water Group.
Invasive species western region matrix - Mark Sytsma, working with funding from California Department of Agriculture, has developed a western region invasive species contact and management matrix which can be accessed through the internet. He provided the Panel with a demonstration of how the matrix can be accessed and information available in the matrix.
Coastal and Inland Committee Meetings held afternoon of October 5 and morning of October 6, l999. Committee meetings lead by chairs Jodie Cassell, Paul Heimowitz, Wendy Valley, Krista Doebbler and Nate Dechoretz. Joint priorities were identified and will be overall Panel goals for work plan. Respective committee priorities will also be included in the Panel work Plan.
Next Meeting:September 26-27th, 2000. Site will be either San Diego or San Francisco area. Nate Dechoretz will assess meeting sites and costs in San Diego. Marsha Brockbank and Jodie Cassell will assess costs and sites in San Francisco area.
Adjournment
1. Chair Bill Harvey welcomed the WRP. to Austin, TX on behalf of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Introductions of members and interested parties followed.
Texas (Bill Harvey) -
The Highway Patrol will soon be inspecting stopped at weigh stations for z.m. The 99 Aquatic Nuisance species bill did not pass. It had included a provision to coordinate aquatic nuisance agencies
Developing a Biological opinion on ballast water releases on port expansion project.
Executive Order on Invasive and Invasive Species Council - Sharon Gross, Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Chair addressed the Panel on the EO and formation of a cabinet level Council chaired by the Secretaries of Commerce, Agriculture and Interior. Formation of the cabinet level council was viewed as important to national response to invasive. It will deal with gaps but not replace existing groups such as the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. In the process of developing l0 working groups. She also described the formation of a nonfederal advisory committee to the Invasive Species Council. Technical and policy level expertise is being requested to submit nominations to Gordon Brown through a federal register nomination due on October 25, l999. The WGA is investigating whether the Governors are interested in this advisory committee.
Action Item: Paul Gertler will discuss nomination criteria with Gordon Brown and submit a draft letter to Bill Harvey nominating the expertise of the Western Regional Panel as exemplified in the WRP chair Nomination - articulate nomination from the WRP to the advisory committee.
Action: WRP members will serve on the WGA working group.
Action: Kim Webb will provide the following committee members with review document Scott Smith, Mark Sytsma, Krista Doebbler, Marilyn Leland, Jim Athearn. Comments due back to Kim Webb by December 31, l999.
Action: The Executive Committee has been charged with developing a draft policy for approval of the WRP on adoption of Clean Listing as a regulatory approach including a definition of clean list.. Draft language is due by November l5, l999 and a completed form to be delivered to the ANSTF and WGA by December l, l999.
Draft language - That the federal and state governments move toward use of a clean list approach
starting or preventing introduction of ANS. A pilot project on aquatic plants is recommended.
References OTA report, Nursery Association.
Action: Revised draft to Executive Committee by October 31, l999, Revised draft to -members by mid November, l999. Submit to ANSTF on Dec l-2, l999.
Action: Mark Sytsma will send out a notice through the e-mail reflector requesting individuals to add to the matrix and informing them how to do so. Additionally, paper copies will be mailed out to Panel members for those not conversant with computer use.