Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are one of the most significant threats to fish and wildlife and their habitats. Local and regional economies are severely affected with control costs exceeding $123 billion annually. The Ashland NFWCO has focused its efforts on preventing introductions of new aquatic invasive species, detecting and monitoring new and established invasives, controlling the spread of established invasives, providing coordination and technical assistance to organizations that respond to invasive species problems, and developing comprehensive, integrated plans to fight aquatic invasive species.
Objectives:
Reduce the risk of new AIS introductions.
Monitor and track the existing range and impacts of AIS.
Develop and implement programs to limit the expansion of those populations through outreach, management and control.
No Ruffe Captured in Eastern Lake Superior
The Ashland NFWCO, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MIDNR), the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) completed fall surveillance of invasive ruffe and other aquatic invasive species in Lake Superior from the Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan, to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan/Ontario. A total of seven nearshore locations were surveyed, targeting habitat preferred by ruffe and other invasives. No ruffe were captured east of the Keweenaw Peninsula (south central Lake Superior). This is in contrast to the spring 2006 survey, which confirmed several ruffe captured in eastern Lake Superior.
The spring 06 ruffe discoveries in eastern Lake Superior prompted a consolidated effort by the Ashland and Alpena NFWCO’s and cooperation from the MIDNR, OMNR, and the ACOE to survey for ruffe in the St. Marys River near the Soo Locks on the Lake Superior side. Following discussion with the ACOE, concern was raised that ruffe could migrate through the Locks, down the St Marys River, and reinforce the declining Lake Huron ruffe population (no ruffe have been captured in Lake Huron since 2003). With cooperation from the OMNR, Upper Great Lakes Management Unit-Lake Superior and Algoma Steel Inc., a commercial vessel slip (attractive to ruffe) owned by Algoma Steel was sampled in the St Marys River on the Lake Superior side of the Locks. No ruffe or other invasives were captured in this slip. The Alpena NFWCO sampled other sites further upriver from the Locks on the Lake Superior side, and no ruffe or other invasives were captured there. Other planned sampling was not completed near Sault Ste. Marie due to weather, including the Soo Locks.
Abundance of Invasive Ruffe Continues to Increase in Thunder Bay Harbour, Lake Superior
The Ashland Fishery Resources Office and the Upper Great Lakes Management Unit of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) completed a fall investigation of the invasive ruffe population in central and southern Thunder Bay Harbour, Lake Superior. This long term investigation is conducted annually to monitor relative abundance and distribution of ruffe and native fish in central and southern Thunder Bay Harbour. A total of 2,345 ruffe were captured for a catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of 1,655 ruffe per hour in trawls. This catch is more than double the previous high catch and the CPUE is triple the previous high CPUE set in 2003. In the southern half of the harbour, the largest ruffe colonies occur in the Kaministiquia and Mission Rivers which drain into the harbour.Stickleback, smelt, and trout-perch have been the most abundant native fish in association with ruffe since this survey began in 1991. As ruffe increase in abundance, data from this investigation may reveal potential impact on native species in terms of abundance, and these investigations also aid in detecting ruffe vulnerabilities that may be exploited for population reductions. Potential ruffe vulnerability was detected in the Kaministiquia River, and the feasibility of an effective population reduction there is pending investigation.
Ruffe Reduction Experiment Benefits Lake Sturgeon Study
The Ashland Fishery Resources Office (NFWCO) and the Upper Great Lakes Management Unit of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) continue to investigate the feasibility of bottom trawling in reducing an abundant invasive ruffe colony in the Kaministiquia (Kam) River, Ontario, a tributary of Lake Superior. Biologists believe that an abundance of chironomids (midge fly larvae) and oligochaetes (tubifex worms) in this site may be attracting ruffe and lake sturgeon. A total of 4.7 hours trawling effort in 2005 and 2006 combined has netted a total of 6,837 adult ruffe and 14 juvenile lake sturgeon. OMNR is coordinating with Ontario Hydroelectric in a water flow project that allows adult sturgeon to access a known spawning site upriver from the ruffe reduction site. OMNR reported that 9 out of the 11 sturgeon captured during the 2005 ruffe reduction were likely spawned in this upriver site in 2004. If ruffe reduction in the Kam River proves feasible, the juvenile sturgeon bycatch from future ruffe reductions would aid OMNR in establishing an index of juvenile sturgeon abundance. This index would be a useful monitoring tool during years in which a water drawdown prevents sturgeon access to their spawning site. At least one 5-day continuous trawling effort is required to assess the feasibility of an effective long term ruffe reduction in this Kam River site. Ashland NFWCO and OMNR are coordinating this trawling effort.Service Contributes Data to Status of Lake Superior Fishery Resources
Ashland office fish biologists, Jonathan Pyatskowit, Glenn Miller, Gary Czypinski, and Henry Quinlan and office administrator, Joan Bratley worked as a team to summarize data on lake trout, lake whitefish, siscowet, cisco, and all species collected during aquatic invasive species surveys for the Lake Superior State of the Lake report. Biologists conducted surveys and assisted Joan with data entry. Joan and Henry queried the database records and provided data to partner fishery agencies. Fishery agencies actively involved with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Lake Superior Technical Committee are contributing data and expertise to develop oral presentations for the 2007 Lake Committee meetings which will feature Lake Superior's aquatic ecosystem. The presentations will be followed with written reports. Henry serves as a member of the Technical Committee and is the lead for the lake sturgeon and brook trout sections and a contributor for the very nearshore fish community section.
Great Lakes Fish Invader Expands Only in Lake Superior…Highlights 2006 Report
The fishery resource offices (NFWCO) of Ashland, Alpena, Lower Great Lakes, and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) collaborated in drafting the report, Surveillance For Ruffe in the Great Lakes, 2006. The invasive, perch-like ruffe received the stigma of “nuisance species” in 1992, following suspected implication with declines of native forage fish in the Twin Ports harbor of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The report summarizes fish sampling activity in each of the Great Lakes that targets invasive ruffe, as well as other reported fish sampling that does not target ruffe, but is capable of capturing ruffe incidentally. From this sampling data, new locations containing ruffe are identified, the range of ruffe is updated, and control strategy is evaluated based on location of new discoveries and the suspected pathway of introduction. Sampling that targets ruffe (dedicated ruffe surveillance) also collects baseline data on native fish communities. Since 1992, the USFWS and OMNR have been tracking the ruffe to document its range, evaluating opportunities to delay ruffe range expansion in the Great Lakes, and working to prevent range expansion into inland lakes and streams.Assisting with this task are numerous cooperators including the U.S. Geological Survey, the state departments of natural resources bordering the Great Lakes, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Native American communities, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, Sea Grant, universities, and recreational anglers. The ruffe was confined to western Lake Superior until 1995, when it was detected in Lake Huron, near Alpena, Michigan. Catch per unit effort in Lake Huron surveillance trawls reached a climax of 660 per hour in 1999, but declined to zero in 2001.
Capitalizing on a distressed, self-confined ruffe population, the Alpena NFWCO enhanced the ruffe decline by initiating an intense gill netting effort in 2002 to remove adult spawning ruffe. Paralleling the ruffe decline in Lake Huron was increasing round goby abundance there, suggesting that the goby may have also been a contributing factor in that ruffe decline. No ruffe have been captured from Lake Huron since 2003. In Lake Superior during 2006, the ruffe made a major range advance of 226 km eastward along the south shore from Marquette Harbor, Michigan. Along the Lake Superior north shore, minor expansion was verified within the ruffe range in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Bays de Noc have comprised the ruffe range in Lake Michigan, since 2002 and 2004. No ruffe range expansion was detected in Lake Michigan during 2006. In the Lower Great Lakes, ruffe remain undetected, as well as in all inland lakes and streams within the Great Lakes Basin. The complete ruffe surveillance report is distributed to the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) and the National ANS Task Force; and will be available on the Ashland NFWCO website, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ashland.
Soo Locks Sampled for Ruffe and Other Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
Gary Czypinski and University of Notre Dame volunteer, Jody Murray, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), completed surveillance trawling for ruffe and other AIS in the two most active of the four U.S. Locks. Close coordination, including radio communication and visual observation, between the Ashland survey crew and Chief Lockmaster, Gary Clow, insured the safety of the crew and prevented delays to shipping. Although many fish were observed on the trawler fish finder within the Lock water columns, no fish were captured in the bottom trawl which primarily samples bottom dwelling forage fish such as the ruffe. No further surveillance trawling is planned within the Soo Locks until ruffe are confirmed in closer proximity to the Locks. ACOE personnel Carl Woodruff, Al Klein, Kevin Sprague, and Gary Clow are to be commended for their high level of support and coordination, which contributed greatly to the successful trawling of this AIS surveillance target. In other surveillance sampling, no ruffe or other AIS were captured during extensive sampling in the St. Marys River above the Soo Locks, and in Marquette Harbor and Huron Bay in Lake Superior.The Eurasian ruffe, an exotic, invasive, perch-like fish, was accidentally introduced into the Duluth-Superior Harbor, Minnesota/Wisconsin, Lake Superior, during the mid 1980s. The Ruffe Control Committee of the National Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force developed eight management objectives within the Ruffe Control Plan to prevent/delay the spread of ruffe; surveillance is one of these objectives. Three USFWS fishery resource offices and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources are actively involved in monitoring the spread of ruffe and any other AIS that are observed incidentally in all the Great Lakes. Due to the implementation of the Ruffe Control Plan, cooperation from the public and many partners, ruffe are mostly confined to the south shore of Lake Superior, and the spread of ruffe across the south shore (a distance greater than 700 km) was successfully delayed for 20 years until 2006. During 2006, ruffe were confirmed in eastern Lake Superior in Whitefish Bay, 55 km west of the Soo Locks, the gateway to Lake Huron and the other Great Lakes. The Soo Locks make it possible for fish as well as shipping to bypass the Soo Falls in the St Marys River, allowing access between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes.
No Gobies or New Invasive Species Collected from River Mile (RM) 150-143, Illinois River
Gary Czypinski from the USFWS Fishery Resources Office, Ashland, Wisconsin, and Terry Hubert from the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin, crewed one of 14 survey vessels that comprised the 12th annual Carp Corral/Goby Round Up in the Illinois Waterway. The purpose of this survey is to assess relative abundance and monitor the range expansion of the invasive round goby and other aquatic invasive species (AIS) as they migrate and expand their range from Lake Michigan down the Illinois River toward the Mississippi River. This survey also verifies the effectiveness of the experimental electrical fish barrier located near Romeoville, Illinois, in preventing range expansion of Asian carp upstream of Romeoville toward Lake Michigan and range expansion of Lake Michigan invasive residents downstream of Romeoville toward the Mississippi River. In this way, the experimental electrical fish barrier and the Carp Corral/Goby Round-Up, support one of eight elements comprising the Ruffe Control Plan, to prevent the movement of ruffe from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi watershed via the Chicago, Des Plaines, and Illinois Rivers.
Targeting the round goby, the Ashland /La Crosse crew sampled a 7-mile reach (RM 150-143) of the Illinois River downstream of the Peoria Lock and Dam, the leading edge of the goby range in the Illinois River. Sampling with minnow traps and bottom trawls, the crew collected no gobies or other AIS during the 3-day effort, but numerous silver (Asian) carp were observed jumping around the sampling vessel. A few carp even managed to jump into the vessel. A mud substrate maintained by dredging within this reach assists in deterring occupation and migration of round goby, which prefer rock substrate. Although not preferred by round goby, the mud substrate in the dredged channel together with the high turbidity of the water is preferred habitat for invasive ruffe. With exception to silver carp, no goby or other AIS were captured and the leading edge of the goby range in the Illinois River remains at the Peoria Lock and Dam.
Summer Monitoring of Four Invasive Ruffe Populations Completed
The Ashland Fishery Resources Office (NFWCO) completed summer monitoring of the invasive fish, ruffe, and native fish by bottom trawling in three Wisconsin tributaries and one Michigan tributary to Lake Superior. These ongoing investigations were initiated in 1995 to compare trends in relative abundance of ruffe and native fish populations, one of eight elements in the Ruffe Control Plan. Monitoring is also conducted during spring and fall, and the abundance results are averaged to account for seasonal variation.A total of 2,386 fish representing 18 species were captured including 2 invasive species, ruffe and threespine stickleback. This compares to a total catch of 3,123 fish representing 25 species captured during this cycle in 2006. Trout-perch, spottail shiner, and common shiner were the 3 most abundant species captured, comprising 57%, 18%, and 10% of the total catch respectively. The majority (55%) of the trout-perch were captured from the Ontonagon River, Michigan. Walleye comprised nearly 1% of the total catch with 75% of the walleye catch consisting of young-of-the-year (YOY), and all YOY walleye were captured from the Ontonagon River. Ruffe comprised 1 % of the total catch compared to 3% during this cycle in 2006, and only 1 threespine stickleback was captured in 2007 compared to 2 fish captured in 2006. In both years, threespine sticklebacks were only captured from the Iron River, Wisconsin. No YOY ruffe were captured in this cycle, including the Flag River, Wisconsin, which contains the most nursery habitat of the four tributaries. In 2006, YOY ruffe numbers in the Flag River had indicated a strong year class there. Yellow perch comprised nearly 4 % of the total catch in this cycle, compared to 1% in 2006. One third of the yellow perch catch were YOY, and all YOY yellow perch were captured from the Flag River. All fish were released alive except the two invasive species.
FWS Continues Assistance to EPA with Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection Case Study
The Ashland NFWCO continued technical assistance to the USEPA Laboratory, Duluth, Minnesota, in developing an aquatic invasive species (AIS) early detection monitoring design. The case study location is the Duluth/Superior Harbor, St. Louis River Estuary (SLRE), Minnesota/Wisconsin. From 2005-07, the EPA lab studied sampling methodology relating to various aquatic habitats in order to develop a systematic early detection monitoring design encompassing both invasive fish and aquatic invertebrates. Fish sampling methods included electrofishing, trapping, and bottom trawling.In 2006 and 2007, the Ashland NFWCO assisted with the trawling phase by providing a smallcraft trawler and an operator/biologist. A trawl was specially configured with a fine mesh liner for capturing larval as well as juvenile and adult fish. Bottom trawling was conducted in 2007 primarily for comparison with the 2006 trawling. A total of 30 five-minute tows were completed in just over three days at point locations and zones representing a spectrum of trawlable habitats identified by the EPA. Captured AIS included ruffe, round goby, white perch, and zebra mussels. All of these AIS are established (reproducing) in the SLRE. During the 2007 trawling, captured species of interest included a quillback carpsucker and a brook silversides, both native fish but rarely captured by the Ashland NFWCO trawler. The EPA lab has reported a total of 10 new AIS (all invertebrates) detected by this case study in the SLRE.
Invasive Ruffe Decline in Four Lake Superior Tributaries; Zebra Mussel Range Expands in Lake Superior
The Ashland National Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office completed a fall investigation of invasive ruffe and other aquatic invasive species (AIS) in four southwestern Lake Superior tributaries. Bottom trawl sampling verified declines in all ruffe populations, and also detected the presence of zebra mussels in one of the tributary estuaries. These ongoing investigations were initiated in 1995 to compare trends in relative abundance of ruffe and native fish populations, one of eight elements in the Ruffe Control Plan. Monitoring is also conducted during spring and summer, and the abundance results are averaged to account for seasonal variation.
Totals of 379 fish representing 18 species and 16 crayfish representing 1 species were captured from all four tributaries, including invasive ruffe. This compares to a total catch of 6,571 fish representing 21 species captured during this cycle in 2006. The significant decline (94%) in the total fish catch was likely due in part to low water levels in all tributaries and high turbidity in one tributary. The total catch included 7 (<2%) ruffe and 11 (<3%) yellow perch. This compares to total catches of 49 (0.7%) ruffe and 42 (0.6%) yellow perch captured in fall, 2006. Yellow perch is a species demonstrated by experimental research to be impacted by ruffe. Common shiner, johnny darter, and trout-perch were the 3 most abundant species captured, comprising 39%, 16%, and 14% of the total catch respectively. A total of two zebra mussels were captured from one tributary, the Amnicon River estuary, Wisconsin, a new location for this invasive. The Amnicon River estuary is located 8 miles east of the Duluth/Superior Harbor, Minnesota/Wisconsin, the only location in Lake Superior known to have a reproducing population of zebra mussels. No other AIS were captured.Volunteer assistants included Don Livingston, Red Cliff Tribal Fisheries, on the Iron and Flag Rivers, Wisconsin; Bob Price, independent auto body specialist, on the Amnicon River, Wisconsin; and Jenna Scheub, intermittent with the National Park Service, on the Ontonagon River, Michigan.
