RECENT ANS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Revised Advanced watercraft Decontamination Manual

A revision has just been completed on the Advanced watercraft Decontamination Manual by Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.  You can check out the document on the WRP Website. This manual is intended to be a resource for WID Programs’ staff across the country. The Boat Book is a supplement to other decontamination protocol manuals as an advanced manual for those that are experienced in conducting decontamination. This revision creates a more user-friendly document, available electronically with searchable capabilities. This manual will continue to be a living document and will be updated as needed. With input from multiple WID Programs, the re-envisioned Boat Book will be a tremendous resource for WIP Programs nationwide.

NAISMA Annual Meeting Call For Abstracts

The 2023 North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) Annual Conference, co-hosted with the Nebraska Invasive Species Council will be held October 16th - 19th, 2023 and the Cornhusker Hotel Lincoln, Nebraska. Abstracts for the conference are due May 7th by 11:59 p.m. CST.

This year's annual conference will be broad in geographic scope and will cover challenges and successes that impact and can influence all of North America including aquatic nuisance species, forest pests and pathogens, invasive plants/noxious weeds, and terrestrial invasive animals. We are also eager to include in our requests presentations that highlight community outreach and education efforts as they relate to invasive species invasive species
An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars.

Learn more about invasive species management as well as strategies for working with underserved communities. For more information about how to submit your abstract click here for more details including conference presentation themes, guidelines for abstracts, abstract submission form, and deadlines.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

UPCOMING WEBINARS

North American Invasive Species Association Webinars

May 17, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CDT; Chemical Control of Invasive Weeds: Herbicide Selectivity, Modes of Action, and the Use of Herbicides

Dr. Franck Dayan is a Professor of Weed Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University. He joined the faculty of in January 2016 after a 20-year career as a research plant physiologist for the USDA-ARS. Dr. Dayan is interested in functional plant genomics and his research program encompasses applied projects on herbicide mode of action and evolution of resistance in weeds to more basic projects aiming to use genomic approaches to decipher traits imparting weediness (competition, cold and heat stress tolerance, etc.). He is also interested in the relative contribution of each of the 3 wheat genomes to specific pathways associated with primary metabolism. Dr. Dayan’s expertise is in plant biochemistry and physiology, as well as chemical ecology complements the efforts already in place in other groups at Colorado State University.

June 21, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CDT; Advancing International Invasive Species Prevention Efforts and Developing a Model Legal Framework for Noxious Weed Programs

The Certified Weed Free Products (WFP) Program is the only program in North America that provides land managers with assurance that noxious weeds will not be spread through the movement of forage, hay, mulch, or gravel. Through this grant, NAISMA will be developing numerous tools focused on the legal authority for noxious weed management, establishing strong relationships with governments and industries, and providing education and outreach for the public. In this webinar, NAISMA team will provide a brief overview of their prevention programs, along with the grant objectives and deliverables. In addition, NAISMA has partnered with the National Sea Grant Law Center (NSGLC) to create a model legal framework for noxious weed programs focused on pathway prevention through certified weed free forage, gravel, and mulch. Experts from NSGLC will participate in the webinar to provide an overview of their approach and opportunities for collaboration.

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Webinars

May 24th at 4pm ET; Pesky Pentastomes: Coming to a State Near You Webinar

Snake pentastomes are a type of parasitic arthropod that infects the respiratory system of snakes, lizards, and other reptiles. While there are several native pentastomes that affect snakes, two invasive species of pentastomes are a now a conservation concern here in the United States and have the potential to spread with the trade in snake species. See a factsheet on snake lung parasites here: https://parcplace.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WFP-Fact-Sheet%E2%80%93Snake-Parasite_4.pdf.  Registration coming soon!

NC RISCC spring 2023 webinar series

May 5, 2023, 10 - 11 am (MT):  EDDMapS, presented by Annette Evans (University of Massachusetts Amherst) and Chuck Bargeron (University of Georgia)

Tool overview: An existing, web-based tool that aggregates observation data to provide a database of invasive species and pest population information for the US and Canada. EDDMapS also includes a range shift listing tool that provides information for selected species under future climate conditions which can aid invasive species prevention and early detection.

June 2, 2023, 10 - 11 am (MT):  NEDRRIS. presented by Amy Wray (USGS)

Tool overview: The final webinar will introduce a new system that is in development - an online portal that will house existing tools and datasets to aid invasive species management - from species distribution models to occurrence data and more. This centralized hub will facilitate early detection and rapid response to biological threats across the US. AFWA sponsored webinars:

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

U.S. Geological Survey - Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

Supervisory Biologist (GS-0401-14) - We are seeking a dynamic leader to serve as the Branch Manager of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Branch of the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC). The incumbent exercises a broad range of technical and administrative supervisory authorities and responsibilities within the Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) Branch and leads planning, consultation and coordination for monitoring and science for LTRM with a variety of federal and state agencies and other partners implementing the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program. The mission of UMESC is to address the Department of the Interior ecological resource science needs in the upper Midwest. UMESC also coordinates its research with other USGS Science Centers, other Federal and state agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations to broadly address ecological and societal issues of concern throughout the Nation's heartland. For more information about the UMESC, please visit https://www.usgs.gov/centers/umesc.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - QZAP FY2023

The Funding Opportunity for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife QZAP FY2023 has been posted. The total funding amount for projects is approximately $2,200,000.00, which is similar to last year. There has been significant change in the application process over the past three years, resulting from our transition to GrantSolutions.gov. This opportunity will be open for application through June 12, 2023.   Applications will need to be submitted through grantsolutions.gov, and you will need to create a login and password to access the system. There are recipient tutorials online linked below. The funding announcement number is F23AS00319 and the full title is "F23AS00319 FY2023 Implementation of the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) in the Western United States - 2023". Please feel free to reach out to barak_shemai@fws.gov. The opportunity can also be found at grants.gov but applications may NOT be submitted through grants.gov   2023 QZAP GRANT

RECOMMENDED READING

Extent and reproduction of coastal species on plastic debris in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Haram, L. E., Carlton, J. T., Centurioni, L., Choong, H., Cornwell, B., Crowley, M., ... & Ruiz, G. M. (2023). Extent and reproduction of coastal species on plastic debris in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-11.

‘They sure do have a pretty colour palette!’: the problematic promotion of invasive species as tourism icons

Hayes, S., Lovelock, B., & Carr, A. (2023). ‘They sure do have a pretty colour palette!’: the problematic promotion of invasive species as tourism icons. Tourism Recreation Research, 1-19.

Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect subterranean and aquatic invasive species: A critical review on the challenges and limitations of eDNA metabarcoding

Rishan, S. T., Kline, R. J., & Rahman, M. S. (2023). Applications of environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect subterranean and aquatic invasive species: A critical review on the challenges and limitations of eDNA metabarcoding. Environmental Advances, 100370.

Why losing Australia's biodiversity matters for human health: insights from the latest State of the Environment assessment

Barraclough, K. A., Carey, M., Winkel, K. D., Humphries, E., Shay, B. A., & Foong, Y. C. (2023). Why losing Australia's biodiversity matters for human health: insights from the latest State of the Environment assessment. The Medical Journal of Australia, 218(8), n-a.

ANS IN THE NEWS

Former strays trained to sniff out invasive species on Guam

April 30, 2023. Four rescue dogs from Guam and Hawaii are now ready to come to the aid of the island by sniffing out invasive species that threaten the environment and prevent pests from making their way to other places in the Pacific.

Effort mounts to track insidious, invasive green crab

April 29, 2023. Forty people spread across the estuarine beach of northwest Tamgas Harbor on Monday to study the invasive european green crab that’s been moving into the large bight on the southern shore of Annette Island since at least July of 2022.

Federal Bill Introduced To Protect Hawaiʻi From Invasive Species

April 29, 2023. The Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Protection Act would require “that baggage and cargo transporting into the State of Hawai‘i by air or sea be pre-inspected for invasive species and high-risk agricultural materials, in the same manner as similar baggage and cargo transported to the U.S. mainland must be inspected pre-departure

Nearly $500,000 from Lake Tahoe License plate proceeds to fund aquatic invasive species removal

April 29, 2023. The Nevada Division of State Lands recently announced that over $470,000 from Nevada Lake Tahoe license plate proceeds will fund aquatic invasive species removal, sustainable recreation and stewardship, and more in the Tahoe Basin.

Global insect decline: What are the causes and consequences?

April 29, 2023. The global decline of insect populations has become increasingly evident in recent years, with not just a decrease in individual insect numbers but also a collapse in insect diversity. A special issue of the journal Biology Letters has been published to provide a comprehensive understanding of the causes and consequences of this alarming trend.

Efforts to remove incredibly invasive species from Colorado waters continue

April 28, 2023. According to a recent news release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), less boats attempting to enter Colorado lakes needed to be decontaminated of invasive mussels in 2022 than in previous years.

WA Fish and Wildlife: European green crab continues to cause issues

April 27, 2023. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says European green crabs are continuing to cause problems, despite significant efforts by the federal government to stop the invasive species.

Comment: Invasive species hitching ride on plastic trash patches

April 26, 2023. The infamous Pacific garbage patch is changing the balance of life in the seas. At least 37 species of coastal creatures — worms, crabs, shellfish and the like — have colonized the Texas-sized plastic tangle, turning it into an unnatural floating habitat.

Lakes need more protections against invasive species, group says

April 25, 2023. The small freshwater mussels, which originated from the lakes of southern Russia and Ukraine and were introduced to many countries worldwide in 1980, have already jeopardized the health of bodies of water in the eastern part of the province, including Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba and the Red River.

The Pacific Garbage Patch Is Now Hosting a New Threat

April 23, 2023. It’s bad news that this Texas-sized glob of refuse is teeming with marine life.

We’ve introduced ferals to the bottom of the world. They’re destroying it

April 22, 2023. When Captain Frederick Hasselborough first laid eyes on Macquarie Island over the prow of his brig, Perseverance, in 1810, it was swathed in a lush blanket of greenery.

Invasive species as costly to economy as natural disasters: study

April 21, 2023. This new research reveals the impacts of invasive species are as costly as natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes, further emphasizing the need to strengthen measures to prevent and manage invasive species through increased mapping, monitoring, reporting, and response to protect lakes, lands, communities, and the economy

Welch introduces bill to address spread of invasive species and protect forest ecosystems

April 20, 2023. The bill takes a comprehensive approach to combatting the presence of invasive species by expanding access to emergency funds for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to eradicate or contain pests.

How People Profit Off Invasive Species (Video)

April 20, 2023. Every year, invasive species cause up to $1.4 trillion worth of damage in places they weren't meant to live. Now, people are hunting harmful crabs, snakes, fish, and plants to make whiskey, wallets, and dinner.

The Galapagos have new technology to stop the entry of invasive species

April 20, 2023. It is a marine quarantine filter launched at the Tiburón Martillo pier in the city of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on the island of San Cristóbal. The system represented an investment of US$101,825. This infrastructure has an inspection system, with enough space to X-ray and observe residents and tourists in a non-intrusive manner.

INVASIVESNET signs with Pensoft to move its official journal: Aquatic Invasions to ARPHA Platform

April 19, 2023. The first papers in 2023 of Aquatic Invasions, official journal of the International Association for Open Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species (INVASIVESNET), are now made public on the brand-new journal website.