RECENT ANS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Mississippi River Science Forum

You are cordially invited to the Mississippi River Science Forum, February 15-16, 2023, hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey! This meeting will be virtual, and a more formal invitation and agenda will be sent out at a later date.The Mississippi River is a multi-faceted, complex resource in the United States that needs a comprehensive and coordinated plan to address science and management needs.  As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (H.R. 2471), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was asked to host a Mississippi River Science Forum in 2023.  We hope to share current science, identify data gaps and areas of concern, and to prioritize next steps related to goals of improving water quality, restoring habitat and natural systems, improving navigation, eliminating aquatic 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 , and building local resilience to natural disasters.  You are encouraged to send this Save-the-Date announcement to other personnel in your organization that may be interested.  We also ask that you fill out this pre-meeting survey by answering the questions on behalf of your organization.   For any questions, please send to this email address: usgs-Mississippi_River@doimspp.onmicrosoft.com.

Recordings Available – 2022 Island Biosecurity Workshop: 

Held on December 6-7, 2022, this workshop was an opportunity to connect practitioners on islands and share knowledge about biosecurity practices. The agenda and recordings for each day are now available online. http://www.californiaislands.net/2022-virtual-biosecurity-workshop 

Wildlife Forever Unveils the Access Enhancement Guidebook to Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species

Wildlife Forever announces a new, innovative approach to aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention designed to evaluate watercraft accesses and integrate tools to help boaters and anglers.  The Clean Drain Dry Access Enhancement Guidebook outlines a new program that takes a comprehensive review and evaluation process to determine the best suited cleaning stations, hand tools, and modernized signage to engage, educate, and empower.

Click here to view the guidebook. Organizations interested in Wildlife Forever’s access enhancement program and services can email or call to learn more. Full Press Announcement.

Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society’s Autumn Webinar Series: Recordings Now Available

The Communication Challenges of Aquatic Invasive Species Management. Many aquatic plant control projects employ herbicide treatments. Public stakeholder support is often key to moving these projects forward. Presenters will talk about strategies for stakeholder communication and several case studies with varying outcomes.

Webinar Part 1 from 12/5/22:  https://www.neapms.org/news/autumn-webinar-day-1

Webinar Part 2 from 12/12/22:  https://www.neapms.org/news/autumn-webinar-day-2

UPCOMING MEETINGS

UPCOMING WEBINARS

North American Invasive Species Management Association Webinar Series

December 21, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CST - Understanding ISPM 15 to Reduce the Risk of Pests in Wood Packaging

ISPM 15 was fully implemented in the United States in 2006 to reduce the risk and spread of quarantine pests associated with wood packaging. This session will review the ISPM 15 program and how it has evolved to successfully achieve its goal, and where there are efforts of continuous improvement so that wood packaging can be used effectively and safely to facilitate safe trade.

January 18, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm CST - Miller Creek Watershed Restoration: The Value of Partnership During a Pandemic

Salmonids are critical components of the transitional boreal forest and temperate rainforests of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. Alaska Natives and the local economy are dependent upon subsistence, recreational, and commercial fisheries that target these species. Invasive Northern Pike (Esox lucius) (pike), which prey upon and threaten local salmonids, were thought to have been eradicated from the Kenai Peninsula across multiple waterbodies in early 2019 following a concerted multi-year effort by Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).

National Conservation Training Center: Conservation Lecture Series

Thu, Jan 5, 2023 from 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST  - Injurious Wildlife Under the Misunderstood Lacey Act

The law commonly known as the “Lacey Act” has diverged over the years into two provisions, one of which is the Federal designation of injurious wildlife species. That purpose has always been to protect the United States from the introduction of invasive and otherwise harmful wildlife. Injurious listing prohibits the importation of wild vertebrates and some invertebrates that can cause harm to wildlife resources, humans, and other U.S. interests. However, most natural resource biologists and managers are more familiar with the more prominent provision of the “Lacey Act,” which tackles trafficking of wildlife and plants. What the “Lacey Act” is and isn’t and the difference between the injurious and trafficking provisions will be explained. The presentation will emphasize how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service focuses on adding high-risk wildlife species to the Federal injurious list before they become established and how effective that has been in preventing the establishment of those injurious animals. Finally, the relevance of injurious wildlife listing to the COVID-19 pandemic may surprise you.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Intern Opportunity in Guam (DOI-NPS)

The War in the Pacific National Historical Park is hiring five terrestrial and one marine intern as part of the KUPU Conservation Leadership Development Program. Terrestrial interns will help protect Guam's natural environment by controlling brown tree snakes, little fire ants, and invasive plants, with the ultimate goal of reintroducing native birds and vegetation. The marine intern will help protect and restore Guam's coral reefs and monitor for impacts from climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.

Learn more about climate change and invasive species. Interns will learn to identify native and introduced species and will document their abundance and distribution. They will work closely with professional biologist who will act as mentors during their time working with the park. Interns are paid up to $1,400 per month, and at the end of the program they receive an education award that can be used towards college courses. Interns must be 17 -30 years old, or up to 35 for veterans. The deadline for applications is January 3, 2023.  More information:  https://www.kupuhawaii.org/conservation.

Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

Invasive Aquatic Coordinator: This position is engaged in professional services and scientific work involving the conservation and management of inland fisheries, including the protection, preservation, and enhancement of Maine’s inland fisheries and wildlife resources.  The Invasive Aquatic Coordinator works at the main headquarters of MDIFW and serves as a member of the Fisheries Statewide Support Team, while coordinating invasive fish and wildlife threats and concerns on behalf of the Bureau of Resource Management. The position reports to the Director of Fisheries and Hatcheries. Closes December 30, 2022. Full Announcement.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

None this week.

RECOMMENDED READING

Enhancing Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Through Values-framed Messages

Golebie, E. J., & van Riper, C. J. (2022). Enhancing Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Through Values-framed Messages. Environmental Communication, 1-20.

Optimizing the use of suppression zones for containment of invasive species

Lampert, A., & Liebhold, A. M. (2022). Optimizing the use of suppression zones for containment of invasive species. Ecological Applications, e2797.

Batten down the hatches: Opportunities to protect Alaska from biological invasions through watercraft trade and traffic

Schwoerer, T., Martin, A., Fay, G., Schoen, E. R., & Buntjer, M. (2023). Batten down the hatches: Opportunities to protect Alaska from biological invasions through watercraft trade and traffic. Marine Policy, 148, 105448.

Validation of a Portable eDNA Detection Kit for Invasive Carps

Kageyama, S. A., Hoogland, M. R., Tajjioui, T., Schreier, T. M., Erickson, R. A., & Merkes, C. M. (2022). Validation of a Portable eDNA Detection Kit for Invasive Carps. Fishes, 7(6), 363.

Calcium and pH Dynamics: Potential Influence on Invasive Mussel Establishment Risk in Lentic Waterbodies

Prisciandaro A., 2022. Calcium and pH Dynamics: Potential Influence on Invasive Mussel Establishment Risk in Lentic Waterbodies. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation  Research and Development Office Science and Technology Program. Final Report No. ST-2022-19007-01.

Invasive Species Handbook: A Resource for Educators

D'Souza, Natalie, Marion Murray, and Lori R. Spears. "Invasive Species Handbook: A Resource for Educators-Grades 3-8." (2022): 1.

Recreational angler reporting as a tool for tracking the distribution of invasive Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio)

Pentyliuk, N., Schmidt, B., Poesch, M. S., & Green, S. J. (2022). Recreational angler reporting as a tool for tracking the distribution of invasive Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio). Conservation Science and Practice, e12850.

Establishment of invasive Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) in the Mississippi River basin: identifying sources and year classes contributing to recruitment

Whitledge, G. W., Kroboth, P. T., Chapman, D. C., Phelps, Q. E., Sleeper, W., Bailey, J., & Jenkins, J. A. (2022). Establishment of invasive Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) in the Mississippi River basin: identifying sources and year classes contributing to recruitment. Biological Invasions, 24(12), 3885-3904.

Socioeconomic dilemmas of commercial markets for invasive species: lessons from lionfish in Mexico

Quintana, A., Marcos, S., Malpica-Cruz, L., Tamayo, L., Canto Noh, J. Á., Fernández-Rivera Melo, F., & Fulton, S. (2022). Socioeconomic dilemmas of commercial markets for invasive species: lessons from lionfish in Mexico. ICES Journal of Marine Science.

AIS IN THE NEWS

Nations promise to protect 30 percent of planet to stem extinction

December 19, 2022. Delegates at the COP15 biodiversity summit in Canada made a major conservation commitment to try to halt the loss of hundreds of thousands of plants and animals. But it remains to be seen if nations will follow through.

“Co-Extinctions” Could Take Out One-Sixth Of Vertebrate Species This Century

December 19, 2022. A model of ecological relationships indicates more species are at risk from climate change than previously thought, and it doesn’t even account for the likely loss of pollinators.

Opinion: Bill would invest millions in Texas wildlife

December 18, 2022. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA) would send nearly $1.3 billion to the states annually. This would bring as much as $50 million per year for the next five years to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), which would in turn make grants to landowners, universities and local communities to do high-impact, locally-based wildlife work.

Wisconsin DNR asks anglers to prevent spread of aquatic invasive species

December 17, 2022. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and UW-Extension are offering tips to ice fishermen to prevent the spread of invasive species this winter.

Interior releases mosquito strategy to save Hawaii birds

December 16, 2022. The Interior Department released its strategy Thursday for preventing the extinction of a dozen Hawaii forest birds threatened by invasive malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Stronger controls of invasive species introduced - Cayman Compass

December 14, 2022. The National Conservation (Alien Species) Regulations, 2022, introduce a prohibited species list, outline the distinctions between domestic and feral animals, and outline the procedures and actions to control feral animals and other alien species to reduce the threat to native species.

Invasive black carp established in parts of the Mississippi River basin

December 13, 2022.  A new study co-authored by the U.S. Geological Survey is the first to identify an established population—meaning they are naturally reproducing and living to adulthood— of wild black carp in any location across the U.S.

SDGFP wants your views on aquatic invasive species

December 13, 2022. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department is rolling out a new strategic plan for dealing with zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species in 2023.

Sault's Invasive Species Centre on the world stage at COP15

December 13, 2022. Staff from the Sault-based Invasive Species Centre are discussing and demonstrating a new way of gathering valuable data in the fight against aquatic invasive species at the COP15 Summit.

Watch Now: Massive albino boa constrictor discovered in Florida backyard

December 13, 2022. The homeowners thought it was an invasive species, but reptile experts say it’s more likely someone’s pet.

Not all animal skins are bad, says founder of world’s first Invasive Leather

December 13, 2022. This material, the world’s first Invasive Leather, comes from lionfish, dragonfin and python from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi, and the Everglades respectively.