Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Spiny Waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus) - High Risk

Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Spiny Waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus) - High Risk
Ecological-Risk-Screening-Summary-Spiny-Waterflea.pdf945.38 KB

Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.

Bythotrephes longimanus has become established across the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and Canada since the 1980s. As a predator, it has been responsible for substantial declines and shifts in the zooplankton community in lakes where it has been introduced. The lost value of the ecosystem services provided one of B. longimanus’ prey species, Daphnia pulicaria, has been estimated at up to US$163 million for one lake in Wisconsin. B. longimanus can also get caught on fishing gear and ruin it. Potential vectors for B. longimanus spread include ship ballast water and contaminated fishing gear. Climate match to the contiguous U.S. is high. Overall risk for this species is high.

Publication date
Type of document
High Risk
Program
A man is fishing in a boat with three young girls. The kids are excitedly pulling a fish out of the water.
The Fish and Aquatic Conservation programs work together to deliver resilient habitats, healthy fish, connected people, and strong partnerships. From habitat restoration to aquatic invasive species prevention, captive breeding to population assessment and monitoring, our programs are driven by the...
Program
Falls Church,VA
Silver Carp Jumping
Aquatic invasive species cause tremendous harm to our environment, our economy, and our health. They can drive out and eat native plants and wildlife, spread diseases, and damage infrastructure. We work to protect our waterways and the communities that depend on them from the threat of invasive...
Program