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In parts of the South, there are stories about an invasive floating weed, which forms such a dense mass that it enables small animals to walk across water. This weed, called giant salvinia, is an exotic fern from South America that invades ponds, lakes, and other waterways in the United States. It damages aquatic ecosystems by outgrowing and replacing native plants that provide food and habitat for native animals and waterfowl.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are testing a naturally occurring fungus (Myrothecium spp.) against giant salvinia to help control it. Initial tests have found that the fungus stops this problematic weed from growing and even can kill it.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues Grants & Other Financial Assistance through grants and cooperative agreement awards to a variety of groups and organizations.

More than 50 non-native species have found their way to the Galápagos Islands, over 10 times more than scientists previously thought, reports a new study in Aquatic Invasions published Thursday, March 28. The study, a joint effort of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Williams College, and the Charles Darwin Foundation, documents 53 species of introduced marine animals in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth. Before this study came out, scientists knew about only five.

Officials issued a quarantine to control the invasive species, which devours vegetation, damages structures and can carry a parasite dangerous to humans. The invasive giant African land snail—one of the most damaging snails in the world—has returned to Florida for the third time in the state’s history. Florida's Broward county giant African land snail quarantine prohibits people in the 3.5-square-mile area from moving the giant African land snails, and they also must not transport certain plants, soil, compost and yard debris that could contain snails or their eggs.

Glacier National Park waters are generally open for boating from mid-May through October. All watercraft require an NPS inspection and permit before launching. Prior cleaning, draining, and drying of all watercraft, both externally and internally, will reduce inspection time significantly.

Access and compare risk assessment literature, methods and results from collaborators.

See also: Additional GLANSIS Resources for more lists and publications

Quagga mussel larvae, or veligers, were first confirmed in Lake Powell in late 2012 after routine water monitoring tests discovered mussel DNA in water samples taken from the vicinity of Antelope Point and the Glen Canyon Dam. As of early 2016, thousands of adult quagga mussels have been found in Lake Powell, attached to canyon walls, the Glen Canyon Dam, boats, and other underwater structures, especially in the southern portions of the lake. It is crucial to keep the mussels from moving from Lake Powell to other lakes and rivers. Utah and Arizona state laws require you to clean, drain, and dry your boat when leaving Lake Powell using self-decontamination procedures.

See also: Ecological Risk Screening Summaries for more species summaries

Late spring heralds the start of open water fishing season. For the casual angler, it's easy to take for granted the abundance of fish this time of year. However, many species, especially native fish, can use their help. "There are so many issues affecting the health of fish populations – barriers caused by dams and roads that cross streams fragment fish habitat. Water is diverted out of streams for other uses," said Tina Hopkins, the regional fisheries program manager for the Forest Service’s Intermountain Region. "But perhaps the biggest threat across the country is aquatic invasive species."

Fisheries biologists from around the country have recommended a few ways that anglers, boaters and recreators can do their part to ensure healthy fish stocks for seasons to come. Here is their advice to recreators, in their words:

• "Consult your lawbook, know the rules, and please don’t move fish around."
• "It is extremely important that anglers clean their boats, trailers, waters, and gear when they are done fishing for the day."
• "Every drainage is going to be different, so anglers should be informed about where they are fishing."

GovInfo is a service of the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), which is a Federal agency in the legislative branch. govinfo provides public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government and official versions of bills, laws, and regulations. GPO launched govinfo in February 2016 as a beta website to replace its predecessor, GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys), which was retired in December 2018. Learn more about more about FDsys retirement and transition to GovInfo.

The U.S. Geological Survey, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, today announced that over $2.5 million has been received to develop an innovative treatment to prevent white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease decimating North American bat populations. The project is one of six provided by the Partnership to Advance Conservation Science and Practice, an $8 million collaboration between the National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to fund scientific research and conservation activities that protect diverse ecosystems and imperiled species across the country.

Grants.gov is a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards. Site is searchable and contains summary information on all federal funding opportunities with links to the full announcements. Users can search announcements by topic, funding agency, and date, as well as subscribe to an email notification service based on these parameters.

Search results: invasive species, invasive plants, noxious weeds, nonindigenous species, non-native species, integrated pest management
See also: Grants.gov RSS feeds (view new or modified opportunities by agency or by category).

The present database targets nonindigenous aquatic species that are not considered to have been native to any part of the Great Lakes basin. GLANSIS functions as a Great Lakes specific node of the USGS NAS national database.