Resource Search

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."

Governor Ron DeSantis has announced the opening of registration for the 2021 Florida Python Challenge® (July 9-18, 2021). Registration is now open and members of the public can take the online training and then compete to remove invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register for the competition, take the online training, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to South Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge®.

Reflecting his goal of making Wyoming a national leader in the battle against invasive species, Governor Mark Gordon announced today he has launched an initiative to address terrestrial invasive plants in the state. The initiative will be comprised of two teams -- a Policy Team and a Technical Team, each comprised of local, state and federal government representatives, private citizens representing industry and agricultural groups, as well as scientists and practitioners. The two teams will work cooperatively to develop recommendations for the Governor in the context of a large-scale strategy for invasive species management. Terrestrial invasive species represent a significant threat to Wyoming’s forests, rangelands and agricultural lands with varying levels of impact.

On Tuesday, April 24, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the Mussel-Free Colorado Act into law in a short ceremony at the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver. The new law provides a stable funding source of $2.4 million for Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Aquatic Nuisance Species Program for 2019 and beyond.

Governor Ron DeSantis had announced that registration for the 2022 Florida Python Challenge opened and the annual 10-day event was scheduled August 5-14, 2022. Members of the public were able to take the required online training and register to compete to win thousands of dollars in prizes while removing invasive Burmese pythons from the wild. The competition is open to both professional and novice participants.

Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to register for the competition, take the online training, register for optional in-person trainings, learn more about Burmese pythons and the unique Everglades ecosystem, and find resources for planning your trip to South Florida to participate in the Florida Python Challenge.

In a letter [PDF, 396 KB] to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Governors of the eight Great Lakes States have called on the U.S. Congress to provide full federal funding in the 2022 Water Resources Reform and Development Act for the remaining design, construction, operation, and maintenance costs of the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project. The project is intended to prevent invasive carp from migrating up the Mississippi River and entering and colonizing in the Great Lakes.

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.

Today the U.S. Senate passed legislation which changes how ballast water discharges from ships – the most common pathway for invasive species to enter the Great Lakes – are regulated. Great Lakes champions in the Senate worked tirelessly to improve the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), which was included in the U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2017, and protect the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) released a report on the second phase of its work to stop internet sales of aquatic invasive species (AIS) in the Great Lakes region. The GLC initiative, known as the Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade (GLDIATR), demonstrated that “web crawling” applications can be used to track the online sale of priority AIS and support the work of AIS researchers, outreach coordinators, managers, and law enforcement officials across the Great Lakes basin.

Great Lakes Law is an independent online resource (blog) by by Professor Noah Hall, which provides news, analysis, and commentary on all things wet and legal in the Great Lakes region. Includes various categories related to aquatic invasive species.

The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network has released a comprehensive and coordinated outreach and education report on Asian carp in the region. The document includes information on carp life history, movement and behavior, monitoring, control, ecosystem impacts and gaps in current knowledge that need to be addressed further. The plan’s development was funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. See final report (Publication OHSU-TB-1511) Education and Outreach on Asian Carp [2017; PDF, 5.6 MB].

The green crab is an invasive marine species spreading throughout the coastal waters of the United States. Efforts between NOAA Fisheries and Metlakatla Indian Community have been leading the way on monitoring to detect this species’ presence in Alaskan waters. The green crab has been found in U.S. waters since the 1800s, but this is the first confirmed presence in Alaska. They are a serious threat for Alaska’s tidal habitats.

If you see an invasive green crab on Annette Islands Reserve, call (907) 886-FISH to make a report. If you encounter a potential green crab elsewhere in Alaska, take photographs from multiple angles and send them to Tammy Davis. Then submit a report to the Alaska Invasive Species Reporter, or call the Invasive Species Hotline: (877) INVASIV.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) proclaims April 2024 as Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month. During this month, we are encouraging everyone—whether you’re a gardener or a camper, a bug enthusiast or a student, a traveler, or an online shopper—to learn about the danger of invasive plant pests and what you can do to help. During the month, we are sharing information on curbing the spread of these pests to foster a healthier environment and protect our food supply.
See also: A Proclamation by the Secretary of Agriculture for 2024 Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month [PDF, 189 KB]

Many people in Vermont are encountering gypsy moths (GM) for the first time. This invasive species arrived in the United States over 100 years ago and has been expanding its range ever since. They can be significant defoliators (leaf eaters) of trees and shrubs. They prefer oak trees, but when there are a lot of caterpillars around they will eat any type of leaf, including maple and pine. Vermont has not seen an outbreak of GM since 1991. At that time a fungus called Entomophaga maimaiga became prevalent in the area and significantly decreased the GM population. But the dry weather that we’ve experienced over the last few years has not been good for fungi, and the absence of fungi has allowed the GM numbers to increase.

A report by attorney Read D. Porter that examines coordination on aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention among the Chesapeake Bay states. The report focuses on prevention-related legal authorities in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania in particular, and recommends actions to improve regional cooperation both within the existing regulatory frameworks and through potential amendments to state laws and regulations to enhance prevention.

See also: EDDMapS - Shovel-headed garden worm for more information