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In 2019, the Alaska Office of the State Veterinarian, in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Alaska, began the Alaska Submit-A-Tick Program. Through this program, individuals who find ticks on themselves, their family members, pets, or wildlife (e.g. hunted or trapped animals) can submit ticks for species identification and pathogen testing. Researchers are asking Alaskans to submit ticks to help determine which tick species are currently in the state. Tick submissions will also help us learn more about how ticks are being imported into Alaska so that we can create effective strategies to limit their introduction. Ticks can transmit bacteria, parasites, and viruses that can cause diseases in humans and wildlife. Pathogen testing allows us to assess tickborne disease risk in the state.

Firefighting personnel can unintentionally transport invasive species on clothes, gear, and equipment from the lower 48 to Alaska. They can also unintentionally spread invasive species within Alaska, from infested areas to clean areas. Aquatic invasive species can also be spread any time water is moved from an infested area to another waterbody, when seeds, propagules, or larvae are carried in small amounts of water or trapped in the water-handling equipment. This booklet is a tool to help identify some of the invasive species of greatest concern in Alaska and also suggests BMPs that will help firefighting personnel avoid introducing or spreading them. It also identifies four invasive species that should be reported to authorities and how to report them. See also: Invasive Plants Publications for more resources.

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.

Mike Dunleavy, Governor of the State of Alaska, proclaimed Alaska Invasive Species Awareness Week (June 9-15, 2024), encouraging all Alaskans and visitors to learn about, prevent, report, and contribute to control of invasive species in the state.
See also: Alaska Invasive Species Awareness Materials (Alaska Invasive Species Partnership)

Reporting options are available depending on type of species found. Reports submitted to the Alaska Invasive Species Hotline and the online reporting tools are sent to agencies and organizations with interest and responsibility for managing invasive species.

The green crab is considered one of the most invasive species in the marine environment. It has few predators, aggressively hunts and eats its prey, destroys seagrass, and outcompetes local species for food and habitat. Green crab could potentially damage Alaska’s multi-billion dollar fisheries industries, especially for salmon, crab, and mariculture operations. There are three simple steps you can take to help find, remove and report these crabs on your local beaches. Find it, Keep it, Freeze it!

See also: Community Monitoring Invasive Species Information and Field Guides for more resources

Natural resource managers in British Columbia discovered several adult male and female European green crabs on Haida Gwaii this past July. Alarm bells immediately went off for biologists in Alaska. The archipelago of Haida Gwaii, off the coast of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, is very close to Alaska. The July discovery is the closest confirmed finding of the invasive crustacean since it was first detected in the San Francisco Bay area in 1989.

The Alaska IPM program (AK IPM) addresses the public need for pest management education within the state.

In the spring of 2023, the AKISP Board and Membership approved the 2023-2028 AKISP Strategic Plan. This plan is the culmination of a multi-year effort to frame goals, strategies, actions, and evaluation measures which intend to guide Partnership members activities and collaboration at statewide, regional and local levels. Many agencies and organizations participated in identifying priorities for future invasive species work in Alaska.

The Alaska Aquatic Invasive Species Clearinghouse (AK Aqua) is a database and mapping application that provides temporal and geospatial information for invasive aquatic species in Alaska. Taxa profiles and associated planning documents are provided for many of the species listed in AK Aqua. These data are primarily intended to support the identification of problem species, thus promoting early detection and rapid response across Alaska. Data are also used in a variety of research and modeling activities.

Provides list of invasive aquatic species known to or likely occur in Alaska's region.

Your vigilance could help us intercept and prevent the spread of an unwanted biological invader – an invasive species that shouldn’t be here and which could cause serious harm to Alaska’s native fish and wildlife species, and their habitats.

Partnering with a local Alaskan native community, the U.S. Forest Service has for the first time published a dual language booklet in English and a native Alaskan language, Yup'ik, to help educate the greater community in Southwestern Alaska on invasive species. This publication, Protecting Southwestern Alaska from Invasive Species: A Guide in the English and Yup'ik Languages, aims to explain invasive species concerns unique to Southwestern Alaska, which is home to a large community of the indigenous Yup'ik people.