Invasive Species - What's New on NISIC's Site

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."

Have you recently planted maple, crabapple, or other trees? MDAR is asking everyone to check them for spotted lanternfly egg masses or recently hatched nymphs after we were alerted that trees or shrubs with SLF egg masses may have been recently shipped to Massachusetts. Please give all nursery stock a thorough check (including pots or other containers), especially if the plants have tags that indicate they are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or other SLF-infested states, and report any finds.

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is accepting comments until June 10, 2022 on a proposed common name for Vespa mandarinia and two related species of Vespa hornets.  Although Vespa mandarinia has been detected in the Pacific Northwest, the other two hornets are not known to occur in the United States.  Currently, Vespa mandarinia is being called many different names in the popular press, but no ESA authorized common name has been established. See Common Names section for more information as it becomes available.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced measures to prevent the further spread of aquatic invasive species in the Adirondacks. Changes to state Environmental Conservation Law became effective on June 8, 2022 and require motorized boat users to obtain certification that they have inspected and removed potentially harmful aquatic invasive species before launching in waters in, and immediately adjacent to, the Adirondack Forest Preserve. To learn more, see the New York State Watercraft Inspection Steward Program Handbook.

The worldwide decline in bee populations is threatening the delivery of pollination services, thus leading to the development of pollinator restoration strategies. In the United States, one way to protect and restore bee populations is to use seed mixes composed of pollinator-friendly native plants to revegetate federal lands following disturbance.

Scientists assessed the attractiveness and use by bees of 24 native plant species that are standard for revegetation projects (focal plants) on national forest lands in western Montana.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) expanded its spotted lanternfly quarantine.  A quarantine order first issued by the state secretary of agriculture in October 2019 for Harford and Cecil counties is still in effect, but has been expanded this year to also include: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Kent, Montgomery and Washington counties, as well as Baltimore City. This quarantine is effective immediately, and restricts the movement of regulated articles that might contain the spotted lanternfly in any of its life stages, including egg masses, nymphs, and adults.

See additional resources on the Maryland Department of Agriculture's site for Spotted Lanternfly for up-to-date information. For questions related to the quarantine, permitting, treatment, or to report a sighting of the spotted lanternfly, especially outside of the quarantine zone, call 410-841-5920 or email DontBug.MD@maryland.gov. If you report a spotted lanternfly via email, please provide the location of the sighting and your contact information.

Provides great examples of consistency and thoroughness in their outreach on firewood and forest health.

In an effort to monitor invasive northern snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay and Blackwater River, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announces a new tagging program in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Both agencies are placing yellow or blue tags on up to 500 northern snakeheads. Each tagged northern snakehead caught and harvested from now until 2024 could be rewarded with a gift card of $10 or $200 depending on the tag.

In order to qualify, the harvester must report the tag number to USFWS at 800-448-8322, and is asked to take a picture of their harvested and tagged northern snakehead. Only harvested northern snakeheads with reported tags will qualify for gift cards.

Environmental DNA is developing into a powerful tool for improving the monitoring and detection of invasive species, which may be present in low numbers and therefore difficult to find. There are a wide range of ongoing efforts by federal and non-federal groups working to improve and apply eDNA to invasive species monitoring and management.

The NISC FY2020 to FY2022 Work Plans incorporated interagency work on eDNA, including the following outputs:

• The NISC white paper has been released (May 2022): Environmental DNA as a Tool for Invasive Species Detection and Management [PDF, 295 KB]

Early detection and rapid response (EDRR) is a key tenet of invasive species management, where “detection” is the process of observing and documenting an invasive species, and “response” is the process of reacting to the detection once the organism has been authoritatively identified and response options have been assessed.

The NISC FY 2020 - FY 2022 Work Plans identified priority activities in the area of rapid response, including:

• Rapid Response – Tools and Lessons Learned: Support national level rapid response efforts by documenting tools and lessons learned. NISC White Paper (Oct 2022) -- Rapid Response to Invasive Species: Federal Agency Roles [PDF, 577 KB]
• Rapid Response Fund - Criteria and Considerations: Increase resource streams for rapid response to new detections of invasive species. NISC White Paper (May 2022) -- Federal Invasive Species Rapid Response Fund:  Criteria and Considerations for Establishment [PDF, 823 KB]