On episode 33 of the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s (ODFW) Beaver State Podcast, you can listen to ODFW Invasive Species Coordinator & OISC member, Rick Boatner, talk about the invasive species he is currently fighting, the invasive species he is currently worried about, and more!
Listen now here: https://myodfw.com/articles/beaver-state-podcast-episode-33-invasive-species
When the tragic Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in 2011, effects were felt around the world, even along Oregon’s coast. Soon after the event, debris started washing up on west coast shores with more than just an unpleasing aesthetic: the potential threat of new invasive species.
Gayle Hansen, an Oregon State University algal taxonomist, was one of the researchers who was in Newport when a large concrete dock washed up on shore. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) determined it was imperative to remove the debris from the water as quick as possible to reduce the threat of new aquatic invasives. The persistence and hard work of the individuals tasked with removing the debris was highlighted in a statement by Steven Rumrill of ODFW: "The State of Oregon was able to remove about 90 percent of the derelict and damaged vessels from Japan that arrived along Oregon beaches – and most of the vessels were immediately removed from the surf zone over a period of 24 hours or less”.
Newport, OR: A large concrete dock that floated ashore after the 2011 tsunami in Japan (Photo Credit: Oregon Live).
Hansen is the lead author of a study that was published earlier this month in Phycologia that provided some good news after several years of aquatic invasive species research related to tsunami debris from Japan. Findings concluded that none of the potentially invasive algae, seaweed, or other microorganisms that arrived on debris from Japan were successful in establishing themselves in the waters off of Oregon’s coast and that getting them off the beaches quickly was a “smart move”.
Read the original article written by Kale Williams of The Oregonian here.
Literature Cited
Gayle I. Hansen, Takeaki Hanyuda, and Hiroshi Kawai (2018) Invasion threat of benthic marine algae arriving on Japanese tsunami marine debris in Oregon and Washington, USA. Phycologia: 2018, Vol. 57, No. 6, pp. 641-658.
The population of feral swine in Oregon has experienced a drastic decline in the past decade, from 3,000 individuals to around 200. This is due to the state declaring an open season on feral pigs. In 2001, state lawmakers reclassified the pigs from livestock to predatory animals, allowing them to be hunted without regulation. Though some may not think of the pigs as a dangerous invasive species, they can cause great damage to fish and wildlife habitat, agricultural lands, and protected riparian habitats.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.
In addition to damaging important habitat, they can also pose a serious health risk. Rick Boatner, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife's Invasive Species Coordinator and Oregon Invasive Species Council member, called the pigs “walking disease factories”. They can carry up to 40 separate diseases that are dangerous to both humans and livestock.
To help quantify populations, address specific populations of concern, and to follow Oregon law, report all feral pig sightings by calling the toll-free feral swine hotline: 1-888-268-9219. Please also visit the OISC Squeal on Pigs campaign page for more information about feral swine in Oregon.
The original article was written by the Associated Press with information from the Bend Bulletin.
Click here to read the full article.
According to Rick Boatner, The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Invasive Species Coordinator and Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) Member, inspections in Oregon found two mussel-transporting boats over the May 11-13 weekend, bringing the 2018 year-to-date total to 6.
As of May 15, inspection numbers in Oregon are at 1,665 watercraft at the Central Point station near Ashland, 1,777 watercraft at Ontario, 153 at the recently opened Klamath Falls station, 197 at Gold Beach-Brookings, and 538 at Umatilla. The inspection station in Burns will be open early next month. Oregon has also intercepted 51 boats through mid-May with invasive aquatic plants, mostly Eurasian Watermilfoil.
To learn more about why it's important to Clean, Drain, and Dry all motorized and non-motorized watercraft,
check out our Clean, Drain, Dry Campaign page!
Original Article Information:
By Brad Carlson, Capital Press. Published on May 24, 2018.
Click here to read the full article
Last week, a boat infested with Zebra mussels was stopped at the inspection station in Ontario, Oregon. The 41-foot yacht was coming from Harrison Bay, Tennessee, an area that is known to be infested with this invasive mussel. Just a few weeks prior, a boat coming from Quagga mussel infested Lake Havasu, Arizona had to be decontaminated due to the presence of standing water. "Standing water may not sound like a big problem, but when it comes from a water body infested with Quagga or Zebra mussels, it spells trouble," said Rick Boatner, ODFW’s Invasive Species Wildlife Integrity Coordinator. The larva stage of mussels can live several days in water trapped in a bilge or live well and depending on conditions, an adult mussel can live on a boat for up to 30 days.
In 2016, ODFW completed 16,825 watercraft inspections. Watercraft inspected included boats from nearly every US state, Mexico, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Trinidad. From Oregon’s Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program 2016 Report.
All motorized and non-motorized watercraft entering the state, including paddle boards, surfboards, kayaks, and canoes, must be inspected at one of Oregon’s watercraft inspection stations. Stations are located in Ashland, Gold Beach, Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Ontario. Failure to comply can lead to a $110 fine.
One way for boaters and other watersport enthusiasts to do their part is to practice ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’. To learn more, please visit our Clean, Dry, Drain campaign page. To read the full news article, click here.
