On the lookout for Emerald Ash Borer? Add the new Pocket Guide to Emerald Ash Borer to your identification toolkit.
/The new Oregon Pocket Guide to Identifying Emerald Ash Borer has been released and is ready for viewing. You can check it out here.
Green Crab Episode featured on OPB's Oregon Field Guide
/In 2006, invasive green crabs were just starting to show up in Oregon bays. Nearly two decades later, these non-native critters are multiplying at alarming rates and threatening Pacific Northwest shellfisheries.
This week, OPB's Oregon Field Guide will take you to the Oregon coast, where Portland State University professor (and OISC Ex Officio member) Dr. Cat de Rivera and her students study these invaders.
OREGON FIELD GUIDE: Green Crab Invasion Clip: Season 35 Episode 4 | 10m 12s
For more information on these invasive crabs, please visit the OISC Invasive Species HUB: green crab
Invasive quagga mussels found on boat at Ashland inspection station
/ODFW News Release
January 8, 2024
SALEM, Ore. – ODFW staff at the Ashland Boat Inspection Station found quagga mussels on a pontoon boat that was being transported from Lake Mead, Nev., into Oregon on Jan. 4.
This was the first instance in 2024 where crews have found quagga mussels. The watercraft was decontaminated at the inspection station.
"Quagga mussels can cause serious damage to Oregon's lakes, streams, irrigation and water delivery systems," said Rick Boatner, ODFW Invasive Species Coordinator. "We want watercraft owners to be responsible and have their vessel inspected when entering Oregon."
ODFW reminds the public that all vehicles towing or carrying watercraft into Oregon must stop at any watercraft inspection station that is open to inspect for aquatic invasive species.
Watercraft owners should be aware of where inspections stations are located around Oregon. Stations are open if large orange, "Boat Inspection Ahead," signs are posted, followed by "Inspection Required for All Watercraft."
Visit MyODFW.com for more information about the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program and Waterway Access permits: https://myodfw.com/articles/waterway-access-and-aquatic-invasive-species-permits.
ODFW has not detected the presence of quagga mussels in Oregon's waterways but in 2023 crews decontaminated 9 watercrafts for quagga or zebra mussels and 327 watercrafts for other types of aquatic biofouling such as Eurasian Watermilfoil.
Since the start of the Watercraft Inspection Stations program in 2010, ODFW has inspected 209,620 watercraft and intercepted and decontaminated 168 watercrafts with quagga or zebra mussels and 3,246 watercrafts with other types of aquatic biofouling.
Inspection station locations and operating hours:
Ashland: I-5 at the Ashland Port of Entry. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.
Ontario: I-84 at the Ontario Rest Area. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.
Seasonal Inspection station located in Brookings, Klamath Falls, Lakeview, and Umatilla will be opening the first week of May.
If you find quagga mussels on a vessel, please report them to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline by calling 1-866-INVADER or visiting https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org.
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Contact: Rick Boatner, (503) 947-6308, rick.j.boatner@odfw.oregon.gov
Invasive quagga mussels found in Snake River increase threat to Oregon waterways
/NEWS RELEASE
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife odfw.com
Contact:
Rick Boatner, (503) 947-6308, rick.j.boatner@odfw.oregon.gov
Sept. 27, 2023
Invasive quagga mussels found in Snake River increase threat
to Oregon waterways;
Clean, Drain, Dry all watercraft after use
SALEM, Ore. – Quagga mussels, an aquatic invasive species, were detected on Sept. 18 in the Snake River at Twin Falls, Idaho approximately 60 miles upstream from the Oregon border.
This is the first instance of quagga mussel larvae called veligers being detected in the Columbia River basin. Veligers were found free floating in the Snake River at Centennial Waterfront Park and were not attached to any structures or watercraft.
Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) has also not found live quagga mussel larvae in any other Idaho waterbody and has activated its response plan. More information from ISDA can be found here: https://agri.idaho.gov/main/plants/snake-river-quagga-mussel-veligers.
“We are working with Idaho to stop the spread of quagga mussels and any other aquatic invasive species in Oregon,” said Rick Boatner, ODFW Invasive Species Wildlife Integrity Supervisor. “It is very important that all watercraft entering Oregon be inspected for quagga or other invaders.”
Quagga mussels can cause serious damage to lakes, streams, irrigation, and water delivery systems. If detected in Oregon, ODFW and other state agencies have the expertise, equipment, and are positioned to take quick action if needed.
ODFW has not detected the presence of quagga mussels in Oregon but has decontaminated ten watercrafts for quagga or zebra mussels and 287 watercrafts for other types of aquatic biofouling such as Eurasian Watermilfoil at inspection stations this year. Since the start of the Watercraft Inspection Stations program in 2010, ODFW has inspected 208,154 watercraft and intercepted and decontaminated 167 watercrafts with quagga or zebra mussels and 3,206 watercrafts with other types of aquatic biofouling.
Visit https://myodfw.com/articles/waterway-access-and-aquatic-invasive-species-permits to learn more about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.
ODFW reminds the public that all vehicles towing or carrying watercraft into Oregon must stop at any watercraft inspection station that is open to inspect for aquatic invasive species.
Stations are open if large, orange Boat Inspection Ahead signs are posted, followed by Inspection Required for All Watercraft.
A watercraft is considered any size or type of motorized or non-motorized boat such as a kayak, canoe, raft, or stand-up paddleboard.
Inspection station locations and operating hours:
Ashland: I-5 at the Ashland Port of Entry. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.
Ontario: I-84 at the Ontario Rest Area. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.
Umatilla: Hwy 395 at the Umatilla Port of Entry. Open until Oct. 25, Thursday to Monday during daylight hours.
ODFW encourages everyone to take simple actions to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species such as quagga mussels, by following the Clean, Drain, Dry process.
Clean shoes, waders, life vests, boat hulls and engines, trailers and other equipment by removing all visible plants, algae, and mud. Use a stiff-bristled brush to clean equipment.
Drain any accumulated water from boats or gear–including water used in cleaning–back into the lake, stream, or other waterbody from which it came.
Let boats or gear fully dry before using again.
If you find quagga mussels on a vessel, please report them to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline by calling 1-866-INVADER or visiting https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org.
Portland State University Students Create Invasive Species Management Projects
/In 2022 student teams in Dr. Catherine de Rivera’s Ecology & Management of Bioinvasions class at Portland State University worked with OISC members and other invasive species professionals to research and report on the impacts of invasive species in Oregon. These invasive species threaten Oregon’s infrastructure, economy, natural resources, and food & water systems, and can impact outdoor recreation opportunities and tourism. The goal of these projects was to create management products that would be useful for their community partner in tackling an active invasive species management issue.
Below is a list of the projects that were completed (click the links to learn more about each project):