M0303_SubNotes.doc

Marine Subcommittee

Committee members: Robert Whitlatch, Charlie Yarish, Jim Carlton, Milan Keser, Dave Molnar, Barbara Gordon, Nancy Balcom, Jane Mclellan

Goal: To fully implement a coordinated approach to minimizing the ecological, socioeconomic, and public health impacts of aquatic nuisance species in the marine, estuarine, and freshwater environments of Connecticut by 2010.

Objectives:

  1. Coordination
  2. Prevention
  3. Monitoring
  4. Early detection / Eradication / Rapid Response
  5. Control
  6. Education
  7. Research
  8. Legislation / Regulatory / Policy
  9. Adequate Funding (agreed with plant committee), estimated costs, priorities
  10. Impacts – socioeconomics (define risk analysis, $ for control, $ lost due to invasives; need economic database), public health, aesthetics

Glossary Terms:

“invasive” versus “nuisance”

“Nuisance Species” – animal, plant, or algae species that have been introduced into new ecosystems throughout the United States and the world and are having harmful impacts on the natural resources in these ecosystems and the human use of these resources, and / or have the potential to affect public health, and / or have negative socioeconomic impacts. (Modified from the definition provided by the federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force)

“Aquatic plant” - defined as including both plants and algae.

Key information to include in Introduction or Problem Definition:

The Long Island Sound estuary is unusual in that it is located near the boundary of two biogeographic provinces (Virginia Province to the south, and the Boreal Province to the north - Cape Cod is barrier), supporting both coldwater and warmwater species. Water temperatures range from 1oC to 22 oC during the year. Climate change shifts of just a degree or two can have a profound influence on the species living in the Sound, some of which are at the northernmost limits of their ranges, and others that are at the southernmost limits of their ranges. While not expected to be a problem at this time, species like Caulerpa taxifolia could become problematic is the climate warms over time.

Long Island Sound also supports heavy shipping traffic. Some vessels, such as those that transport bananas from Central America (Panama), travel slowly up through coastal waters and dock in Bridgeport, and may serve as a source of introductions through hull fouling. These ships are subject to ballast water exchange regulations, which become mandatory in 2005.

While some habitats of Long Island Sound are well-studied, there are many habitats, particularly the upper brackish habitats, that are not as well-studied. Little is known about the species composition in those areas.

Action Items:

Re: LIS Invasives List

1. The list, and the appropriate references, will be sent electronically to committee members to be amended to reflect what exists in LIS as of 2004. Dave Molnar will add the DEP’s list of seasonal/occasional fish species. The list will also be reviewed to eliminate any species that cannot be found in LIS or in coastal areas (e.g. zebra mussels, curly-leaved pondweed).

2. Status of species will be divided into three categories: Nonnative, Cryptogenic, and Seasonal/Occasional. Within these categories, those species which are currently “nuisances” or have the “potential to be nuisances” will be so noted. (This is a change from the current way the status of these species are categorized.)

3. A useful side project was suggested that will help document shifts in species composition over time – to prepare a list of all species currently found in LIS, native, nonnative, and cryptogenic. Current lists held by DEP, Millstone Environmental Lab, UCONN faculty, and others will be compiled. Consider hiring a grad student to add in home range information.

Established Coastal and Estuarine Species in Connecticut (based on MA plan)

Need to prioritize species – high. Medium, low priorities

  1. European Green Crab, Carcinus maenus

This introduced species has been replaced by the Asian shore crab as the most abundant crab species in Long Island Sound. It has currently sold and used for bait, providing some economic benefits. It has been included in this list because in the event that Connecticut develops a soft-shell clam industry sometime in the future, the green crab has the potential to be a devastating predator of the clams.

  1. Asian Shore Crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus

This crab species is the dominant species of crab in Long Island Sound. It is omnivorous and has been documented as a consumer of juvenile mussels. (need to add more). If mussel culture grows (looks like it will), then could have an adverse impact on industry

  1. Codium, Codium fragile spp. tomentosoides

This species of green alga has historically had a negative impact on shellfish fisheries, but this impact is not present currently. However, Codium can be a problem, particularly when there is a disturbance in the marine community. Codium outcompetes the native species in these areas.

  1. Ascidians (all)

Add Didemnum vexillum to ones listed in MA plan (the species now present on the Georges Bank which was found in the Sound two years ago. Website:

Highly invasive colonial tunicate – altering marine habitats, threatens to interfere with fishing, aquaculture, and other coastal and offshore activities.

Add Styela plicata – Asian species – found on west coast and in Chesapeake Bay. Big tunicate – about 3” long, golf ball size, biofouling organism

  1. Pathogens (include all shellfish pathogens)

Concerned about pathogens themselves, plus non-native species that may serve as reservoirs for other non-native organisms or pathogens

MSX

SSO – potential?

Dermocystidium

QPX – potential?

Add pathogens posing Fish or Human Health Hazards

Harmful Algal Blooms

Brown tide (potential) – also affect bird populations – talk to Sandy Shumway

Red Tide – public health hazard

Pfiesteria (potential) – Senjie Lin has found cysts in LIS although there have been no outbreaks (possible if climate changes also talk to S Shumway)

Cyanobacteria on stripers in Chesapeake Bay (potential – only affect stripers); also carry fish TB – striper is the vector, humans handling the fish could be affected

Lobster paramoeba? – need to talk with Rich French and Sal Frasca

We opted not to include Lace Bryozoan ( rare in CT) – LIS is at southern limit of kelp distribution

Threatening Coastal and Estuarine Species

Need to prioritize species – high, medium, low

  1. Veined Rapa Whelk – info from Chesapeake Bay
  2. European Flat Oyster (Ostrea edulis) - currently in Rhode Island waters – concern is not for the oyster itself, but that it is the host for bonamia, an oyster disease
  3. Crassostrea ariakensis – (from China) if introduced into the Chespeake Bay, could be potential threat to native Crassostrea virginica. Vectors: human, intentional and non-intentional, hull fouling, ballast water
  4. Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida

A coldwater kelp currently found along the west coast, Japan, New Zealand. If it is introduced , it has the potential to displace the native sugar kelp, Laminaria saccarina, which will change the benthic structure. Was intentionally introduced off the coast of Normandy.

Has both macroscopic and microscopic stages. Vectors: people, boats

New Zealand spent $500,000 to eradicate it when found on wooden hull of Korean vessel – worried about shellfish populations

Introduced by wooden Korean vessel to Argentina also

  1. Grateloupia turtuturu – currently found throughout Narragansett Bay, also at Montauk Point, Long Island, NY. Member of the red algae, grows up to 1 m in length, smothers out resident fauna like Chondrus crispus. Vectors: boats, people
  1. Sargassum muticum – brought in intentionally, found in Europe and west coast of US – an Asian species of seaweed, it dominates the low littoral communities and upper subtidal. Has a smothering effect.
  1. Hemigrapsus penncillatus

We are not including Caulerpa, Crassostra gigas (there have been several unsuccessful attempts to introduce it into the Sound), Nori (while there is potential for it be introduced, it is not expected to be a problem), nor the Chinese mitten crab (cannot overwinter in CT at this time – could be added later if climate changes)

Vectors:

  1. Aquaculture – expect it to be important vector as it will focus on using more and more non-native species, or genetically altered species, to increase diversity and economic benefits within the industry

Suggest that a “central warehouse” or containment center be established (UCONN) that would enable experiments and evaluations to be made in a contained environment (land-based).

  1. Seafood markets

Unsold shellstock – how disposed of by retailers? Could they be dumped back into water – whole in shells? (REF: John Chapman paper – Bob to provide )

Live market for seafood: What species? What sources? Who regulates the live market? (ports of entry – Fish & Wildlife Service, FDA)

3. Ballast water not considered major vector - provide guidance policy based on Coast Guard regs –look at SERC site

4. Hull fouling could be important vector. High number of recreational vessels, some are transient from Maine to FL, plus tall ship training vessels, commercial ship traffic, submarines, etc. (Cite on-going Sea Grant-funded study: “Evaluation of the Importance of Ship Fouling by Privately-Owned Vessels as aVvector for the Transport of Invasive Species along the Eastern Seaboard”, Whitlatch and Osman)

5. Live bait trade – needs to be examined – sources, species, packing material, disposal

Dave Molnar will look into sources, species, packing materials – DEP worried about introduction of exotic bait species

Good outreach project – visit shops, put together species list of flora and fauna, with packing material, seasonal marine inverts, shrimp, etc.

  1. Aquarium trade – priority vector – need to tie in with national education effort by pet/AQ trade – branding message on bags used to contain fish and plants sold in PETCO, Walmart, etc.

Watch list – look at what’s coming in (inverts/seaweed) – education on proper disposal

Charts – species watch (another educational aspect)

  1. Research – need to get copy of ICES protocols for researchers working with nonnative species
  1. Recreational and commercial fishing
  1. > 600,000 registered boats in CT – is there a way to determine how many wooden hull barges, ships there are? # boats, types of antifouling paint used, costs, classes of boats (A,B,C,D)
  2. RI & NY; ~450,000 marine anglers in Ct alone

Need to think about

  • bistate initiative – through EPA LISS NEP; LIS Congressional Caucuses – to address joint waters
  • Homeland security funds – to support a rapid response team to deal with invasives that have major human health/socioeconomic impacts

Additional marine subcommittee members / reviewers

Doug Tolderland, USCG Academy (retired)

Penny Herman, Gail Roderick – USCG R&D center

Grant Westerson, CT Marine Trades Association, Essex

Maritime & Mystic Aquariums

Laura Reid, Fish Mart, New Haven

Ports – New London, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford

Recreational vessels – hull fouling

Ct Maritime Coalition – Bill Gash

Milford Lab of NMFS – ask Sheila Stiles and Gary Wikfors whether they are working with non-native species

CT Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Aquaculture – Dave Carey, Inke Sunila

Eric Shultz, UCONN

Navy – going to 12 year cycle of repainting ships (from 7 year)

UCONN pathologists & Susan Ford, Rutgers (retired) – list of major pathogens for marine inverts

Commercial fishermen

Privately owned training vessels – tall ship types

POLICY / COORDINATION / LEGISLATION

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Fish & Wildlife service

DEP – marine fisheries, Office of Long Island Sound Programs, Boating Division, Marine Fisheries advisory group, conservation officers

CT Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture

NEANS Panel – update what’s happening in other states, pass along to people within CT

CT Dept Public Health

Ag Experiment Station

National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Town shellfish commissions (should be made aware of this)

Army Corps of Engineers

Coast Guard

Homeland Security

EPA (LISS)

General Assembly – Environment Committee (briefing, possibly funding in time)

Federal Congressional coastal delegation – Shays, DeLauro, Simmons, etc.

Sea Grant Extension Program

The Nature Conservancy

EDUCATION / OUTREACH

Citizen watch groups – water quality

Soundkeeper

Project Oceanology

Schooner, Inc.

Soundwaters

Recreational boaters

Fishermen (recreational and commercial)

Beach clubs

Long Island Sound Foundation / Councils

Save the Sound

CT Fund for the Environment

CT Audubon (Coastal center, Milford)

LISS – use Citizens Advisory Committee distribution lists

CT Marine Trades Association

Maritime Coalition

Power Squadrons

Coast Guard Auxiliary

RESEARCH

Universities

Diane Brousseau (Fairfield U / NMFS-Milford) – Hemigrapsus

Jim Carlton, Williams College – Mystic Seaport

Bob Whitlatch, UCONN

Charlie Yarish, UCONN

French, Frasca, De Guise – pathologists, UCONN

NMFS Milford Lab – Gary Wikfors, Sheila Stiles

CT Dept Ag/ Bureau of Aquaculture – Inke Sunila

Yale – Leon Buss possibly

No one at UNH, Southern CT

USCG Academy?

Mohegan Shellfish Lab?

Rob Johnston, Bob Pomeroy - socioeconomics

Grad student to sample bait sources and species, AQ trade, possibly live fish for food - need to look at Jim Carlton’s / MA vector study (non-ballast water)

Sea Grant

EPA LISS

DEP possibly

MONITORING

DEP Fisheries – trawl surveys, seine surveys

DA/BA (CT Dept Ag, Bureau of Aquaculture)

Millstone Environmental Lab

Project Oceanology (logs of trawl catches)

Maritime Aquarium – keep logs of catches

Cedar Island Marine Research, Clinton

Citizen water quality groups

Commercial and recreational fishermen

School groups

Conte Wildlife refuge

McKinney Wildlife Refuge

DATA MANAGEMENT

DEP, Millstone, university researchers = contributors

GIS format best – watch list, images, current sites, ways to report

Need to fund someone to manage and regularly update information database

Look at MarineID.org (Jason Baker – see how we could fit in)

Abundance, habitat, qualitative (location, where, when, what), reporting forms, rates of spread, potential vectors of spread

Coordinate with other ANS databases in CT (Les Mehrhoff – plants, etc.)

PREVENTION

Aquaculture – following ICES guidelines for aquaculture / research

Seafood Industry?

Ballast water guidelines

Hull fouling – need to look at extent of problem

Bait species – two-step education process

Public Aquaria – call to find out who regulates, what are policies regarding prevention of releases

Vocational Agriculture / Aquaculture High Schools – who regulates? (DEP Inland Fisheries / Bill Gerrish – fish and crustaceans; CT Dept Ag / Dave Carey – shellfish). Is discharge water treated and how?

RAPID RESPONSE / ERADICATION

Conventional wisdom is that once an aquatic nuisance arrives, it can’t be gotten rid of. However, there are examples in the world where rapid, aggressive response has led to eradication. In Australia – mussel. In New Zealand – Japanese kelp. Has Office of Biosecurity in NZ – started by dealing with anthrax and hoof and mouth disease. (Could our Office of Homeland Security have similar role?)

Want to create and fund Biological Rapid Response Team – to deal with “biological pollutants”. Have same impacts as oil spills, can be long-lasting. However, need to include NY somehow as rapid response in LIS goes beyond state boundaries

References to Review and Include:

NERRS – Non-native Species in Nation’s Estuaries

New England Aquatic Health Protocol - probably mainly for freshwater fish – salmonids (aquaculture)

ICES website – transfer & introductions of non-native species

Ask Ed Monahan – contact at Coast Guard Academy? (possibility of conducting a hull fouling study using Eagle?)

Non-ballast vector study conducted in MA – Carlton, et al.