June 28 through July 4th is Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness Week, as declared by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

Aquatic invasive species are non-native organisms that can quickly reproduce and do harm to native species in Michigan waterways and indeed the entire Great Lakes system. Invasive species are often inadvertently introduced into Michigan waterways, although sometimes the introduction is malicious in nature. Some examples of invasive species include the infamous Asian carp (pictured), as well as several aquatic plants like phragmites.

This week of Aquatic Invasive Species Awareness is a joint project of the Michigan Departments of Environmental Quality, Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development. The state workers have also enlisted some volunteers to help in the effort.

The focus of the effort is on boaters and fishermen, who are reminded to take the following actions, which are now not just a good idea, but the law:

Dispose of unused bait in trash receptacles. Do not put unused bait into the water. (Bait shops have been criticized for introducing non-native species into the waterways during previous investigations.)
Clean out all aquatic plant and animal life from your boats prior to leaving boat landings.
Drain all water from your boat at the landing site, as these can contain visible as well as microscopic organisms. Pay attention to drains, wells or bilge water receptacles.
Clear off all components of your boat of plant and animal life, including covers, trailers and flotation devices. Again, do this at the access site.
If you decide to throw a fish back, return it to the waters that you caught it from.
In addition to the above regulations, state officials are urging boaters and fisherman to thoroughly clean and dry all areas of boats as well as all boating and fishing supplies prior to placing them in Michigan lakes and rivers. Ideally, a boat should be dry for five days before being launched. Officials are particularly concerned with boats and equipment that have been outside of Michigan, which may have picked up small plants or organisms, even the eggs of hatching organisms.

Michigan officials are urging everybody who enjoys Michigan’s many lakes and rivers to try to keep these aquatic invasive species “at bay”.

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Invasive species are non-native plants and animals that enter the Michigan environment. Typically, these species are hardier than some of our native flora and fauna and are more successful in accessing food and habitat, thereby crowding out native species. Many times, the native species have no known local predators in the food chain, particularly as they are “out of their element”. The end result is that invasive species pose a significant risk to native species and have a potentially huge impact on our region’s ecology, animal life, sometimes even affecting tourism and public health.

Invasive species arrive in Michigan through various channels. One culprit appears to be ballast water from ships that have been on the world’s oceans. When these large boats need to adjust their weight to improve stability, the ship releases ballast water. The containers for ballast water are supposed to be sealed to prevent the ballast water from escaping. If this is not possible, the ballast water is to be transferred to an auxiliary sealed ballast water containers.

The Coast Guard inspects ballast water containers; nevertheless, sometimes the sealants fail. As these defective ships arrive at ports, their ballast water is released into oceans, lakes and rivers. Oftentimes, the ballast water contains seeds of invasive plants, eggs of invasive species or full grown specimens. Because Michigan is part of the Great Lakes waterways, which feed many rivers and even more creeks, once invasive species enter the water, they can reproduce and travel quite far. Invasive species enter Michigan through other means: through shipped material, via nurseries and live animal purveyors.

A recent invasive plant to crop up in Michigan is parrot feather, which is sold commercially as a filler for aquariums. Parrot feather, while seemingly innocuous, can be prolific and chokes out native reeds, grasses and plants and can be difficult to eradicate. Parrot feather can clog navigable water, negatively impacting water sports and shoreline ecology. It is illegal in Michigan to possess, transport or release the species. Parrot feather has been found in a detention pond in Wayne County and an early effort to get rid of it appears to have been successful.

There are a number of invasive animal species that have appeared in Michigan. Probably the most infamous is the Asian carp. In addition, the emerald ash borer wreaked havoc with the ash tree population all over Michigan. Now Michigan researchers from Central Michigan University and the University of Notre Dame have published findings that bait fish vendors, who are lightly regulated, may be inadvertently introducing invasive species, particularly the dreaded Asian carp into Michigan waterways. DNA of invasive species, including Asian carp, were found in minnow bait samples at 27 bait shops in Michigan. Fishermen are urged not to dump unused bait into the water, a practice which could easily introduce invasive species.

Invasive Species legislation is still largely being handled at the state level, although there is a growing regional, national and even international collaboration. Recently, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York signed legislation requiring boat owners to clean, drain and dry boats and trailers of all visible plant and animal matters both prior to launches and after pulling watercraft out of the water. States, provincial leaders and federal regulatory authorities are beginning to recognize that coordinated efforts will be critical, as there are so many pathways for invasion.

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