Exotic Species Threat to the Mississippi River Basin

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Exotic Species Threatto the Mississippi River
Basin

• Jerry L. Rasmussen
• Mississippi Interstate Cooperative Resource
  Association
• (MICRA)
• P.O. Box 774, Bettendorf, IA 52722

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Source http//nas.er.usgs.gov
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Mississippi River Basin (MRB)

• Parts of 32 states and Canada (AL, AR, CO, GA,
  IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT,
  NC, ND, NE, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX,
  VA, WI, WV, and WY).

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Interjurisdictional Riverof the Mississippi
River Basin
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Species Introduced into the MRB

• 291 animal species have been introduced into the
  MRB, including 60 foreign species
• 90 of these have been reported in the Upper Miss
• Foreign Species reported in the MRB
• - 37 fishes
• - 5 frogs
• - 1 reptile
• - 9 mollusks
• - 5 crustaceans
• - 1 tubificid worm
• - 3 jellyfish
• - 1 mammal
• Not all have become established

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37 Foreign Fishes

• (1) Belontidae (paradisefish)
• (1) Channidae (snakeheads)
• (6) Characidae (piranhas, pacus)
• (6) Cichlids (tilapia)
• (1) Cobitidae (weatherfish)
• (8) Cyprinidae (carp, goldfish, rudd)
• (1) Gobiidae (gobies)
• (1) Loricariidae (catfish)
• (1) Melanotaeniidae (rainbowfish)
• (1) Percidae (zander)
• (1) Pimelodidae (redtail catfish)
• (6) Poeciliidae (swordtails, platyfish)
• (3) Salmonidae (trout)

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12 Foreign Fish Established

• Orechromis aureus (blue tilapia)
• Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Oriental
  weatherfish) IL
• Carassius auratus (goldfish)
• Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp)
• Cyprinus carpio (common carp)
• Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (silver carp)
• Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (bighead carp)
• Scardinius eryrthrophthalmus (rudd) IL, MO, WI
• Tinca tinca (tench) IL, IA, MO, WI
• Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (vermiculated
  sailfin catfish)
• Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platyfish)
• Salmo trutta (brown trout)

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6 Foreign Amphibians and Reptiles

• Amphibians-Frogs
• Bufo marinus (giant toad)
• Osteopilus septentrionalis (Cuban treefrog)
• Eleutherodactylus coqui coqui
• Eleutherodactylus planirostris (greenhouse frog)
  - MO
• Xenopus laevis (African clawed frog)
• Reptiles-Crocodilians
• Caiman crocodilus (common caiman)

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9 Foreign Mollusks

• Mollusks-Bivalves
• Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) - UMR
• Dreissena bugensis (quagga mussel) MO, IL
• Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel) - UMR
• Mollusks-Gastropods
• Bithynia tentaculata (faucet snail) - WI
• Cipangopaludina chinensis
• (Chinese mysterysnail) IL, IA, MN, WI
• Cipangopaludina japonica
• (Japanese mysterysnail) NE, MI, OH
• Melanoides tuberculatus
• (red-rim melania) CO, MT
• Potamopyrgus antipodarum
• (New Zealand mudsnail) MT, WY, CO
• Radix auricularia (big-ear radix) IL, WI

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5 Foreign Crustaceans

• Cladocerans
• Daphnia lumholtzi (water flea) IA, IL, MO, MN,
  WI
• Eubosmina coregoni (water flea) Great Lakes
• Bythotrephes longimanus (spiny water flea) WI,
  MN
• Crabs
• Eriocheir sinensis (Chinese mitten crab) - MI
• Lice
• Argulus japonica (carp louse) WI, IL

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4 Foreign Worms, Hydroids and Jelly Fish

• Oligochaetes
• Branchiura sowerbyia (tubificid worm) MI, OH
• Coelenterates - Hydrozoans
• Cordylophora caspia (freshwater hydroid) - IL
• Craspedacusta sowerbyii (freshwater jellyfish)-
  IL, IA, MN, MO, WI
• Coelenterates - Scyphozoans
• Phyllorhiza punctata (spotted jellyfish)

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1 Foreign Mammal

• Myocastor coypus (nutria) LA, IN, MI, OH, MT,
  (MO)

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Most Troublesome ANS in the MRB

• 46 species have been identified as the most
  troublesome ANS in the Basin (26 states
  responding)
• - 18 plants
• - 3 microorganisms
• - 4 crustaceans
• - 5 mussels
• -15 fish
• - 1 mammal

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Plants Reported as Most Troublesome by MRB States

• Eurasian Watermilfoil (18)
• Myriophyllum spicatum
• - Purple Loosestrife (12)
• Lythrum salicaria
• - Curly-leaf Pondweed (8)
• Potamogeton crispus
• - Hydrilla (7)
• Hydrilla verticillata
• - Salvinia spp. (4)
• - Water Hyacinth (3)
• Eichhornia crassipes
• - Phragmites spp. (2)
• - Western Salt Cedar (2)
• Tamarix spp.
• - Parrot Feather (2) Myriophyllum
  aquaticum

- Brittle Naiad (1) Najas minor -
Alligator Weed (1) Alternanthera
philoxeroides - Floating primrosewillow (1)
Ludwigia peploides - Uruguayan primrosewillow (1)
Ludwigia uruguayensis - Chinese Tallow
Tree (1) Triadica sebifera - Flowering
Rush (1) Botumus umbellatus - Japanese
Knotweed (1) Polygonum cuspidatum -
Australian Water Clover (1) Marsilea
mutica - Asian Spiderwort (1) Murdannia
keisak
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Plants Reported Most Often as Troublesome by MRB
States
Eurasian watermilfoil (18)Myriophyllum
spicatum
Purple loosestrife (12)Lythrum salicaria
Hydrilla (7) Hydrilla verticillata
Curly-leaf pondweed (8) Potamogeton crispus
Salvinia (4) Salvinia spp.
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Microorganisms Reported as Most Troublesome ANS
by MRB States
Yellow Perch Parasite (3) Heterosporis

• Whirling Disease (4)
• Myxobolus cerebralis

Carp Spring Viremia (3) Rhabdovirus carpio
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Crustaceans Reported as Most Troublesome ANS by
MRB States
Fishhook Waterflea (3) Cercopagis pengoi
Spiny Waterflea (6) Bythotrephes cederstroemi
Rusty Crayfish (6) Orconectes rusticus
Red Swamp Crayfish (2) Procambarus clarkia
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Mollusks Reported as Most Troublesome ANS by MRB
States
Asian Clam (7) Corbicula fluminea
Zebra Mussel (20) Dreissena polymorpha
Quagga Mussel (3) Dreissena bugensis
New Zealand Mud Snail (3) Potamopyrgus
antipodarum
Southern Mapleleaf Mussel (1) Quadrula
apiculata
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Most Troublesome ANS Fish Reported by the States

• - Common Carp (15)
• Cyprinus carpio
• - Bighead Carp (14)
• Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
• Silver Carp (11)
• Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
• - Black Carp (8)
• Mylopharyngodon piceus
• - Grass Carp (7)
• Ctenopharyngodon idella
• - Round Goby (6)
• Neogobius melanostomus
• - White Perch (6)
• Morone Americana
• - Ruffe (4)
• Gymnocephalus cernuus

• - Sea Lamprey (3)
• Petromyzon marinus
• - Alewife (4)
• Alosa pseudoharengus
• Rudd (2)
• Scardinius erythrophthalmus
• - Blueback Herring (2)
• Alosa aestivalis
• - Nile Tilapia (1)
• Oreochromis niloticus
• - Red Shiner (1)
• Cyprinella lutrensis
• - Rainbow Smelt (1)
• Osmerus mordax

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Fish Reported Most Often As Troublesome by MRB
States
Silver Carp (11) Hypophthalmichthys  molitrix
Common Carp (15) Cyprinus carpio
Bighead Carp (14) Hypophthalmichthys  nobilis
Black Carp (8) Mylopharyngodon piceus
Grass Carp (7) Ctenopharyngodon  idella
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Aquatic Mammals Reported As Most Troublesome by
MRB States

• Nutria (2)
• Myocastor Coypus

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Pathways of Introductionfor All Species into the
MRB
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Mechanism of Introduction of Most Troublesome ANS
Species
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Source Country of Most Troublesome ANS Species
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What Are We Doing About the ANS Problem?
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• 7 Federal Agencies
• USFWS, USCG, USEPA,
• USGS/BRD, USDA/ARS,
• IL/IN Sea Grant,
• LSU Sea Grant
• 26 States
• AL, AR, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO,
  MT, NE,
• NC, ND, OH, OK, SD, TN,
• TX, VA, WV, WI, WY
• 1 Canadian Province
• Manitoba

5 Regional River Basin Groups UMRCC, LMRCC,
MRNRC, ORFMT, MICRA 8 Private Groups TNC,
B.A.S.S., PIJAC, NAA, CFA, Crystal Palace
Perennials, NASAC, NE/MW Inst. Tribes Local
Communities
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MRB ANS Panel

• Chairman Jay Rendall (MN)
• Vice Chairman Mike Hoff (USFWS)
• Coordinator Jerry Rasmussen (MICRA)
• Executive Board Chairman, Vice Chairman,
  Coordinator, 3 Committee Chairs, 1 Commercial
  Representative , 1 Environmental Representative
• Education/Communication Committee Steve
  Schainost (NE)
• Research and Risk Assessment Committee Cindy
  Kolar (USGS/BRD)
• Prevention and Control Committee Kim
  Bogenschutz (IA)

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Interrupt the Pathways

• Ballast Water (shipping)
• Canals (navigation)
• Physical Attachment to Watercraft
  (barges/recreational craft)
• Intentional/Accidental Introduction and Release
  (fish culture, stocking, aquariums, water
  gardens)
• Transport in Livewells and Bait Buckets
  (angling)
• Transport on shoes and clothing (angling)

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Revolving Door for Exotics
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Visit Our Web Siteshttp//wwwaux.cerc.cr.us
gs.gov/MICRAhttp//wwwaux.cerc.cr.usgs.gov/M
ICRA/MRB20Panel20on20ANS.htm