Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons^™

Focus Group Conference Report And Pathways Ranking Guide: June- August 2005

National Invasive Species Council

This document represents the second version of a guide and process for pathway definition, analysis and prioritization. It is expected that this document will undergo another trial test and revision prior to full implementation, though we strongly believed this is a ‘workable’ product that only requires refinement.

Throughout this systems development process, the Pathways Work Team struggled with several issues relevant to scientific data and public policy. While this report in no way attempts to resolve such intricate issues, it is essential that these considerations be brought to the forefront for future decision-making efforts and as such are enumerated below: …

General Guidelines For The Establishment & Evaluation Of Invasive Species Early Detection & Rapid Response Systems

National Invasive Species Council

Preventing the introduction of invasive species is the first line of defense against invasions. However, even the best prevention efforts will not stop all invasive species introductions. Early detection and rapid response (ED&RR) efforts increase the likelihood that invasions will be addressed successfully while populations are still localized and population levels are not beyond that which can be contained and eradicated. Once populations are widely established, all that might be possible is the partial mitigation of negative impacts. In addition, the costs associated with ED&RR efforts are typically far less than those of long-term invasive species management programs.

The charge …

Asian Carp: Key To Identification

National Invasive Species Council

Asian carp are large 39-40 in. (40-50 lb.) fish introduced into the U.S. by fish farmers in Southern states in the 1960’s and 70’s to control vegetation and algae blooms. Three of these species, the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) have been released or have escaped to the wild and are reproducing in many rivers and streams of the Mississippi River Basin. As they continue to expand their range, and show up in commercial and sport fish catches, a need has arisen to develop a simple …

Black Carp

National Invasive Species Council

What are black carp?

What do they look like?

Where are they from?

How Did They Get Here?

What impacts would they have on our aquatic habitats?

What is the Service doing about black carp?

What are the negative impacts of this ruling?

For More Information

Asian Carp

National Invasive Species Council

Four species of large Asian carps (grass, bighead, silver and black) have been imported into the U.S. for use in the aquaculture industry, and biologists are raising more and more concerns about their effect on native fish and shellfish when released or escaped to the wild. In fact, in the fall of 1999, fish kills in isolated ditches adjacent to the Upper Mississippi River on the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge in southern Illinois included large numbers (97%) of Asian carps, but only one individual each of four native fish species. After that incident, reports came in of commercial fishermen …

Management Plan

National Invasive Species Council

Farmers, ranchers, scientists, State officials, and many others have urged the Federal Government to consider invasive species issues a priority and to develop a coordinated national effort to address the problem. In response, the President issued Executive Order 13112 on Invasive Species (Order) in February 1999. The Order established the National Invasive Species Council (Council), co-chaired by the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior; and includes the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and Transportation, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Order directs the Council to form a non-Federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) to advise the …

Pitcher’S Thistle

National Invasive Species Council

What is the Pitcher’s thistle?

Scientific Name

Range

Appearance

Habitat

Reproduction

Why is the Pitcher’s thistle threatened?

Shoreline Development

Road Maintenance and Construction

Shoreline Recreation Activities

What is being done to prevent extinction of the Pitcher’s thistle?

Listing

Landowner Contacts

Project Planning

What can I do to help prevent the extinction of species?

Learn

Plant Natives

Conserve

Asian Carp Management And Control Workshop

National Invasive Species Council

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Columbia Fishery Resources Office and Region 6 Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator co-hosted an Asian Carp Workshop in St. Louis, Missouri on April 19-20, 2000 to initiate the process of gathering input for the development of a Mississippi River Basin Asian Carp Management and Control Plan. The goal of the workshop was to review status, distribution, biology; ecological and economic benefits and impacts of four Asian carp species and identify management and control alternatives to reduce or mitigate these impacts.

Fifty-eight participants from state and federal natural resources agencies, universities and research facilities along with …