Status of Nevada’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program

Jon Sjöberg and Karen Vargas

Nevada Department of Wildlife Fisheries Division

Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners

June 23, 2017

Topics License Simplification for AIS Decal AIS Prevention Program

Stations Inspections and Decontaminations Outreach

Quagga/Zebra Mussel Monitoring Draft AIS Management Plan

Agenda Item #11 Public Review

License Simplification AIS Watercraft Decal

Establishes 2 Categories from 4 Categories Motorized $12.00/year Non-Motorized $5.00/year Revenue Neutral Effective January 1, 2018

NDOW

NDOW@NV State Parks

NDOW @Lake Mead NRA

13 NDOW Stations Visiting 18 Locations 2-3 Rovers 5 w/State Parks 4 LMNRA 2 Roadside

2017 Watercraft Inspection

Stations

Watercraft Inspections and Decontaminations

2016 ~17,000 Inspections ~1000 Decontaminations Stations Open ~2100 Days

2017 (6 months)

~6,000 Inspections ~350 Decontaminations All stations open 7 days/week except

Rye Patch, Laughlin, Topaz and Ely Rover 35 Seasonal AIS Staff

Outreach Decal, Pull Your Plug & Clean, Dry & Drain

Inspectors, Radio, Social Media, Billboards and Rack Cards

Billboards

Quagga/Zebra Mussel Monitoring Biologists Continue to Routinely Monitor for Q/Z No New Q/Z Mussel Detections in Nevada

Colorado River Only from Lake Powell downstream New Q/Z Detections or Suspect Detections in 2016/17

Arizona Texas Montana

AIS Management Plan Agenda Item #11

Purpose of Plan Regional Collaboration Funding/Grants Program Consistency

ANS Task Force NANPCA (1990) & NISA (1996) Federal (13) and Ex-Officio Members (~14) USFWS/NOAA co-chair

Status of Management Plans Yellowstone

Interstate Management Plan

St. Croix Natural Scenic Interstate Management

Plan

Lake Champlain Basin Interstate Management

Plan

Lake Tahoe Interstate Management Plan

Bear Lake Interstate Management Plan

Long Island Interstate Management Plan

G & R: Approved Plan B & Y: Under Development G/B: Conditional Approved

Management Plan Process

Draft plan developed by an expert working group using the ANSTF approved plan format and guidance

ANSTF Preliminary Review Wildlife Commission and Public Review Public Comment is Incorporated into Plan Wildlife Commission Approves

Governor Submits to ANSTF ANSTF Final Approval (~90 days) Coincides with spring/fall meetings

Major Elements of Plan

Established AIS Plan Working Group National Park Service Nevada State Parks Nevada State Lands Bureau of Reclamation Nevada Dept. of Agriculture Division of Environmental Protection US Environmental Protection Agency Southern Nevada Water Authority Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Carson River Subconservancy BLM Others

2 In-house meetings and numerous conference calls

Critical Content of Plan Geographic Scope Authorities and Programs Problem Definition and Ranking of Species and

Pathways Management Approach Plan Oversight and Implementation Gaps and Challenges Public Comments Program Evaluation

Summary and Next Steps Formal plan approval and implementation will provide

several benefits including: Consistent guidance for Nevada’s AIS program(s) into

the future Improved efficiency and coordination with other states

and regional efforts Additional funding opportunities for AIS program

implementation Wildlife Commission and public input will be

incorporated into a final draft plan for Commission consideration at the August 11-12 NBWC meeting