Maryland Sea Grant : Coast, Bay & Watershed Issues: Science for Restoration: Non-native Species: AIS Mid-Atlantic Regional Workshop 2009

Introduction

Workshop

Outcomes

Final Report

Aquatic Invasive Species Mid-Atlantic Workshop
Vector Management: A Prevention Solution

Held December 2, 2009
Admiral Fell Inn, Baltimore, Maryland

Vector word cloud On December 2, 2009, Maryland Sea Grant teamed up with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Panel of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to host a workshop focused directly on examining and controlling exotic species vectors. The day-long workshop took place in Baltimore, Maryland, and drew experts from throughout the region and beyond.

Internationally known biologist James Carlton, of Williams College, gave the keynote address. In his talk, he cited numbers of dramatic examples of vectors. He analyzed species found in a variety of locations — on his biology students' boots after a field trip, blue crabs he ordered for dinner, sea squirts for biology experiments, and bait for fishing. He found that 18 unexpected species came with the bait, a dozen species came with the crab, and 104 species came with the sea squirts.

While boots and bait may seem like small vectors, the "hitchhikers" they transport can cause harm over time. They also make Carlton's point that we are a long way from having a complete "vector inventory." Unlike these small sources, one vector that has received a lot of attention is ballast water in ships.

At the workshop a panel of scientists and policy experts addressed how research, regulation, planning, and technology have combined to manage the movement of invasive species through ballast water. These approaches can provide a model for coping with ship fouling and other vectors that marine species might use to travel the seas or the airways or even the footpaths.

A report is now taking shape that will summarize the workshop and set forth a series of actions and timelines for implementing a strategy that will tighten control over vectors that move invasive species around the world. This web site includes information on the workshop, its outcomes, and the report.