Please post to this page your Roundtable updates so that those not at the meeting will be able to read them and to keep the meeting summaries concise.
Thank you.
Michele L. Tremblay
Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel Forum
published by and for the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel
Please post to this page your Roundtable updates so that those not at the meeting will be able to read them and to keep the meeting summaries concise.
Thank you.
Michele L. Tremblay
New Brunswick, Canada Updates
– Here in NB, Zebra Mussels have the spotlight in terms of funded projects.
– Zebra Mussel have been detected as far down as Mactaquac, in the main stem of the Wolastoq (Saint John River).
– It has not been detected outside of the main stem, at this time.
– We have been working on numerous monitoring operations over the course of the last 3 years with our project partners, including eDNA, installing settlement plates, veliger tows, and dock inspections.
– We operated a mobile decontamination unit from July – October 2024, attending various fishing derbies, public events and set up at local boat launches. We engaged with ~500 individuals and decontaminated ~175 boats.
– The plan is to have the unit in operation from mid May – October 2025, increasing the number of people reached and boats decontaminated.
– We have developed a visual survey protocol for Zebra Mussel and also a provincial Boat Wash Strategy as a guidance document for the installation of more washing infrastructure.
– We have just received word on our funding for this year through DFO’s Habitat Stewardship Aquatics Program and the NB Environmental Trust Fund, which will enable us to continue our work on Zebra Mussel and expand monitoring to other lakes and river systems in the province.
– We are always on the lookout for new detections of species on our radar.
– Our focus has been primarily on freshwater, but we hope to take on some coastal projects in the coming years, depending on funding availability.
– We have a iNaturalist Project if folks would like to see what invasives are in NB, and follow along.
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/invasive-species-in-new-brunswick
– More information about our organization and our work can be found on our website and social media platforms:
@nbinvasives or https://www.nbinvasives.ca/
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC) Aquatic Invasive Species Program Updates
Program/Staff Updates
-VTDEC hired a new Lakes & Ponds Program Manager, Jenny Austin, who has been assisting the AIS Program to advocate for the program to improve the operations and workload. One of the projects Jenny will be working on is outsourcing the ANC Grant in Aid administration and Jenny & Kim will be reaching out to other states to share ideas on grant sourcing and administration.
-The AIS Program no longer oversees the Aquatic Nuisance Control Permits that were under the umbrella of the program for two years. With that, loss of a full-time staff person.
– Three full-time staff make up the program, Kim Jensen, who manages the program; Lizzy Gallagher, who works 50% on AIS focusing on AIS Surveys and the Vermont Invasive Patroller Program and 50% on the statewide cyanobacteria program; and Izzy Anderson, who with LCBP financial support and joined in October, 2024, will be coordinating the water chestnut program and other Champlain Basin activities.
– Four seasonal technicians and one intern will be joining the team to assist with many tasks and responsibilities of the program.
– Work is ongoing with SOV Agencies to amend the Motorboat Registration fee allocations to meet the US Coast Guard regulations.
Aquatic Invasive Species Decontamination Stakeholder Group: Based on the challenges that arose with the new Wakesports Rule that require wakeboats to be decontaminated though lacking the services statewide, the Lakes and Ponds Program is facilitating an extensive stakeholder process examining holistic program alternatives for the entire watercraft inspection and decontamination program. The Federation of Lakes and Ponds, LCBP, and other partners has been meaningfully involved in this process, which began in November 2024 and is ongoing. A report and recommendations for DEC review is anticipated by late May or early June 2025. The third stakeholder meeting was held on April 3rd and focused on plans for this upcoming boating season. The next meeting planned for May will refocus more on long-term program alternatives.
2025 Aquatic Nuisance Control Grant-in-Aid Program: This program provides financial assistance to municipalities and agencies in Vermont for managing aquatic invasive and nuisance species. Funding comes from motorboat registration fees and federal funds. The program prioritizes projects addressing new infestations, preventing further spread, and recurring maintenance. Local groups must apply through their municipality. The Lakes and Ponds Aquatic Invasive Species team reviewed 65 project proposals the first and second week of April. All eligible project proposals were selected to receive an award. Award notifications will be sent to applicants around the third week of April. A total of $1,884,962 worth of funds were requested out of $850,000 available. Of the $101,138 requested for Education, Outreach or Survey projects, $100,000 was awarded for seven projects. Of the $798,660 requested for Greeter projects, $500,000 was awarded to 32 projects. Of the $985,164 total requested for Management Program projects, $240,000 was awarded for 24 projects.
Aquatic Plant Control Program with Army Corps of Engineers: VTDEC, LCBP, and partners have been developing a new plan to expand the Aquatic Plant Control Program from Lake Champlain Basin to the entire State of Vermont and held a public meeting which was well-received. At this time, however, the funds for the program may not be available. VTDEC & LCBP is hopeful that the consistent annual funds that VTDEC has been receiving will continue for the Lake Champlain Water Chestnut Management Program. The forty-year program for Lake Champlain Water Chestnut Management Program was reviewed by LimnoTech, and the favorable Technical Report and Story Map can be viewed here: https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds/aquatic-invasives/aquatic-invasive-species-management-and-control
New AIS Infestations:
-EWM found in Joe’s Pond, Danville spurred a conversation to incorporate aquatic herbicide use as an EDRR tool to eradicate the species. Currently, herbicide is used as a last resort. VTDEC is hopeful that this conversation may lead to permitting improvements for newly introduced AIS in un-infested waterbodies. Vermont has 105 waterbodies out of 800+ with EWM.
-Zebra mussels were confirmed in USA Memphremagog, reaching to Newport, through physical dive surveys and veliger surveys and analysis. Surveys will continue to understand the population extent and density throughout the waterbody. Planning to place decontamination units at Memphremagog locations is also underway.
-New water chestnut population have been found in Champlain bays and wetlands, VTDEC continues its efforts to monitor, survey, and harvest these locations in wide-scale operations with many partners.
State of Maine Roundtable
NEANS April 2025 Virtual Meeting
Maine Department of Environmental Protection; John McPhedran
See below for Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife updates
Infestations
New infestations of aquatic invasive plants in Maine were all swollen bladderwort which was added to Maine’s list of aquatic invasive plants in 2023. Interactive map of infestations here: https://maine.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=126b9dbc59f44f969f74739bc9bc4ade
Funding
Previously reported state dedicated funding increase started in CY 2025. The 2025 funding increase will be followed by another increase in 2028. This bill became law April 10, 2024.
Increased fees to motorized watercraft:
Instate Out of State
Current $15 $45
Starting 2025 $25 $60
Starting 2028 $35 $75
The bill also adjusted the distribution of revenue to Maine DEP and Maine DIFW.
The previous distribution was:
-80% to DEP and 20% to DIFW
-Starting 2025 the distribution is 70% to DEP and 30% to DIFW
DEP Revenue 2025-2027 ~$2,107,052
DIFW Revenue 2025-2027 ~$903,022
DEP Revenue starting 2028 ~ $2,898,937
DIFW Revenue starting 2028 ~ $1,242,402
DEP is grateful for annual USFWS grants to support the state Action Plan.
Boat Inspections
2024 boat inspections
• 91,612 watercraft inspected
• 90% of registered boats had sticker
• 57 CBI Programs + 43 Bass Clubs conducted inspections
• 585 CBI and bass inspectors worked total of 50,437 hours
• 169 access sites on 113 waterbodies had inspections
• 21 infested waters had inspections at one or more access points
• 2,475 inspections (2.9% of all inspections inspections) yielded plant fragments
• Of those, 107 (4.3%) were saves mostly on boats leaving infested waters
Grants to lake groups in 2025
2025 grant awards
• Boat inspections: Total of $395,900
Plant removal:
• Total grant funds to be used in 2025:
$724,368.71
• 571,902.16 of this was awarded in 2025
• 152,466.55 was awarded
in 2024 as part of 2-year grants
Spread Prevention
Continuing work with contractor (Action Research) to develop approaches to improve spread prevention in the state by reducing barriers to taking steps needed.
Manual Plant Removal Training
Change in how manual removal training will occur:
-DEP oversees with collaboration from LSM and Aqualogic
-webinar on plant habitat and taxonomy (DEP and LSM)
-in-water training for manual removal (run by Aqualogic) is PADI specialty course
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife updates
Dakota Stankowski
• Over the fall and winter of 2024, the Department contracted with a retired IFW Wildlife Biologist to develop an assessment of the zebra mussel situation in, at the time only Lake Témiscouata located in Quebec. The report included a list of recommended actions that the Department has since used to guide actions since the onboarding of the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator in May 2023.
• Worked with IFW’s Division of Information & Education on outreach through email, on social media, and on the Department’s webpage. I & E still routinely updates webpages on zebra mussels as needed and sends out information on the Department’s settling plate project in addition to general clean, drain, and dry content that sometimes features zebra mussels in particular.
• Summer 2023 conducted an environmental DNA pilot program on 11 waterbodies in Aroostook County including 10 lakes and 1 river system. No positive detections. Waterbodies chosen based on proximity to St. John & suitability for zebra mussels, in addition to a consideration for use/public access, and the native fish & wildlife resources present.
• Summer 2024 conducted eDNA sampling at multiple sites each on the St. John River, Fish River, Aroostook River, Fish River Chain of Lakes. No detections with the exception of the sample sites downstream of Madwaska, ME on the mainstem of the St. John River. These positives were anticipated given the New Brunswick work in 2023 and 2024 resulting in positive eDNA detections and confirmed presence of veligers through larval sampling in the same downstream extent of the mainstem of the St. John.
• Summer 2024 started an initial, very small pilot project with volunteers constructing or purchasing their own zebra mussel settling plates. Limited involvement as plates had to be supplied by the individuals, no potential detections.
• Summer 2024 worked with the Maine IFW Warden Service to conduct on the ground outreach and education about zebra mussels during a weekend fishing derby that takes place on the mainstem of the St. John River.
• Summer 2025 currently planning to continue zebra mussel eDNA sample collection in a number of lakes and rivers, again primarily within the St. John watershed and waters deemed to be moderately or highly vulnerable based on calcium and alkalinity.
• Summer 2025 will also have an expanded settling plate program – volunteers on priority waters first have been given a chance to maintain a settling plate provided by the Department. Volunteers begin picking up their plates next week from IFW offices (week of May 5th). Volunteers not on priority waters are secondarily being given an opportunity to maintain settling plates, prioritized based on water chemistry, usage, access, and fish & wildlife resources. The Department will be supplying a total of up to 100 plates this summer (thanks to the ANS grant 😊)
• Working on the Interagency Task Force on Invasive Aquatic Plants and Nuisance Species Rapid Response Plan for Invasive Fish and Other Fauna in the coming year to add in rapid response options for invasive aquatic wildlife that currently are not addressed in the original plan, including zebra mussels.
• With AIS program expansion within IFW due to an increase in the dedicated revenue from the Lake & River Protection sticker, expanding monitoring programs in the next couple of years to include veliger monitoring & detection (larval tows). Also hope to use the additional capacity to increase the number of waters we have calcium & alkalinity data to increase our understanding of the vulnerability of Maine waters.
Here are some generalized updates for New Brunswick, specific to the Bay of Fundy in the marine space: Sea vomit, an invasive sea squirt, has been increasing in prevalence in the Bay of Fundy, especially around Deer Island. A three year study is being led by Huntsman Marine Science Centre (Dr. Claire Goodwin), the University of New Brunswick and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to quantify and track its spread. A local fishing association (Fundy North Fishing Association) has obtained an experimental fishing permit for green crab. Green crab fishing has been permitted in Nova Scotia for many years but launching this fishery has taken more convincing in New Brunswick. DAAF assists with deploying and collecting invasive species collectors annually, often on various types of aquaculture cages and these collectors are provided to DFO for analysis.
USACE CT River Hydrilla Research & Demonstration project update
Progress (FY24 & FY25):
• Fostering Collaboration: We brought together agencies, businesses, universities, and the public in collaborative focus groups. This ensured everyone was informed and involved in developing the latest technical updates on research, management, and education efforts.
• Advancing Management Solutions: Our in-depth research across 8 Connecticut River locations provided critical insights into the biology and management of the new hydrilla strain under various real-world scenarios.
• Delivering Effective Solutions: We rigorously tested new management techniques at 5 locations, carefully documenting their impact. Our field demonstrations identified 4 specific approaches that achieved over 90% initial control without harming other plants.
• Sharing Key Findings: We’ve compiled a clear technical summary of the results from our first year of on-the-ground testing, making this vital information readily accessible. Expected to be released in the fall 2025
• Expanding the research and demonstration project from the state of CT north into the state of MA during the summer of 2025. Field demonstrations using dye in the river is anticipated.
Future Action (FY26):
• Continuing Collaborative Partnerships: We will continue to actively engage our focus groups to ensure that hydrilla management strategies and future research are well-informed and aligned with stakeholder needs.
• Scaling Up Proven Solutions: We are prepared to significantly expand our field verification studies from 5 to 14 locations in CT and one location in MA. This will allow us to further validate and refine effective management techniques in diverse settings.
• Optimizing Management Techniques: We will broaden our research into the biology and management of the new hydrilla strain. This will lead to the development of even more effective and targeted management approaches.
• Supporting Responsible Permitting: To aid state decisions, we will collect crucial data on how herbicides affect native plant species of special concern identified by the CT DEEP.
*Note: FY25 activities are being rescoped to match available funding
CT State Update
NEANS Panel April 30, 2025
By Greg Bugbee, Summer Weidman, Jeremiah Foley, Riley Doherty
Office of Aquatic Invasive Species
Nearly 60% of 286 surveyed waterbodies in Connecticut contain one or more invasive aquatic plant species. The most common are Eurasian watermilfoil (66 waterbodies), curlyleaf pondweed (45 waterbodies), variable-leaf watermilfoil (44 waterbodies), fanwort (33 waterbodies), water chestnut (32 waterbodies), and northern hydrilla (Connecticut River and 10 other waterbodies).
Connecticut River hydrilla, now officially named Northern hydrilla, dominates Connecticut’s aquatic plant management concerns. The unique strain infests the river from Agawam, MA southward to within a few miles of Long Island Sound. The spread of Connecticut River hydrilla to lakes and ponds continued in 2024. With Pachaug Pond in Griswold, CT, Gardner Lake in Montville, CT, Bashan Lake in East Haddam, CT, and Holbrook Pond in East Hampton, CT added to the list. This brings the total number of infested waterbodies outside the river system to ten. Many of these populations are adjacent to public boat ramps. Connecticut River hydrilla was found in East Twin Lake Salisbury, CT in 2023. Multiple herbicide applications have been performed to with promising results. Led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in conjunction with the CT Office of Aquatic Invasive Species (OAIS), herbicide trials with diquat, endothall, and ProcellaCOR occurred at five hydrilla locations in the Connecticut River. Results were promising with the added benefit of ProcellaCOR reducing water chestnut in the treated sites. OAIS has successfully received colonies of the Asian hydrilla leaf-mining fly (Hydrellia pakistanae) from the USACE. Laboratory trials are underway to assess the fly’s potential as a biological control agent for Connecticut River hydrilla. Field trials are planned for 2026.
CT DEEP awarded $400,000 in grants to 12 projects through the Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program. The protocol for obtaining these funds in 2025 will change from a mandatory fee on boat registrations to a separate fee paid much like a fishing license. Whether this mechanism results in a change in revenue is to be determined. OAIS is working with USACE to provide 50/50 cost share funds as early as next year.
Nova Scotia AIS Updates
-smallmouth bass and chain pickerel have expanded their range in the province, which acted as a tipping point for the Province to implement mandatory retention of these species captured via angling. Details are available here: https://novascotia.ca/fish/sportfishing/resource-management/ais/?wbdisable=true#:~:text=Mandatory%20retention&text=It%20is%20mandatory%20to%20retain,Ross%20Road)%20near%20Upper%20Lawrencetown.
-We created a Nova Scotia Marine AIS Committee that has multiple levels of government and academic participants. The committee’s goals are to share knowledge transparently between AIS managers, spark collaboration between AIS project leads, and optimize resources through decreasing duplicative efforts and increasing resource sharing.
-The Nova Scotia Zebra Mussel Prevention Group was established. Under this working group, participants collected water chemistry data to fill data gaps, surveyed at-risk lakes for zebra mussel presence/absence with eDNA and video surveys, conducted public education and outreach events, offered boat cleaning and decontamination services at fishing events, and developed a species distribution model for Atlantic Canada to predict zebra mussel invasions.
-Two horizon scan projects (one for marine species and one for freshwater species) led to the development of 2 watchlists, both were accepted for publication and will soon be available.
-eDNA surveys for invasive freshwater fish were completed throughout the province, with an emphasis on priority areas (i.e. St. Mary’s River Watershed and East River-Pictou Watershed). We also provided external partners with eDNA training, survey planning assistance, and advice on equipment use and lab analyses.
-Marine AIS surveys consisted of DFO’s annual biofouling plate monitoring program, eDNA with both targeted qPCR for ~8 priority species and metabarcoding for watchlist species, dive surveys, and underwater videography.
-Student Research Projects: A stable isotope food web study was completed on the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) population in Three Mile Lake, Windsor Junction, NS. More details on the project are available here: https://www.ap.smu.ca/~lcampbel/Crayfish.html
-Pilot Projects: (1) Small pilot study for marine AIS hull fouling was conducted at marinas, yacht clubs, and smallcraft harbours near Halifax. (2) A pilot project on AIS species contamination and misidentification in the aquarium trade was completed at ~10 aquarium retailers throughout Nova Scotia.
-New Species Detections: Marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) found in private ponds in Yarmouth county, ribbed bryozoan (Juxtacribrilina mutabilis) found throughout Atlantic Canada, Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum) found in Halifax Harbour.
-Species Eradication Projects: The Halifax Regional Municipality was authorized under s.19 of the Aquatic Invasive Species Regulation to use ProcellaCOR for the attempted eradication of invasive yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata) in Little Albro Lake, Dartmouth, NS.
New York State AIS Updates
-Management of hydrilla continues in Cayuga Lake at Sheldrake Point, South Cayuga Inlet, Aurora, and Lansing this season.
-The second season of the hydrilla eradication project for the Erie Canal will start soon.
-eDNA and traditional gear sampling for round goby in Upper Hudson and Champlain Canal area began in mid-April and will continue through November.
-eDNA sampling in the main stem of the Delaware River to track the distribution of Northern Snakehead will occur soon to supplement information from last year’s survey of the West and East Branch.
-Restoration projects in Croton River (Westchester County) and the Erie Canal will continue along with propagation of native plants.
-Water chestnut removal efforts in the Mohawk River, Hudson River, Three Rivers, Lake Champlain, and Long Island will continue with additional input from our Regional AIS Teams
-The water soldier infestation found in Westchester County late last season has survived the winter. Hand removal efforts and monitoring are slated to begin in early May.
-A pilot study of zoochorous transport of invasive plants by waterfowl will take place June-September.
-Collaboration with NYSDOH, UGA, NJWSA, NJDEP, will focus on characterizing the epiphytic cyanobacteria Aetokthonos hydrillicola and developing a rapid field detection test for the toxins it produces. One manuscript is already in progress.
-A manuscript involving high level analysis and trends in NYS watercraft inspection steward program data is currently in review.
-The NYS Hydrilla Management Plan should be completed soon.
-The pilot Life Release Outreach Program in NYC continues while pet shop and dive shop outreach is being finalized.
-AIS Team members are currently submitting abstracts for presentations and workshops for 3rd Biennial NYS IS Expo.