Workgroup Chairs: (link to contact info)

Meetings    View Documents

The Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) WG is a new PNAMP workgroup formed in January 2008.  PNAMP held a work session to identify actions we can take to advance the early detection network for AIS via collaboration with existing monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest.  Specific emphasis was placed on finding actions that assist with implementation of this idea during the 2008 field season.  We also discussed the need for improved coordination among AIS data and information management systems and identified next steps with respect to meeting this need.  The focus was to get beyond identification of general coordination, communication, and data management needs to identify specific near-term actions to improve early detection capabilities.  The work session used two recent pilot efforts to elucidate the issue of incorporating existing aquatic/riparian invasive species surveys into a comprehensive monitoring and information management program and to jump start our conversations by sharing their ‘lessons learned’.  The documents from this meeting can be found here.

Goals and Objectives

• Improve Communication

  • increase awareness about AIS to field crews and agencies

• Improve Prevention Practices

  • all field work should be following an Aquatic Invasive Species Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (AIS HACCP)

  • analog for terrestrial invasive prevention

• Improve Coordination

  • find potential partners in order to use existing monitoring programs to improve early detection capabilities

• Resource Development

  • find AIS experts to provide help to willing monitoring programs by providing tools (informational resources, training, help to modify protocols, etc.)

  • assist interested programs to go beyond ‘opportunistic’ information gathering by amending current protocols to allow rigorous assessment of presence/absence of AIS

  • develop a coordinated approach for information sharing so results can be communicated effectively

• Alter Funding Paradigm

  • identify funding opportunities to support addition of monitoring elements to existing programs