Juvenile fish collected (gizzard shad and white perch) during field surveillance efforts of mock AIS rapid response drill (Photo: Denise Clay/USFWS)

Media event held on Day 2 of the rapid response drill (Photo: Denise Clay/USFWS)

Mike Hoff, Region 3 AIS Coordinator for the Service, discusses AIS and agency responsibilities during the media event (Photo: Denise Clay/USFWS)

Electrofishing operations, led by PADEP (Photo: Denise Clay/USFWS)

The Lower Great Lakes Fishery Resources Office (LGLFRO) participated in a 3-day aquatic invasive species (AIS) rapid response table top exercise in Erie, PA.  The event was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Great Lakes National Program Office (USEPA-GLNPO), and a local angling group, Save Our Native Species (S.O.N.S).  Using the national incident command system (ICS), 16 participating agencies used day 1 to establish a mock invasion scenario in Presque-Isle Bay.  In this simulation, a northern snakehead was reported by an angler.  Using ICS, the group developed appropriate planning and operations teams, identified roles, and conducted field surveillance in the bay for additional specimens during day 2.  Field surveillance efforts for the mock drill included electrofishing and bottom trawling within the bay.  LGLFRO provided their 22' Boston Whaler as well as bottom trawling gear and crew for support of the field efforts.  Day 2 also included a press event with interviews of Service, PADEP, and EPA-GLNPO staff describing the event.  On day 3, participants evaluated the event.  While several areas of improvement were identified during the debriefing, the ICS structure provided a consistent framework to address the rapid response needs.