Bait Worm Packaging as a Conduit for Organism Introductions

Bait Worm Packaging as a Conduit for Organism Introductions: Research and Outreach lead to Policy Considerations Charles Yarish1,2
Nancy Balcom3
Christina Haska4
George Kraemer5
Senjie Lin2
Robert Whitlatch2
Noreen Blaschik2
Huan Zhang2
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT
2Department of Marine Sciences
University of Connecticut, Groton, CT 3Connecticut Sea Grant
University of Connecticut, Groton, CT
4Great Lakes Fisheries Commission
Ann Arbor, MI
5Department of Environmental Studies & Biology
Purchase College, Purchase, NY
Potential Vector for Long Island Sound
• Sand worms and blood worms packaged with Bladder Wrack •
•
(Ascophyllum nodosum) to reduce temperature stress and to prevent desiccation
Also optimizes survival of other organisms contained within/on seaweed (aka epiphytes)
Potential for new introductions if anglers discard box contents into coastal water bodies like Long Island Sound
Bait Worm Industry
• Maine mudflats supply ca. 90% of East Coast bait worms1
• Blood worms & sand worms (Glycera Bangor Daily News
dibranchiata, Nereis virens)
• Harvesting employs ~1000 people
• Hand‐harvested using worm hoe
• Blood worms 431,000 lbs; $5.9M in 20122
• Sand worms 236,000 lbs; $1.3M in 20122
• Seaweed 15M lbs; $.5M in 20122
1www.saltwatersportsman.com/article.jsp?ID=21013090; 2www.maine.gov/dmr/commercialfishing/recentlandings.htm
Mainetravelmaven.com
Part 1 – Research Sampling Methodology
• Purchases of live bait worms • Worms were removed from the from CT & NY retailers examined for invertebrates, macroalgae and harmful, toxin‐
producing microalgae (e.g., HABs)
• Four retail bait shops
– Groton, CT
– Norwalk, CT
– Port Chester, NY
– Glenwood Landing, NY
Ascophyllum packing material
• The seaweed were divided:
– 1/3 for macroalgae
– 1/3 for microalgae
– 1/3 for invertebrates
• Visual and microscopic inspections – invertebrates, macroalgae
• Molecular biological techniques to detect the presence of microalgal cells
• Sampling (18 months)
– twice monthly (June‐Oct)
– bimonthly (Nov‐May)
Experimental Design
MACROALGAE
• Basal, apical, and branch •
portions incubated at 5, 15, and 25°C
After 10 days, examined for growth of epiphytic algae
INVERTEBRATES
All marine invertebrate species were identified and quantified
MICROALGAE
A. nodosum shook in sterile seawater, filtered, incubated at 5, 15, and 25°C
Microscopic analysis DNA Extraction
PCR Analysis
7 HAB (Microalgae) Target Species
Akashiwo
sanguinea
None
Massive Fish Kills
Alexandrium
fundyense
Saxitoxin
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
Karenia brevis
Brevetoxin
Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning
Karlodinium
veneficum
Karlotoxin
Disrupt membrane function
Pseudopfiesteria
shumwayae
Unknown
Skin lesions, memory loss, and
respiratory problems
Pseudonitzschia
multiseries
Neurotoxin
Amnesiac Shellfish Poisoning
Pfiesteria
piscicida
1
Research Findings
Research Findings
• 14 species of brown & green macroalgae and 23 species •
•
•
•
of invertebrates associated with boxes of bait worms
Highly diverse microbial assemblage detected
Two known HAB species – Alexandrium fundyense, and Pseudonitzschia multiseries found both prior to, and after, incubation at various temps
No significant differences between sampling sites throughout two‐year study (NY vs. CT, North vs. South, East vs. West) [t‐test, p> 0.05]
Incubation of samples produced significantly higher number of species detected as compared to initial sampling date [t‐test, p> 0.05]
1Haska et al. 2012. Bait worm packaging as a potential vector of invasive species. Biol. Invasions 14:481‐493.
Highly Diverse Community of
Microorganisms
Thalassiosira
Navicula
Chaetoceros
sp.
sp.
sp.
Cylindrotheca sp.
Cocconeis sp.
20 μm
Research Findings
• Lugol’s‐preserved samples indicated highly diverse •
community of microorganisms contained within or on seaweed packaging material
– Diatoms comprised majority of samples
Sequencing results show clear difference in community structure between two seasons
– Diatoms and ciliates were dominant within summer sample, whereas diatoms were dominant in fall sample
• Two known HAB species – Alexandrium fundyense, and Pseudonitzschia multiseries found both prior to, and after, incubation at various temps
Part 2: Outreach Program for Coastal Anglers
• A pilot outreach program to raise awareness among coastal •
•
anglers that practice of discarding bait box contents, including
seaweed, into Long Island Sound could lead to introductions of organisms
Funding from Long Island Sound Study Futures Fund through National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Partners included CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Marine Fisheries & Boating); US Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Partners Program, Sector LIS; 11 bait retailers; New York Sea Grant
• Multi‐lingual signage •
•
•
posted at coastal access points
CGAUX, DEEP and Sea Grant had displays at fishing and boating shows
Fact sheet, “ruler” stickers for coolers, neck wallets
“Don’t Dump Bait” stickers applied to bait purchases at point‐of‐sale by 10 retailers in 2011 and 5 retailers in 2012. 294 coastal anglers surveyed during summers 2011 and 2012 –
•to document individual practices for disposal of unused live bait and bait packing material at end of fishing trips
•to determine familiarity with outreach campaign materials
Outreach Findings
Do you use live bait, such as sand worms?
2011 N=192
2012 N = 99
(If Yes) What do you do with unused live bait at end of fishing trip?
2011 N=147
2012 N = 85
(If Yes) What do you do with seaweed / packing material that the live worms are packed with?
2011 N=147
2012 N = 80
From Research & Outreach to
Policy Considerations
• Assessment of risks associated with use of non‐native live bait •
•
•
as vectors
Alternative choices of bait box packaging materials Appropriate disposal methods of the seaweed to minimize the transport of species which are not native to receiving coastal waters
Develop system of certification and best practice guidelines for wholesalers and retailers to market ‘‘invasive‐free’’ bait worm products to reduce risk of non‐native and potentially invasive species introductions.
More Musings
• Look for way to minimize risk while avoiding adverse affect on •
•
•
•
•
livelihoods of bait worm and seaweed harvesters in Maine
Co‐PIs (Yarish et al.) seeking support to study efficacy of a dip at the time the distributor sends the bait worms out to different bait & tackle shops
10 ‐ 40 minute dip may be good enough to kill the microalgae –
particularly HABs
Marine macroalage and inverts (smaller ones) will also be affected. Ascophyllum is tough enough to withstand the rinse
Must not adversely affect shelf life of bait worms
Dip, drain and ship
Acknowledgments
Support for the Bait Worm Vector Project
was provided by:
EPA Long Island Sound Study Research
Program
NOAA Connecticut Sea Grant College
Program
UConn Center for Environmental Science and
Engineering
Support for the Coastal Boater / Angler Outreach
Program was provided by:
EPA Long Island Sound Study Futures Fund National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
US Coast Guard Auxiliary
US Coast Guard Sector LIS