- General guidelines for stopping the spread of invasive species
- Help stop the spread of invasive tunicates
General guidelines for stopping the spread of invasive species
- Fishermen: Dump unwanted bait and packing materials in the trash. Never release live bait, fish, shellfish or the materials in which they are packed into our waters. Clean your waders and other equipment especially the soles of your boots.
- Boaters: Remove any plants and animals from your boat, trailer and other equipment after you take your boat or watercraft out of the water. Clean your hull regularly and repaint with antifouling paint according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Drain all water from the motor into approved drains or on land.
- Divers: You are the underwater eyes for state resource managers. Get training to identify invasive species, report them when you find them, organize eradicate events for your dive club and always be good stewards.
- Aquarium or pond owners: Trade unwanted aquarium fish or plants with friends. Return them to the store where you bought them. Or freeze them and dispose of in the trash. Never dump unwanted aquarium fish or plants into waterways.
- Get involved: Join a volunteer group such as the Pacific Northwest Scuba REEF program or the Nahkeeta Northwest green crab monitoring program to help monitor, control or eradicate aquatic nuisance species.
- Report suspect species:
- Animals (marine and freshwater/terrestrial):
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Phone: 360.902.2700 or e-mail Meachpmm@dfw.wa.gov - Plants (marine and freshwater)
Washington Department of Agriculture
Phone: 360.902.1800 or 360.902.1858 or e-mail JChess@agr.wa.gov - Take a photo of the suspect plant or animal to send with your report. Mark the exact location, date and time.
- Stay informed.
- For more information on keeping non-native species out of the natural environment, visit the Habitattitude™ Web site and Protect Your Waters: Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
Help stop the spread of invasive tunicates
- Remove single tunicates by snipping them off at the base of the stalk. Avoid squeezing them.
- Dispose of tunicates in the garbage. DO NOT drop or release them (or pieces of them) into the water.
- Clean your hull regularly to stop invasive tunicates from spreading. Follow marina or boatyard procedures when cleaning your boat. Reapply anti-fouling paint at intervals recommended by the paint manufacturer.
Report tunicates immediately. Tell your marina operator, call 1.800.54.SOUND or report online. The Puget Sound Partnership is a member of Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers, part of the ANS Task Force public awareness campaign, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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