Getting Tough on the Boaters

Officials in the state of Maine announced last week that they're going to be getting a lot stricter about fining boaters who violate the state's laws, requiring them to keep their boats weed-free. As reported by MaineToday.com, the state feels they've spent enough time educating people about how the rules work (get a sticker, clean your boat) - they're ready to enforce! The Maine Warden Service is seeking to remove a restriction in the current legislation that requires them to issue warnings instead of fines if a violator does not have a boat sticker. The article also has a well-written review of other invasive aquatic plant issues in the state, and a "by the numbers" review of the boat inspection program.

Nothing much new

The Telegraph has an excellent article about the red king crabs (Paralithodes camtschatica) invading the waters of Norway, though the report is quite similar to a previous article from 2002.

On a different note, there is also this great article from the New York Times, which discusses the effects that many exotic pets have had following their release/escape into the wilds of Florida. If you register, you can view a short slide show called "Exotic Beasts." Abandoned pet Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are of particular concern in Everglades National Park, which the NYT reports has set up a python hotline. There is a good Miami Herald article on the subject from December 2002.

Cold Turtle Soup?

As reported by VNANet.com, Biologists in Viet Nam were alarmed to discover red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) last week in Hoan Kiem Lake. The turtles, native to America, join eight other turtle species in the lake - 5 of which were introduced by people. Earlier this year, the government made plans to dredge the lake, in an effort to deepen the lake and provide a larger, cleaner turtle habitat. Bonus points to the Vietnam News Agency for using the turtle's scientific name.

If Only It Were Really This Simple

The Exotic Species Program, part of New Hampshire's Department of Environmental Services, has a set of web pages that now features this page (.pdf file) for kids print out and color. It features a split view of a pond, one side healthy and high in biodiversity, the other side bland and filled with non-native milfoil (Myriophyllum spp.). Glad they decided not to draw a triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) in there.

Alaskan Invasion

The Union of Concerned Scientists has published a report about invasive species in the state of Alaska. In it, you'll find general information about invasive species, but also descriptions of species, key pathways of invasion, and stakeholders, all tailored to Alaska. There is also a mini-report about how the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act is important to that state. The pair of reports are the third in a series - you can find links all the reports on this page.

Forget the Groundhog!

This is about 3 weeks too late, but worth posting anyway: Turns out that in Louisiana, rather than relying on the Northeast fave "Punxsutawney Phil," they turn to "Nonc Nutria," or "Uncle Nutria" (Myocastor coypus), for their weather predictions. As reported by The Daily Advertiser, this past Groundhog Day, Nonc Nutria saw his shadow, indicating that the state should be prepared for 6 more weeks of winter.

...@" Snails leave a trail "@... :-)

ONE News is reporting that ship workers in New Zealand discovered giant African land snails (Achatina fulica) and their eggs on the containers of a ship arriving from the Wallis and Futuna Islands. The snails, which were quickly destroyed, have been discovered in the past at other New Zealand ports. Luckily the ship workers were recently accredited by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture's sea container inspection program (some good publicity for the program as well). Giant African land snails not only threaten agricultural crops, they are also known carriers of disease.