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On Adobe Connect you can use VOIP or: 1. Call into the meeting 1-866-385-9623 (US) (Call-in toll-free number) 1-443-863-6602 (US) (Call-in number) 2. Enter the access code: 751 091 0623 (Conference code) 3. Please Mute your line if you are not actively speaking 4. A headset is recommended if you use VOIP CISMA Call Agenda

1:30pm Introductions . Rose Godfrey 1:35pm Technical Presentation . Florida’s Non-native Fishes: An Overview – Katie Lawson 1:55pm CISMA Update . Six Rivers CISMA – Rick O’Connor 2:10pm Shoutouts . 3rd Fall HalloWeed Count, 10th FLEPPC CISMA Session, NISAW 2017 . Polls 2:30pm Adjourn This Month’s Call

2nd Call on the new Adobe Connect platform • Same conference Number as before • Same conference code • New link Technical Presentation

Florida’s Non-Native Fish: An Overview Presented by Katie Lawson Non-native fishes in Florida

Katelyn M Lawson and Jeffrey E Hill How did they get here?

• Accidental: • Ballast water/fouling • Escape off farms • Bait bucket • Intentional: • Aquarium/food fish release • Sportfish stocking/movement by anglers • Cultural importance

• Human use is behind most of these vectors. Are they all bad? • Negative effects • Ecological: predation, competition, habitat alteration • Economic: agricultural pests, fisheries impacts, industry • Social: nuisance, human health effects

• Positive effects • Economic: ornamental trade, food fish, sport fishing, weed control • Social: sport fishing, aquarium pets Why so many non-native fish in Florida?

• Large human population • Lots of travel and commerce • Pet trade/ornamental industry • Favorable climate • Diverse habitat, much of it disturbed • Relatively depauperate fauna for the southeast Are they all “invasive”?

Introduction

Successful reproduction & recruitment

Establishment of stable population

Spread Impacts Where are most of these fish?

4 Exotic species established Ex) Common carp, Blue Tilapia 10 Transplant species established Ex) Flathead catfish

20 Exotic species established Ex) Pike killifish, Plecos 5 Transplant species established Ex) Gizzard shad

30 Exotic species established Ex) Bullseye snakehead 2 Transplant species established Ex) Rio Grande Cichlid North Florida

• Many rivers from Alabama and Georgia draining into panhandle • Native fish fauna more diverse than in the rest of Florida

Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris

• Transplanted into rivers in panhandle • Can grow to 120 lbs • Its predation on native bullheads and sunfishes are leading to declines in those species Central Florida: Tampa Bay area • Ornamental fish industry in this part of the state Jack Dempsey Rocio octofasciata

Green swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii Southern Platy Xiphophorus maculatus All three have disjunct populations that do not spread; some appear to be stable.

Mayan Cichlid Pike Killifish Central Florida

Swamp Eel Walking Catfish Monopterus albus Clarias batrachus

• Extreme adaptations: • First observed in 1960s • Air breathers • “walks” during rainy weather • Burrow to survive drought • Predatory • Can survive months w/o food • Makes the news sometimes • Protogynous hermaphrodites • Can infest fish farms: • Can infest fish farms: • Eat fish, not “voracious” though • Eat fish, not “voracious” though • Spines are “traumatogenic” South Florida Bullseye Snakehead Oscar Channa marulius Astronotus ocellatus

• Only in canals of Broward Co. • Popular aquarium fish • Spread is a concern, especially • Grows large and likely to be into Okeechobee released • Predatory • Predatory • Many color variants in trade Looks similar to native bowfin: • Notoriously difficult to electroshock South Florida

Butterfly Peacock Bass Spotted Tilapia Cichla ocellaris Tilapia mariae

• Intentionally stocked in S. • Farm escapement/aquarium Florida canals by FWC in 1964 release potential vectors • Spread is cold-limited • Benthic herbivore • Important recreational fishery • Bi-parental care • Does not compete with bass • Parental care • Common in S. Florida canals • More aggressive than native • Does eat spotted tilapia sunfish Extreme spreaders: state-wide species

Sailfin Catfishes Brown Hoplo Pterygoplichthys sp. Hoplosternum littorale

• Four species, hard to distinguish • First observed in 1995 • Air breathers • Has very rapidly spread • Herbivorous throughout much of the state • Popular aquarium fish (plecos) • Bubble nester • Air breather, benthic scavenger • Have demonstrated impacts • Munching on manatees • Popular food fish in South • Burrowing causes erosion America • Fouling of commercial fishing nets Extreme spreaders: state-wide species

Blue Tilapia African Jewelfish Oreochromis aureus Hemichromis letourneuxi

• Many pathways of introduction • First observed in 1965 in S. • Important food fish for Florida aquaculture, commercial fishery • Spread into central Florida • Here since the 1960s • Smallest non-native cichlid here • Mouthbrooder • Alter habitat by nest building • Very high salinity tolerance • May compete for spawning • Requires lots of vegetation sites • Some impacts on natives Take home

• Non-natives have both costs and benefits • “Invasion” is a complex process • Small proportion of those introduced become invasive • Most impacts are on a local scale • Most non-natives are located in South Florida • Considerable variety of fishes established Questions?

Thanks to: Rose Godfrey Pam Fuller (USGS Nonindigenous Species Database) University of Florida Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory CISMA Update • Six Rivers CISMA • Presented by: Rick O’Connor Rick O’Connor

Florida Sea Grant University of Florida / IFAS Extension Escambia County Florida WHO AM I?

Rick O’Connor Invasive Species - Lionfish Florida Sea Grant Beach Vitex

Tiger Shrimp

Phragmites What are the Six Rivers?

• Tensaw • Perdido • Escambia • Blackwater • Yellow • Choctawhatchee Who Belongs to the Six Rivers? Who Belongs to the Six Rivers? Projects and Issues

• Chinese tallow • Cogon grass • Cuban bulrush • Torpedo grass • Privet • Phragmites • Beach vitex Projects and Issues

• Feral hogs • Lionfish • Tiger shrimp • Formosan termite • Cuban tree frog Projects and Issues

• Habitat RX • NISAW • Native plants • Drones 2016 Workdays

March 26 Americorp and the Blackwater Heritage Trail Beach Vitex

University of West Florida’s Student Environmental Advocate Society 29 known sites in Escambia County 23,073.61 m2 14 sites completely removed (44%) 12 sites in progress (38%) 6 sites no progress (19%) - 3 of those we have had no contact with - 2 we have not begun yet - 1 property owner does not want removed 2016 – 3 work days, will continue in fall Chinese Tallow

Jones Swamp Escambia County Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day

Pensacola LRAD 6000 attended Vendors Celebrity chef’s Kids area Education booths Tournament – 8,089 LF Formosan Termite

FDACS Alate trapping May – June (Swarm season) Correlation with weather? 4 counties – 22 stations White stick paper 16 of 22 tested positive

Source: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Chinese Tallow

Longleaf Alliance Adams Tree Service 5 volunteers

Removed 10 acres of Tallow from the Kelly Plantation in Destin FL July 25-27 Next work day Aug 29-30. Chinese Tallow

Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Longleaf Alliance Habitat RX Tallow removal from the Ferry Park in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. Planned for September Education Efforts 2016

• NISAW • UF/PSC Conclave Mar 5 • Aquatic class for licenses – Mar 11, 17 • LRAD – May 14-15 Future Issues

• Phragmites • Cuban Tree Frog • LLA submitted a RESTORE project for Escambia County Thank you! [email protected] July/August Shout Outs • NC – CISMA House Call • NC – Girl Scout 7/1/2016 Workday 8/1/2016 • CF – Steering • BS - Big Scrub Meeting Committee Meeting 8/4/2016 7/14/2016 • FISP – NE CED Meeting • FCIWG– Beach Vitex 8/9/2016 Workday #1 7/25/2016 • BS – Friday Night • NC – Meeting Naturalist 7/27/2016 • FISP – SFRC Meeting • FCIWG – Beach Vitex 8/18/2016 Workday #2 7/28/2016 HalloWeed Count

• Third Annual Fall HalloWeed Count – October 22, 2016 through November 6, 2016 – Three Weekends. Two Weeks. – The goal is to collect more credible invasive plant observation data into EDDMapS (i.e. invasive plant occurrence recorded and verified as correct). FLEPPC 2017

Time to start planning for the 10th Annual FLEPPC CISMA Session! It’ll be hard but let’s make it the best CISMA Session to date! Accepting Suggestions Now New Reporting Method –Google Form! • To be emailed & embedded on FISP Success Stories page. • Automatically fills a spreadsheet! • So easy it can be done while talking on the phone ;-)

• Friday is the last day to get your information included in the quarterly eNewsletter! NISAW 2017 • National Invasive Species Awareness Week . Save the Date: February 25, 2017 – March 5, 2017 . So many event options to choose from! . Workshops . Webinars . Walkabouts, Oh My! Next Month’s Call

– September 28, 2016 • Weather and Climate Trends in the SE and how it effects Forests and Foresters – Pam Knox • CISMA Update: Suncoast – Cynthia Wheeler Grizzle 2016-2017 CISMA Call Agenda

Suggestions Needed! Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) Monthly Call – Hosted by the Florida Invasive Species Partnership (FISP) participation is voluntary, we promise it will only last 1 hour, and we can guarantee that you will enjoy the conversations

4th Wednesday of Log on through Adobe Connect Every Month at 1:30pm Except November and December Call in with the Conference Line Join the listserv to receive announcements

at: floridainvasives.org Or BOTH!