Lake Superior Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Binational Program Complete Prevention Plan Round Goby Eurasian Ruffe New Zealand Mudsnail Purple Loosestrife Zebra Mussels Sea Lamprey Eurasian Watermilfoil Prepared by The Lake Superior Work Group of the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan January 2014 Cover photo credits, clockwise from left: Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Gary Cholwek, U.S. Geological Service; Amy Benson, U.S. Geological Survey; Alison Fox, University of Florida; Lee Emery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Norman Rees, USDA Agricultural Research Service; and (center) Dan Gustafson, Montana State University. Suggested citation: Lake Superior Binational Program. Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan. January 2014. Available at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/lakesuperior/index.html. Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan, January 2014 i TABLE OF CONTENTS NOTE TO READER ........................................................................................................ iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... vi LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................... viii 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE PLAN ......................................................................... 1 1.2 HISTORY OF THE PLAN .......................................................................... 2 2.0 BACKGROUND ON AIS IN LAKE SUPERIOR .................................................. 5 2.1 SPECIES ................................................................................................... 5 2.2 ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS ........................................................................... 7 2.3 ECONOMIC EFFECTS .............................................................................. 8 3.0 VECTORS AND PATHWAYS FOR AIS IN LAKE SUPERIOR ........................... 10 3.1 VECTOR AND PATHWAY DEFINITION ................................................. 11 3.2 PRIORITIZATION OF AIS PATHWAYS INTO LAKE SUPERIOR ........... 25 4.0 MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR INTERRUPTING THE PATHWAYS ...... 28 4.1 LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND AGREEMENTS ....................................... 28 4.2 INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION........................................................ 38 4.3 MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND GUIDANCE ................................. 41 4.4 EDUCATION AND INFORMATION ......................................................... 43 4.5 SOURCES OF SUPPORT FOR AIS PROGRAMS .................................. 45 5.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................... 47 5.1 RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES ............................................................ 47 5.2 REPORTING ........................................................................................... 60 5.3 FURTHER EFFORTS .............................................................................. 60 6.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 61 APPENDIX A: BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS IN THE GREAT LAKES ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY SYSTEM .............................................................. A-1 APPENDIX B: U.S. AND CANADIAN FEDERAL STATUTES RELATED TO AIS ...... B-1 APPENDIX C: STATE AND PROVINCIAL CODES AND STATUTES RELATED TO AIS ............................................................................................................................. C-1 Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan, January 2014 ii Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan Note to Reader January 2014 The Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan (the Plan) is an expression of the best professional judgment of the members of the Lake Superior Task Force as to what is necessary to protect Lake Superior from new aquatic invasive species. The Plan is based on sound science and underwent extensive reviews, including an expert technical review involving external and agency experts, an agency review by agencies involved with Lake Superior, and a broad Great Lakes stakeholder review. The reviews generated a significant number of comments, which were taken under advisement and incorporated into the Plan, as appropriate. The Plan identifies recommended actions to prevent new aquatic invasive species from entering Lake Superior. We agree with these recommendations and encourage all stakeholders to pursue implementation actions as well as to report progress. A commitment to seek implementation of the Plan’s recommendations does not signify a commitment of resources to any specific action by any agency. Rather, it signifies a commitment to promote coordinated actions that will protect Lake Superior from the devastating effects of additional aquatic invasive species that can irrevocably harm the ecosystem. The role of the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan and Program will be to: set common goals consistent with the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; support local implementation; support public outreach and education; and report on current conditions, trends and progress. The success of the Plan and, thus, the protection of Lake Superior, will depend on the commitment from U.S. and Canadian agencies, organizations, stakeholders and jurisdictions. A draft of the Plan has been available since 2010, and implementation of the recommended actions has been ongoing. While not all parts of the Plan have been updated since the draft was published, the pathways for introduction and the recommendations for preventing invasions remain relevant. The Plan is now considered finalized. Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan, January 2014 iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Situated at the head of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, a 2,342 mile long (3,700 km) water navigation system connected to global trade, Lake Superior is at risk for continued invasion by aquatic invasive species (AIS), including plants, animals, and microscopic organisms. As of April 2010, 89 non-native aquatic species have been found in Lake Superior. These include Eurasian watermilfoil, sea lamprey, and most recently, the fish disease Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS). AIS have caused devastating economic and ecosystem effects that impart significant losses to the region in the form of damage and control costs, degraded water quality, job losses, declining property values, compromised native species, decreased biodiversity, and other negative impacts. This Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan outlines recommended actions that need to be newly implemented, in addition to existing efforts, to prevent new aquatic invasive species from entering and becoming established in the Lake Superior ecosystem. Through the process of developing this plan, Canadian and U.S. government agencies involved in the Lake Superior Lakewide Action and Management Plan (LAMP) have consulted broadly and have developed recommendations for consideration by each jurisdiction. However, citizens, organizations and government agencies in both Canada and the United States need to work together to implement the recommended actions and ensure that protecting Lake Superior from new invasive species is a top priority for all. The Lake Superior LAMP will utilize an adaptive management approach to monitoring implementation progress and overall effectiveness of this prevention plan. Key recommended actions for the United States and Canada include: Implement compatible, federal regulatory regimes for ballast water discharge that are protective of the Great Lakes for both the U.S. and Canada. Support the development, testing and implementation of effective ballast treatment systems that meet the operational characteristics of Great Lakes ships. Establish federal screening processes for organisms in trade to classify species into three lists: prohibited, permitted, and conditionally prohibited/permitted. o Establish an immediate moratorium on the trade of prohibited species. o Consider the concept of a “Certified Pathogen-Free through Raising from Seed” category for plants sold through garden centers and nurseries. o Expand or implement education programs to increase consumer awareness of the risk of AIS. Require permits for shoreline restoration projects, which identify AIS introduction issues and include best management practices and restrictions that minimize the potential for introducing invasive species. o Implement education programs to raise awareness of the issue and promote compliance with prevention actions among contractors and residents. Ensure that existing laws prohibiting the sale of invasive species are enforced for on-line and mail order purchases of aquatic plants. Lake Superior Aquatic Invasive Species Complete Prevention Plan, January 2014 iv To prevent the illegal transport of bait across the U.S./Canadian border and on shared waters, ensure effective education and prevention efforts at border crossings and at retail bait shops, and conduct monitoring to gauge the effectiveness of such efforts. Make AIS prevention education, regulation, and enforcement a priority in all