Mississippi State Management Plan for Aquatic Invasive Species Final Draft Management Plan Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality—Henry Folmar and Mike Beiser EPA Gulf of Mexico Program—Phil Bass Mississippi Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force Made possible by a grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Coastal Impact Assistance Program to the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Compiled and written by the Tulane / Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research—Alysia Kravitz Loshbaugh, Richard Campanella, Shelley Meaux, and members of the Mississippi Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force. March 20, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... 8 1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 11 2 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 14 3 Geographic Scope of Plan ................................................................................................................. 16 3.A Physiography and Soils ........................................................................................................... 16 3.B Drainage Basins of Mississippi ................................................................................................ 16 3.B.1 North Independent Streams Basin ............................................................................. 16 3.B.2 Tennessee River Drainage Basin ............................................................................... 18 3.B.3 Yazoo River Drainage Basin ...................................................................................... 18 3.B.4 Tombigbee River Drainage Basin .............................................................................. 18 3.B.5 Big Black River Drainage Basin ................................................................................. 18 3.B.6 Pearl River Drainage Basin ........................................................................................ 18 3.B.7 South Independent Streams Basin ............................................................................. 18 3.B.8 Pascagoula River Drainage Basin .............................................................................. 18 3.B.9 Coastal Streams Drainage Basin ............................................................................... 19 3.B.10 Mississippi River Drainage Basin ............................................................................... 19 3.C Land Cover .............................................................................................................................. 19 4 Problem Definitions ............................................................................................................................ 21 4.A Important Definitions Related to Invasive Species .................................................................. 21 4.B Mechanisms of Introduction ..................................................................................................... 21 4.B.1 Shipping ...................................................................................................................... 21 4.B.2 Boating........................................................................................................................ 25 4.B.3 Natural Disasters ........................................................................................................ 28 4.B.4 Transportation Corridors ............................................................................................. 29 4.B.5 Media: Ballast Water .................................................................................................. 29 4.B.6 Media: Other ............................................................................................................... 31 4.B.7 Introductions: Aquaculture .......................................................................................... 32 4.B.8 Introductions: Fishing ................................................................................................. 33 4.B.9 Introductions: Horticulture........................................................................................... 35 4.B.10 Introductions: Agriculture ............................................................................................ 36 4.B.11 Introductions: Aquarium and Pet Industry .................................................................. 36 4.B.12 Introductions: Other .................................................................................................... 37 4.B.13 Summary of Species Introduction Pathways for Mississippi ...................................... 38 4.C Species of Concern ................................................................................................................. 40 4.C.1 Plants .......................................................................................................................... 40 Mississippi State Management Plan for Aquatic Invasive Species 1 4.C.1.a Extensively Established Species ................................................................... 40 4.C.1.b Locally Established Species or Species of Potential Concern ...................... 42 4.C.2 Finfish ......................................................................................................................... 54 4.C.2.a Extensively Established Species ................................................................... 54 4.C.2.b Locally Established Species or Species of Potential Concern ...................... 61 4.C.3 Mollusks ...................................................................................................................... 63 4.C.3.a Extensively Established Species ................................................................... 63 4.C.3.b Locally Established Species or Species of Potential Concern ...................... 66 4.C.4 Mammals .................................................................................................................... 67 4.C.4.a Extensively Established Species ................................................................... 67 4.C.4.b Locally Established Species or Species of Potential Concern ...................... 68 4.C.5 Other ........................................................................................................................... 68 4.C.5.a Extensively Established Species ................................................................... 68 4.C.5.b Locally Established Species or Species of Potential Concern ...................... 68 4.C.6 Microorganisms .......................................................................................................... 71 4.C.6.a Human Pathogens ......................................................................................... 71 4.C.6.b Fish Pathogens .............................................................................................. 71 4.D Exacerbating Circumstances ................................................................................................... 74 5 State Jurisdictions ............................................................................................................................. 76 5.A Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks ........................................................ 76 5.A.1 General Authority ........................................................................................................ 76 5.A.2 Aquaculture ................................................................................................................ 76 5.A.3 Private Shooting Preserves ........................................................................................ 76 5.A.4 Nutria Control ............................................................................................................. 77 5.A.5 Boating........................................................................................................................ 77 5.B Mississippi Department of Marine Resources ......................................................................... 77 5.B.1 General Authority ........................................................................................................ 77 5.B.2 Coastal Wetland Protection Act .................................................................................. 77 5.B.3 Aquaculture ................................................................................................................ 77 5.B.4 Boating........................................................................................................................ 78 5.C Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce ........................................................... 78 5.C.1 Aquaculture ................................................................................................................ 78 5.C.2 Plant Pests ................................................................................................................. 78 5.D Mississippi State Department of Health .................................................................................. 79 5.E Mississippi