Bait Worm Packaging as a Conduit for Organism Introductions: Research and Outreach lead to Policy Considerations

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1 Bait Worm Packaging as a Conduit for Organism Introductions: Research and Outreach lead to Policy Considerations Charles Yarish 1,2 Nancy Balcom 3 Christina Haska 4 George Kraemer 5 Senjie Lin 2 Robert Whitlatch 2 Noreen Blaschik 2 Huan Zhang 2 1 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT 2 Department of Marine Sciences University of Connecticut, Groton, CT 3 Connecticut Sea Grant University of Connecticut, Groton, CT 4 Great Lakes Fisheries Commission Ann Arbor, MI 5 Department of Environmental Studies & Biology Purchase College, Purchase, NY

2 Potential Vector for Long Island Sound Sand worms and blood worms packaged with Bladder Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) to reduce temperature stress and to prevent desiccation Also optimizes survival of other organisms contained within/on seaweed (aka epiphytes) Potential for new introductions if anglers discard box contents into coastal water bodies like Long Island Sound

3 Bait Worm Industry Maine mudflats supply ca. 90% of East Coast bait worms 1 Blood worms & sand worms (Glycera dibranchiata, Nereis virens) Harvesting employs ~1000 people Hand harvested using worm hoe Blood worms 431,000 lbs; $5.9M in Sand worms 236,000 lbs; $1.3M in Seaweed 15M lbs; $.5M in Bangor Daily News Mainetravelmaven.com

4 Part 1 Research Sampling Methodology Purchases of live bait worms from CT & NY retailers examined for invertebrates, macroalgae and harmful, toxinproducing microalgae (e.g., HABs) Four retail bait shops Groton, CT Norwalk, CT Port Chester, NY Glenwood Landing, NY Sampling (18 months) twice monthly (June Oct) bimonthly (Nov May) Worms were removed from the Ascophyllum packing material The seaweed were divided: 1/3 for macroalgae 1/3 for microalgae 1/3 for invertebrates Visual and microscopic inspections invertebrates, macroalgae Molecular biological techniques to detect the presence of microalgal cells

5 Experimental Design MACROALGAE Basal, apical, and branch portions incubated at 5, 15, and 25 C After 10 days, examined for growth of epiphytic algae MICROALGAE A. nodosum shook in sterile seawater, filtered, incubated at 5, 15, and 25 C INVERTEBRATES All marine invertebrate species were identified and quantified Microscopic analysis DNA Extraction PCR Analysis

6 7 HAB (Microalgae) Target Species Akashiwo sanguinea Alexandrium fundyense Karenia brevis Karlodinium veneficum Pfiesteria piscicida Pseudopfiesteria shumwayae Pseudonitzschia multiseries None Saxitoxin Brevetoxin Karlotoxin Unknown Neurotoxin Massive Fish Kills Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning Disrupt membrane function Skin lesions, memory loss, and respiratory problems Amnesiac Shellfish Poisoning

7 Research Findings 1 14 species of brown & green macroalgae and 23 species of invertebrates associated with boxes of bait worms Highly diverse microbial assemblage detected Two known HAB species Alexandrium fundyense, and Pseudonitzschia multiseries found both prior to, and after, incubation at various temps No significant differences between sampling sites throughout two year study (NY vs. CT, North vs. South, East vs. West) [t test, p> 0.05] Incubation of samples produced significantly higher number of species detected as compared to initial sampling date [t test, p> 0.05] 1 Haska et al Bait worm packaging as a potential vector of invasive species. Biol. Invasions 14:

8 Highly Diverse Community of Microorganisms 20 μm Thalassiosira Navicula Chaetoceros sp. sp. Cylindrotheca sp. sp. Cocconeis sp.

9 Research Findings Lugol s preserved samples indicated highly diverse community of microorganisms contained within or on seaweed packaging material Diatoms comprised majority of samples Sequencing results show clear difference in community structure between two seasons Diatoms and ciliates were dominant within summer sample, whereas diatoms were dominant in fall sample Two known HAB species Alexandrium fundyense, and Pseudonitzschia multiseries found both prior to, and after, incubation at various temps

10 Part 2: Outreach Program for Coastal Anglers A pilot outreach program to raise awareness among coastal anglers that practice of discarding bait box contents, including seaweed, into Long Island Sound could lead to introductions of organisms Funding from Long Island Sound Study Futures Fund through National Fish & Wildlife Foundation Partners included CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Marine Fisheries & Boating); US Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Partners Program, Sector LIS; 11 bait retailers; New York Sea Grant

11 Multi lingual signage posted at coastal access points CGAUX, DEEP and Sea Grant had displays at fishing and boating shows Fact sheet, ruler stickers for coolers, neck wallets Don t Dump Bait stickers applied to bait purchases at point of sale by 10 retailers in 2011 and 5 retailers in 2012.

12 294 coastal anglers surveyed during summers 2011 and 2012 to document individual practices for disposal of unused live bait and bait packing material at end of fishing trips to determine familiarity with outreach campaign materials

13 Outreach Findings Do you use live bait, such as sand worms? 2011 N= N = 99

14 (If Yes) What do you do with unused live bait at end of fishing trip? (If Yes) What do you do with seaweed / packing material that the live worms are packed with? 2011 N= N = N= N = 80

15 From Research & Outreach to Policy Considerations Policy Considerations Assessment of risks associated with use of non native live bait as vectors Alternative choices of bait box packaging materials Appropriate disposal methods of the seaweed to minimize the transport of species which are not native to receiving coastal waters Develop system of certification and best practice guidelines for wholesalers and retailers to market invasive free bait worm products to reduce risk of non native and potentially invasive species introductions.

16 More Musings Look for way to minimize risk while avoiding adverse affect on livelihoods of bait worm and seaweed harvesters in Maine Co PIs (Yarish et al.) seeking support to study efficacy of a dip at the time the distributor sends the bait worms out to different bait & tackle shops minute dip may be good enough to kill the microalgae particularly HABs Marine macroalage and inverts (smaller ones) will also be affected. Ascophyllum is tough enough to withstand the rinse Must not adversely affect shelf life of bait worms Dip, drain and ship

17 Acknowledgments Support for the Bait Worm Vector Project was provided by: EPA Long Island Sound Study Research Program NOAA Connecticut Sea Grant College Program UConn Center for Environmental Science and Engineering Support for the Coastal Boater / Angler Outreach Program was provided by: EPA Long Island Sound Study Futures Fund - National Fish & Wildlife Foundation US Coast Guard Auxiliary US Coast Guard Sector LIS