Spatial and temporal patterns of biofouling aquatic invasive species in the Salish Sea

• Main Author: Gale, Katie SP
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2022
• Subjects: Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2022ssec/allsessions/295; https://cedar.wwu.edu/context/ssec/article/3457/type/native/viewcontent/GALE_AquaticInvasiveSpecies_SSEC_2022.pptx_AWSAccessKeyId_AKIAYVUS7KB2I6J5NAUO_Signature_01Jtqq5rbr7_2FDhoLmMQZXs00RIU_3D_Expires_1690487936

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) have the potential to result in significant ecological and economic impacts. In the Salish Sea a number of primary and secondary invasion vectors exist including commercial shipping, recreational boating, and aquaculture-related movements that can introduce or spread AIS. An important subset of all AIS in this area are biofouling species, including tunicates and bryozoans, that can outcompete and displace native species. To better understand spatial and temporal patterns of biofouling AIS in the Salish Sea, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has carried out a monitoring program since 2006 – a program that has expanded in scope and scale as partnerships with First Nations, stakeholders, and industry have developed. Here we report on the detection and spread of biofouling AIS, including results from the 2021 field season. To date, this program has identified over a dozen biofouling AIS in the Salish Sea. There has been substantial “localized” spread of many common biofouling AIS over time, particularly for colonial tunicate species, a pattern that isn’t explained by sampling effort alone. Thus, given the life histories of these species, the movement of small vessels and other floating infrastructure is likely a crucial vector facilitating their spread throughout the Salish Sea.