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| How
You Can Help Detect New Invasions |
Familiarize yourself
with the "least wanted invaders" described in this booklet.
Review this booklet regularly.
Bring this booklet
with you and keep your eyes open for these species when you are
in aquatic habitats in the Monterey Bay region.
If you find something
closely resembling one of the least wanted invaders, carefully
collect a single voucher specimen (or at least take a photo or
careful descriptive notes), and write down your exact location.
Immediately contact
the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve at (831)
728-2822 to report sightings of any of these species; explicitly
state that you are making an "urgent invasive report".
Bring your voucher
specimen to the Reserve (or arrange for it to be picked up at
your convenience) for confirmation of the identification.
By participating
in this early detection program, you will help to protect our
rich coastal ecosystems from aquatic invasions by non-native species.
The Monterey Bay
is the focus of this program, but we welcome reports from as far
south as Morro Bay and as far north as Moss Beach.
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| How
You Can Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species |
Make sure to dispose
of unused fishing bait properly (in garbage cans, not aquatic
habitats).
Never dump aquarium
contents into natural waterways or drainages that feed into them.
When possible, clean
boats and trailers before moving them between different areas
(in particular, before bringing a badly fouled boat from a highly
invaded area such as San Francisco Bay to a relatively pristine
area such as Monterey Bay).
Never bring any plants
or animals home from travels abroad.
Clean hiking boots
and camping gear, and muddy car tires before and after excursions.
When hiking be careful
not to disturb natural terrestrial areas, and when diving take
care not to disturb natural aquatic areas.
Use native or at
least non-invasive ornamental plants in landscaping and encourage
nurseries to stop stocking highly invasive non-native plants.
Do not attempt eradication
of aquatic invaders yourself (fragmentation of algal species during
removal attempts may increase spread).
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