Lake Erie Asian Carp

Response Exercise

Collaborating partners:

Lake Erie Asian Carp

Response Exercise

Funding source:

Rationale for Lake Erie Response Exercise

• Implementation of State Management Plan

• Building upon lessons learned during 2013

St. Joseph River Exercise

• Increase training for large lake habitat

• Investment in vessel capacity for large lake responses

Added value to exercise outcomes

• Current concern with grass carp

Rationale for Lake Erie Response Exercise

• Implementation of State Management Plan

• Building upon lessons learned during 2013

St. Joseph River Exercise

• Increase training for large lake habitat

• Investment in vessel capacity for large lake responses

Added value to exercise outcomes

• Current concern with grass carp

* Sturgeon Bar, Bow-fisherman 2014

Collected 7-30-14

Lake Erie Grass Carp Threat

Public Inquiries

Lake Erie Grass Carp Threat

Commercial Fishing

Lake Erie Grass Carp Distribution: 2012-2014

Commercial Fishing Captures

* Stony Point, Blair Fish Co. 2012-2014

* DTE-Plum Crk. Hot-ponds, Blair Fish Co. ~ 40 individuals 2012-2014

22 thus far in 2014

* Consumers Energy Plant, Blair Fish Co. 2014

Lake Erie Grass Carp Threat

Commercial Fishing Captures

Multiple size classes captured Diploid individuals present

Additional Evidence of Grass Carp Threat

• Natural reproduction in Sandusky River, OH

• Established populations increase the threat of negative influences on water quality and native biota

• Still many questions remain

Additional Evidence of Grass Carp Threat

• Natural reproduction in Sandusky River, OH

• Established populations increase the threat of negative influences on water quality and native biota

• Still many questions remain

Additional Evidence of Grass Carp Threat

• Natural reproduction in Sandusky River, OH

• Established populations increase the threat of negative influences on water quality and native biota

• However, many uncertainties remain

Current Grass Carp Information Gaps

• Population demographics

– Abundance

– Spatial distribution

– Spawning locations

– Reproductive capacity (diploid vs. triploid)

– Age and size composition

Current Grass Carp Information Gaps

• Population demographics

– Abundance

– Spatial distribution

– Spawning locations

– Reproductive capability (diploid vs. triploid)

– Age and size composition

• Current level of risk

– Dependent upon the unknowns

Efforts Moving Forward to Guide Management

• Grass carp risk assessment

Efforts Moving Forward to Guide Management

• Grass carp risk assessment

• Research projects

– Determine reproductive viability, origin, distribution, and diet

Efforts Moving Forward to Guide Management

• Grass carp risk assessment

• Research projects

– Determine reproductive viability, origin, distribution, and diet

– Determine seasonal movement patterns and habitat use

Lake Erie Asian Carp Response Exercise

Goal:

Use a collaborative multi-agency approach to increase staff preparedness on Asian carp sampling methodologies, while concurrently increasing the information base of grass carp population demographics in western Lake Erie.

Lake Erie Asian Carp Response Exercise

Objectives:

• Develop and utilize a unified command system

• Increase training for staff and capacity for sampling using multiple methods

• Increase information on distribution, size composition, and relative abundance of grass carp

• Pilot use of eDNA for targeted sampling

Incident Commanders -MDNR Lake Erie Basin Coordinator

-ODNR Lake Erie Program Administrator

Public Information Officer -MDNR Communications Specialist -ODNR Wildlife Communications Officer

Safety Officer -MDNR Technician Supervisor -ODNR Fisheries Biologist Supervisor

Operations Section Chief -MDNR Technician

Supervisor -ODNR Fisheries Biologist

Logistics Section Chief -MDNR Unit Supervisor

-ODNR Program Administrator

Planning Section Chief -MDNR Fisheries Biologist

-ODNR AIS Program Administrator

Unified Advisory Command Team -Lake Erie Committee members

• Planned and implemented unified ICS command structure

• Sampling locations were determined based on eDNA

sampling results

• Resources were requested per the Mutual Aid

Agreement for AIS response efforts

• Additional field assistance provided by Blair Fish Co.

Scope of the Exercise

• Planned and implemented unified ICS command structure

• Sampling locations were determined based on eDNA sampling results

• Resources were requested per the Mutual Aid

Agreement for AIS response efforts

• Additional field assistance provided by Blair Fish Co.

Scope of the Exercise

• Planned and implemented unified ICS command structure

• Sampling locations were determined based on eDNA sampling results

• Resources were requested per the Mutual Aid Agreement for AIS response efforts

• Additional field assistance provided by Blair Fish Co.

Scope of the Exercise

• Planned and implemented unified ICS command structure

• Sampling locations were determined based on eDNA sampling results

• Resources were requested per the Mutual Aid Agreement for AIS response efforts

• Additional field assistance provided by Blair Fish Co.

Scope of the Exercise

1. Metropark 2. Huron River 3. Swan Creek 4. Stony Point/ Sterling State Park 5. River Raisin 6. Seine Grounds/ Plum Creek 7. Northern Maumee Bay

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Lake Erie Exercise Sampling Locations

1. Metropark 2. Huron River 3. Swan Creek 4. Stony Point/ Sterling State Park 5. River Raisin 6. Seine Grounds/ Plum Creek 7. Northern Maumee Bay

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Lake Erie Exercise Sampling Locations

Bolles Harbor, Plum Creek Area

Sampling timeframe 1st round: 1.5 months prior = 2nd round: 1.5 weeks prior = round: 4 days p

Results (-) (+) (++)

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Bolles Harbor, Plum Creek Area

Sampling timeframe 1st round: 1.5 months prior = 2nd round: 1.5 weeks prior = round: 4 days p

-

Results (-) (+) (++)

Bolles Harbor, Plum Creek Area Sampling Effort

Gill nets Electrofishing run

Grass carp capture locations

Grass carp observed

1. Metropark 2. Huron River 3. Swan Creek 4. Stony Point/ Sterling State Park 5. River Raisin 6. Seine Grounds/ Plum Creek 7. Northern Maumee Bay

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Lake Erie Exercise Sampling Locations

Huron River area

Sampling timeframe 1st round: 1.5 months prior = 2nd round: 1.5 weeks prior = 3rd round: 4 days prior = round: 4 days p

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Results (-) (+) (++)

Huron River area

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Sampling timeframe 1st round: 1.5 months prior = 2nd round: 1.5 weeks prior = 3rd round: 4 days prior = round: 4 days p

-

Results (-) (+) (++)

Huron River area

Sampling timeframe 1st round: 1.5 months prior = 2nd round: 1.5 weeks prior = 3rd round: 4 days prior = round: 4 days p

-

Results (-) (+) (++)

* * *

* *

* *

*

Huron River Area Sampling Effort

Gill nets Electrofishing run

No grass carp captured or observed

Field Work: Day 1

• 10 agencies; approx. 60 people

• 4 Gill netting boats

• 11 Electrofishing boats

• 1 Commercial seine

• 1 grass carp collected

Field Work: Day 2

• Limited by inclement weather (afternoon sampling cancelled)

• 10 agencies; approx. 60 people

• 3 Gill netting boats

• 12 Electrofishing boats

• 1 Commercial seine

Field Work: Day 3

• 8 agencies; approx. 45 people

• 1 Gill netting boats

• 10 Electrofishing boats

• 1 grass carp collected and two others observed

Overall Effort Summary

• 219 Electrofishing run (96 hrs shock time)

• 53 Gill net lifts (58.8 hrs of soak time)

• 3 of Seine hauls

• 2 grass carp collected and two others observed

Lessons Learned

• Exercise illustrated the successful implementation of the Mutual Aid Agreement and overall dedication to regional AIS response efforts

• Grass carp eDNA results exhibited temporal variation – time lag of sample processing made planning for traditional

gear sampling difficult

• ICS was an effective framework for planning and implementing an AIS response effort, but need to tailor framework for fisheries response

Lessons Learned

• Exercise illustrated the successful implementation of the Mutual Aid Agreement and overall dedication to regional AIS response efforts

• Grass carp eDNA results exhibited temporal variation – time lag associated with sample processing made planning

for traditional gear sampling difficult

• ICS was an effective framework for planning and implementing an AIS response effort, but need to tailor framework for fisheries response

Lessons Learned

• Exercise illustrated the successful implementation of the Mutual Aid Agreement and overall dedication to regional AIS response efforts

• Grass carp eDNA results exhibited temporal variation – time lag associated with sample processing made planning

for traditional gear sampling difficult

• ICS was an effective framework for planning and implementing an AIS response effort, but need to tailor framework for fisheries response

Water lettuce near Lake Erie Metropark

European Frogbit in Halfway Creek of Northern Maumee Bay

European Frogbit in Halfway Creek of Northern Maumee Bay

The battle continues!