Funding for this project was provided in part by the Invasive Alien Species Partnership Program (IASPP), a Government of Canada initiative.
Click this link to view the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Interpretive Guide. This is a 5,000 KB size .pdf file. If you would like hard copies of this guide, please call the BCGSA at (250) 890 7561 and we can mail them out to you.
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Guide – An Interpretive Guide for Identifying and Reporting AIS in the British Columbia Marine Environment
This guide was produced as a proactive measure to educate shellfish farmers and other BC marine environment stakeholders about AIS and their management issues. Four particular Ascidians (Tunicates) and one species of crab (the European green crab) are presently of concern and featured in these pages. The species highlighted in this brochure are considered invasive and should not be confused with the native tunicates and crab species.
How to Report an Invasive Species:
- Compare its appearance with the descriptions on this website or in the brochure guide to make sure it is an invasive species;
- If you can, try and take a picture of the organism;
- Record the date and location where you saw it;
- Record in what environment you found it, for example, an oyster cage, on the beach, on a rope, on a rock;
- If available, record the GPS coordinates of the location where you found the organism;
- Email your report with pictures to: AISPACIFIC@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca or call1 888 356 7525.
Help and Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species:
- Whereas green crab larvae can drift for large distances, tunicate larvae can only spread very short distances. Through controlling human movement, we can make a real difference in tunicate spread;
- Maintain a clean boat hull to make sure no tunicates are hitching a ride;
- A good way to kill tunicates is to leave them out of the water for a day or two;
- If you clean / pressure wash tunicates from boats or gear, make sure the water will not flow back into the sea, as colonial tunicates can re-grow from tiny fragments;
- Minimize movement of aquaculture stock and equipment between sites.
BC Shellfish Growers Association (BCSGA) Thanks:
- Photos & Text: Anna Epelbaum, Heidi Gartner, Graham Gillespie, Lucie Hannah and Matthias Herborg.
- Hand Drawings: Anna Epelbaum
- Advice: Dr Tim DeJager, Debbie Paltzat, Dr Chris Pearce, and Dr Tom Therriault