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Pennsylvania Sea Grant Helps State Develop Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan
Pennsylvania Sea Grant was established as part of NOAA’s National Sea Grant Network
in 1998. Its mission is to promote the ecological and economic sustainability of Pennsylvania’s
coastal resources through science-based research, education, and extension. With staff in the
Lake Erie and Delaware River regions of Pennsylvania, the program works with partner organizations
to address important issues facing the Commonwealth’s coastlines.
One such issue is the development of a statewide plan to address aquatic and terrestrial invasive species. In January 2004, Pennsylvania’s Invasive Species Council was established via Executive Order #2004-1. The council is composed of members from seven state agencies with regulatory authority over invasive species and nine independent members representing nonprofit conservation groups, agribusiness, and higher education. Dr. Bruce McPheron from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences; and Eric Obert, Extension Director for Pennsylvania Sea Grant are the University’s representatives on the council. The major undertaking of the council is the development of the comprehensive invasive species management plan for Pennsylvania. This plan will help coordinate, direct, and develop funding for prevention programs to augment and enhance existing statewide management efforts to control the spread of invasive species.
Pennsylvania Sea Grant has taken a lead role in the development and implementation of the
aquatics invasive species portion of the plan. With funding obtained from the Great Lakes Commission,
Sea Grant and Great Lakes Commission staff organized and facilitated Setting
the Road Map: A Workshop to Begin Developing an Invasive Species Management Plan for Pennsylvania in October
2005. Building on this workshop, Sea Grant Coastal Outreach Specialist Sarah Whitney was able
to lead council members in the coordination and development of a plan for the statewide management
of aquatic invasive species. The Pennsylvania Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan was signed
by Governor Rendell in November 2006, and approved in February 2007 by the federal Aquatic Nuisance
Species Task Force. Sea Grant Coastal Outreach Specialists Sara Grise and Sarah
Whitney now
provided technical support to help PISC implement the plan. Sea Grant’s future plans will
focus on the development of rapid response and control plans for new species and the merging
of the aquatic species plan with the terrestrial plan into one statewide comprehensive management
plan for Pennsylvania’s invasive species.
Story contributed by Bob Light, Director Sea Grant Pennsylvania