Photograph of a canoe pulled ashore on a small lake with some green plant life on the surface.

Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non-native plants, animals or pathogens that have the potential to cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health once introduced. Negative impacts of AIS can include competition with native species for habitat and food resources, predation on native species, and impairment of water quality.  Waterways in New York State have been widely invaded by AIS through shipping ports on two Laurentian Great Lakes and the Atlantic coast, extensive canal systems connecting waterbodies and drainages, and significant recreational traffic that enables overland transport of organisms. Established AIS in New York fall into many functional groups, including  plants, fish, macroinvertebrates, and zooplankton. The prevalent invasion of New York’s waterways by multiple AIS creates complex and variable ways in which these organisms interact with native species, other invasives, and ecosystem functions, therefore elaborate study is needed across the state to understand, prioritize, and mitigate those impacts. 

In 2015, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) published the NYS Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan (AISMP), outlining existing regulations and detailed actions for prevention, surveillance, response, and capacity. Since then, numerous state and federal programs, Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs), and non-governmental organizations have carried out activities to meet the goals of this plan, but capacity for conducting AIS monitoring and control projects was still limited. 

To meet the AISMP goal of identifying staff to lead regional response teams, the NYS AIS Management Program within Invasive Species Coordination Section (ISCS) of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Lands and Forests initiated a partnership with the New York State Water Resources Institute to establish regional AIS coordinators. AIS program staff have since been established in DEC Regions 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Funding for projects conducted by regional programs is primarily provided by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund as administered by the NYS DEC. 

What does AIS staff do?

WRI staff conduct AIS monitoring surveys across the state to increase capacity for tracking the geographic distribution of various AIS in New York.

WRI’s AIS program supports the restoration of aquatic ecosystems in New York through the investigation of best practices for the removal of invasive species and restoration of native species.

The AIS program tracks non-target impacts of management activities by long-term monitoring during and after AIS management actions are implemented in priority areas.

WRI investigates the impacts of invasive species on aquatic ecosystems through AIS staff research and RFP-funded projects.

AIS program staff engage with public groups to educate about the spread and impacts of AIS, and train community groups how to identify and report AIS occurrences in their local waterbodies.

AIS Coordinators participate in working groups to coordinate with a diverse set of stakeholders in the development and execution of local aquatic invasive species management plans and projects.

Aquatic Invasive Species Three-Year Summary

Program Goals

  • Incorporate potential impacts of climate change on AIS introductions to New York State over various time horizons.
  • Identify a potential standardized set of monitoring “metrics” to be used in AIS impact assessments addressing ecological, health, water quality, recreational, economic, and public perception, and test proposed metrics in priority AIS impact assessments.
  • Identify and/or develop novel technology for identification of invasive species, including advancement of environmental DNA (eDNA) capability, acoustic remote sensing, and artificial intelligence training on aerial and underwater imagery.
  • Explore innovative control strategies, including biological control, integrated pest management, and identification of potential control thresholds for effective impact suppression of widespread, established species such as Eurasian watermilfoil, curly-leaf pondweed, and water chestnut.
  • Evaluate methods for submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration in waterbodies following invasive species control, with a particular focus on native species selection and resilience against future AIS introductions and climate change.
  • Utilize existing datasets and field investigation to explore trends in AIS movement and population growth across NY state in relationship to key water quality parameters to provide an updated review of species’ tolerance ranges.
  • Examine and develop an understanding of AIS-driven community dynamics, particularly regarding resource competition and predation in both native-invasive interactions and between invaders.
  • Investigate potential beneficial uses for harvested AIS.
  • Implement an effective AIS public awareness campaign that will target those likely to introduce AIS or be impacted by AIS introductions. Regularly evaluate these efforts to ensure their effectiveness in preventing the introduction and spread of AIS in New York State.
  • Conduct invasive species ID workshops for interested stakeholders to promote citizen science-related monitoring
  • Identify underserved stakeholders and collaborate with organizational leadership to develop targeted AIS outreach events and messaging/educational materials.

Funded Projects

External Resources