Unconfirmed NZMS on the Stan

[atomicfly]

hello everyone. this may be my first post though i've been lurking for awhile. i'm posting this to several fly forums i read as a precautione. hope you find this important too:

i fished the Middle fork of the Stan below Beardsley for the first time a couple of months ago. I recalled seeing the typical yellow NZMS warning sign at the lot but the Stan had not been on any previous list of NZMS positive sites i was aware of previously.
when i got back from my trip i sent an email to DFG asking about it. *I received an update from the staff member i had been corresponding with since then just last week. here is what she had to say:

"The USFWS just let me know there has been a collection of what's been tentatively identified as New Zealand mudsnail on the Stanislaus.* I probably just hadn't gotten the word about this when you wrote earlier this month.* I don't have any of the details, but more samples will be collected in a couple of weeks and I'll get more information then.* I remembered your e-mail and thought I'd send you an update.

If people go to http://www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives and look on the right side of the page, they can click on New Zealand mudsnail.* That will take them to our New Zealand mudsnail page where you can follow directions to bring up the map of NZMS sites for CA.* This map is actually at a Montana State University website.* They maintain this website with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.* We share information with them & vice versa.* Be aware that at the Montana State site, one sometimes has to wait a minute for the database to catch up with your directions as you navigate to the map for CA.*If the sighting for the Stanislaus River is confirmed, the information will be sent there and DFG will receive it the information as well."
Julie *

Julie Horenstein
Staff Environmental Scientist with the Department of Fish and Game's Invasive Species Program
JHORENSTEIN@dfg.ca.gov


I'm including Julie's title and contact info for attribution sake.
For now, i thought i would circulate this bit of news around to several forums i frequent so take this has a heads up for an unconfirmed report. the maps julie referred to do not list the stan. yet. we shall see what develops from the survey. i figured it would be best to at least increase awareness and precautions even if it is not NZMS in the end.

eric
fresno, ca.

[Rockstar Fisherman]

I don't get how devastating these snails are... I mean I for sure don't want to transport them to virgin waters but, are they really that bad.... Hot Creek seems perfectly healthy and fine as far as trout go. Thanks for the warning though. If I do ever fish that river I'll be sure to cleanse my waders etc. before hitting another body of water.

Guess it's time I brush up on the DFG literature about it, but I'm too tired to do so tonight.

[briansII]

I don't get how devastating these snails are... I mean I for sure don't want to transport them to virgin waters but, are they really that bad.... Hot Creek seems perfectly healthy and fine as far as trout go. Thanks for the warning though. If I do ever fish that river I'll be sure to cleanse my waders etc. before hitting another body of water.

Guess it's time I brush up on the DFG literature about it, but I'm too tired to do so tonight.

Here ya go Mike.

http://www.issg.org/database/species/ec ... 9&fr=1&sts

Might want to scroll right down to "General impacts" section first, then read the rest of the info. You'll see words like "may be" or "potential", but some studies have shown impact to native invertebrates. Maybe they won't kill a stream, but then again, maybe NZMS can severely impact one.

Here's another good site, when you get some time.

http://www.esg.montana.edu/aim/mollusca/nzms/

briansII

[Rockstar Fisherman]

Thanks Brian!

[atomicfly]

yeah, thanks B.

eric
fresno, ca.