GOOD MORNING LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US AND WELCOME TO THE SENATE
SUBCOMMITTEE. ON INVASIVE
SPECIES ARE INFORMATIONAL
HEARING ON THE INVASIVE RODENT
NUTRIA AND ITS EFFECT ON OUR
LEVEES AN AGRICULTURAL LAND.
AS OF APRIL TWENTY SIXTH TWO
THOUSAND EIGHTEEN OVER FIFTY
NUTRIA HAVE BEEN FOUND IN
CALIFORNIA SOME BEING FOUND IN
MERCED STANISLAW. SAN JOAQUIN
FRESNO TORMEY AND MARIPOSA
COUNTIES. EVERY. SOUTH.
THIS AQUATIC RODENT IS AN
IMMINENT THREAT TO OUR
AGRICULTURE AND WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE. NUTRIA WILL EAT
ENTIRE PLANTS INCLUDING ROOTS
MAKING IT LESS LIKELY THE PLAN
WILL GROW BACK THEIR BREWING
CAUSES INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE TO
THE LEVEES AND CANALS. THAT
PROVIDE OUR AG LAND WITH WATER.
WE MUST FIND WAYS TO BE
PROACTIVE TO PROTECT OUR AG
PRODUCTS AND WATER.
TODAY'S PANELISTS WILL DISCUSS
WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE AND
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE WILL
ALSO HEAR FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS
FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE WITH A
SUCCESSFUL IRAQI CATION OF
NUTRIA IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR
PANELISTS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
IN THIS HEARING.
AS A REMINDER IF ANYONE IS
INTERESTED MAKING ANY PUBLIC
COMMENT WE HAVE OUR SERGEANTS IN
THE BACK IN THE WILL TAKE CARDS
FROM ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE OUR FIRST
PANEL TO COME FORWARD.
STAFFORD LEER DEPUTY DIRECTOR
WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES DIVISION
AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE.
KEVIN MASSIVE HARA DEPUTY
SECRETARY WITH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE.
THANK YOU
.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR STAFFORD
LETTER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE'S SO TODAY I'M
GOING TO.
.
GO OVER THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE'S.
RESPONSE AND HOW WE HAVE BEEN.
POSITIONING TO DEAL WITH THIS
INVASIVE SPECIES HERE IN
CALIFORNIA.
AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS
AFTER THE THE POWER POINT.
SO IS YOU BEGIN IN YOUR OPENING
STATEMENT ARMED THIEVES ARE
LARGE SEMI AQUATIC RODENT THAT
ARE NATIVE TO.
SOUTH AMERICA.
THEY WERE INTRODUCED A FOR THE
FOR TRADE.
AND.
THE EARLY PART OF THE NINETEEN
HUNDREDS HERE IN CALIFORNIA AND.
THEY'REOFFICIALLY DECLARED
ERADICATED BY THE.
LATE NINETEEN SEVENTIES.
ON THEIR RATHER.
HEAD BEING A RODENT.
THEY YOU ARE REPRODUCTIVE VERY
EARLY IN THEIR.
LIFE STAGE.
AND.
THING UNIQUENESS IS THEY CAN
PRODUCE UP TO THREE LITTERS PER
YEAR SO.
ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO THIRTEEN
INDIVIDUALS PER LETTER. AND
LATER IN THE PRESENTATION I'LL
SHOW YOU A.
PROJECTED GROWTH CURVE. OF THE
POPULATION.
BY THEY LIVE IN FAMILY GROUPS
AND.
THEIR DISPERSAL.
IS INDIVIDUALS IT IS SO GLASS
CENTER GREATER THAN.
FIFTY MILES.
THEIR.
HABITAT ARE FRESHWATER AND
BRACKISH HABITATS AND CURRENTLY
IN CALIFORNIA REGULATED BY THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD
AND AGRICULTURE AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
SO.
IN THE PICTURES YOU CAN SEE A
COMPARISON.
BEAVER ON THE LEFT IN A MUSKRAT
ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THE LOWER
PICTURE. AND.
THE NUTRIA IN BETWEEN.
SO THERE'S YOU MENTIONED.
THEY CAN CONSUME LARGE AMOUNTS
OF VEGETATIVE MATTER.
TOPPED TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF
THEIR BODY WEIGHT EACH DAY.
THEY CONSUME TEN TIMES THE
AMOUNT OF PLANT MATTER. AND.
THEY'RE KNOWN FOR SEVERE
EROSION AND CONVERSION OF.
.
MOSAIC F HABITATS IN WETLANDS
TO OPEN WATER.
AND.
THEY CAN BURROW VERY DEEP INTO
LEVEES AND.
BANKS OF.
HABITAT AND.
IS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE
THE OPEN WATER THAT'S CREATED AS
THEY MOVE THROUGH IT AND THEN
THE BURROWING DAMAGE.
THAT CAN THAT.
BE SUSTAINED AS THEY.
BURROW INTO LEVEES OR.
US.
HABITAT BANKS.
THEY'RE KNOWN TO CARRY
TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASES AND
PARASITES.
SO. THE UNITED STATES'S BEEN
DEALING WITH NATURE A FOR QUITE
AWHILE AND.
SOME OF THE.
BIGGEST.
.
INFESTATIONS. NAY IN LOUISIANA
HERE.
.
I THINK THE EASIEST WAY IS JUST
LOOK AT THE PICTURES ON THE
RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THAT IS CONVERTED OPEN WATER
HABITAT YOU COULD SEE AN
EXPLOSION HER THERE IN THE
LOWER.
RIGHT SHOWING. WHAT THE IT
SHOULD LOOK LIKE HAD THE
NUTRIENT NOT BEEN THERE SO AND
LOUISIANA? THEY HAVE THE DOWNEY
OF FIVE DOLLARS PER TALE THEY
HAVE HUNDREDS OF TRAPPERS GOING
OUT THERE.
OVER FIVE MILLION HAVE BEEN
HARVESTED TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT
TWENTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS.
AND ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND
ACRES OF COASTAL WETLANDS HAVE
BEEN DAMAGED.
MISTER CAN DROUGHT WILL GOING
TO BETTER DETAIL ABOUT THE
CHESAPEAKE BUTTA WE HAD THIS
FROM ANOTHER PRESENTATION SO.
I JUST SUMS UP THAT THEY HAD A
VERY.
EXTENSIVE OPERATION THAT BEGAN.
WITH THE NEW CHAIR RATIFICATION
CONTROL ACTIVE TWENTY. TWO
THOUSAND AND THREE.
THEIR BUDGETS.
MISTER QAND ARTS GOING TO HAVE
MORE ACCURATE INFORMATION ON
THAT BUT THE IT NEEDLESS TO SAY.
IN FOR THE LONG HAUL AND IT'S
QUITE COSTLY TO DEAL WITH THIS
PROBLEM. AND FOCUSING ON THE
PICTURES IN THE BOTTOM THAT SAY.
HETEROGENEOUS HABITAT OF.
WETLANDS AND THEN THE
CONVERSION TO OPEN WATER.
AFTER NUTRIA HAVE BEEN TESTED
IN AREA.
SO THIS IS THE UNIQUENESS OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY.
IT IS A PENINSULA WITH THREE
SIDES ARE CONTAINED BY WATER.
AND THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO.
COMPLETE ERADICATION THERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE
PICTURES THE DAMAGE AGAIN TO THE
HABITAT NGUYEN NUTRIA ARE IN
THERE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
WHEN THEY'RE BENCHLEY REMOVED AS
IT RECOVERS.
SO CALIFORNIA'S STORY.
.
IN MARCH A TWENTY SEVENTEEN ARM.
SOME REPORTS STARTED CIRCULATING
AND WE HAD AN ACTUAL CAPTURE IN
THE ANIMAL WAS TRANSFERRED TO
OUR WILDLIFE INVESTIGATIONS
LABORATORY IN RANCHO CORDOVA.
WHERE?
?
THE IDENTIFICATION WAS CONCERNED
CONFIRMED AS NUTRIA.
AND WE BEGAN TO.
PUT TOGETHER A.
STAKEHOLDER.
INTERESTED PARTNERS WORKING
GROUP IT RAN THE GAMUT FROM
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO.
OTHER STATE DEPARTMENTS UP
PRIMARILY DEPARTMENT OF FOOD NAG
AND.
DE W. ARE.
WE HAD.
ALSO AT THE TABLE UNITED STATES.
WHILE A DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE WILDLIFE SERVICES
BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERTISE AND
TRAPPING.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT.
THE DEPARTMENT.
MADE SOME DECISIONS THAT WE
NEEDED TO GET ON TOP OF THIS WE
COULD NOT SIT AROUND AND I JUST.
IT'S CLASSIC IN THE ARM INVASIVE
SPECIES INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT YOU WANT TO GET AFTER
AN INVASIVE WHEN THEY'RE IN A
SMALL AREA AND HIT HIM HARD.
SO WE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION TO
GO AFTER THESE THINGS
WE HAVE TAKEN SIXTY THREE
ANIMALS. AS OF SUNDAY.
THEY RANGE FROM JUVENILES TO
ADULTS MALES FEMALES AS YOU
MENTIONED SIX COUNTIES THE MOST
TROUBLING ONE IS THE SAN JOAQUIN
THAT OCCURRED. NAM LATE LAST
MONTH AND THEY OCCUR ON BOTH
FALLEN OFF FEDERAL STATE AND
PRIVATE PROPERTY SO THE WHOLE
GAMUT OF WHAT WE HAVE FOR NAM.
DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERSHIP IN
CALIFORNIA.
SO ON THIS MAP IS SHOWING WHERE
WE HAVE HAD NUTRIA TAKE IN
SOPRON NORTH TO SOUTH IN THE.
SAN JOAQUIN SYSTEM THE UPPER
RED DOT.
.
RIGHT THERE. IS THE MOST RECENT
MONTHS TROUBLING DISCOVERY ON
UPPER ROBERT SILENT.
NEAR THE TOWN OF LATER UP. BUT
ANYWAYS THIS IS THE DISTRIBUTION
AS WE KNOW TODAY.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST
TROUBLING SO THIS IS A
POPULATION GROWTH CURVE THAT.
OUR STAFF HAVE PUT TOGETHER.
THE CONFIDENCE INTERVALS RANGE
FOR ABOUT FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND
OVER THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND SIR
THIS IS.
SORT OF LIKE JUST THEM.
I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS THE CURVE
THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED COULD
OCCUR. IF ALL CONDITIONS ARE
RIPE IN CALIFORNIA AND WE ARE
RIGHT ABOUT.
YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT HERE AND THE
TIME FRAME.
YEAH I BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE
AND WHAT OUR NUMBERS CURRENTLY
ARE IS ALL TALK TO IN A FEW
MINUTES.
SO AND OUR RESPONSE AND TO DATE.
WITH LIMITED RESOURCES WE OF
CONDUCTING TRAPPING SURVEYS WERE
PERFORMING LOCAL OUTREACH.
WE HAVE.
INTERSTATE CONSULTATION WITH
OREGON AND WASHINGTON LOUISIANA.
AND WE HAVE BEEN AND.
ALLOCATING AND REDIRECTING
INTERNAL RESOURCES TO RESPOND TO
THE US.
WERE SEEKING PARTNER COMMITMENTS
WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. AND WE
ARE PREPARING.
THE ERADICATION PLAN BASED UPON
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY OUR PLAN.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED
AN INCIDENT COMMAND STRUCTURE
WHERE WE HAVE AN INCIDENT
COMMANDER WHO'S REPORTING TO. AN
EXECUTIVE OVERSIGHT TEAM WEAVER
DOT REDIRECTED APPROXIMATELY
FORTY STAFF TO THE INCIDENT
COMMAND SYSTEM.
WE HAVE.
POSITION THE INTERNAL FUNDING
AND WE HAVE SECURED ONE GRANT
FOR.
ONE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS
THAT WILL BE.
USED OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
WE ARE.
GOOD TRYING TO ENTER INTO A
CONTRACT WITH THE USDA APHIS
WILDLIFE SERVICES FOR FOCUSED
ERADICATION EFFORTS.
AND THIS'LL BE STRICTLY OVERSEEN
BY THE INCIDENT COMMAND BOMB
STRUCTURE ARE PRINT PRIMARY
GOALS ARE PROTECTION OF NATIVE
SPECIES.
AND ONLY LEGAL TRAPPING METHOD
SHALL BE USED IN CALIFORNIA AND
WE HOPE TO DRAW FROM THEIR
EXPERTISE FROM THE CHESAPEAKE
BAY PROGRAM.
WE ARE BEGINNING TO TRAIN AND
DEPLOY A NEW TYRIA DETECTION
CANINES. AND THEN WE NEED TO AS
WE SAID IN LIST PARTNER AGENCIES
ASSISTANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE RESPONSE A CALIFORNIA
WILL BE MADE.
MODELED AFTER THE CHESAPEAKE
BAY.
OPERATION WHICH HAS OF FIVE
PHASES SURVEY KNOCKED DOWN MOP
UP VERIFICATION AND
SURVEILLANCE.
AND.
JUST TO RE EMPHASIZE ARM THIS
IS IN FOR THE LONG HAUL. OF THIS
IS TALKING TO BE AN EASY LEFT.
SO CHALLENGES AND NEEDS IN
CALIFORNIA IS AVAILABILITY OF
LONG TERM FUNDING AND RESOURCES.
WHEN THERE'S AN ACCESS ISSUES
WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY CURRENTLY
THE DEPARTMENT MUST SEEK
VOLUNTARY PERMISSION OR WRITTEN
PERMISSION FROM A PROPERTY OWNER
ENTER THEIR PROPERTY.
BOMB IF SOMEONE CHOOSES TO
REFUSE ENTRY AND THEY HAVE A
POPULATION AND NATURE THAT'S A
WEAK POINT IN AN ERADICATION
PROGRAM.
AND WE NEED TO ESTABLISH AND
MAINTAIN AN EFFECTIVE
SURVEILLANCE NETWORK AND THEN.
ASSUMING WE ARE SUCCESSFUL WE
NEED TO PREVENT REINTRODUCTION
SO PEOPLE VAST.
HOW THE HECK DID THEY GET HERE
BACK?
BOB SO WE DECLARED A MAHRATTA
CATERED IN THE LATE NINETEEN
SEVENTIES.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU GIVEN
THE LANDSCAPE WHERE THESE WERE
FOUND.
IN THE AREA OF.
LA STANISLAUS COUNTY THE NUMBER
OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR OVER
FIFTY YEARS CONDUCTING VARIOUS
HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS.
HOW ABOUT WILDLIFE SURVEYS?
WE WOULD HAVE SEEN SOME.
SO MOST LIKELY VECTOR WAS
INTENTIONAL REINTRODUCTION.
ARM THERE'S NO CERTAINTY. BETTER
EITHER WAY BUT THERE THERE'S A
LOT OF HABITAT WORK IT'S BEEN
GOING ON NUMEROUS STUCK CLUBS
WHERE. PEOPLE ARE ON THE GROUND
ALL THE TIME AND TO MISS THIS
ANIMAL FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS.
FROM A ECOLOGIST STANDPOINT
IT'S.
A LITTLE UNLIKELY ANYWAYS I'LL
TAKE QUESTIONS AND DUMB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY PERCENT TODAY.
IT'S VERY MUCH IN OUR NEXT
PANELIST. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR KEVIN MOSS
HART.
.
SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF
OUR CULTURE.
IS DEPUTY DIRECTOR LAWYER
INDICATED THERE WAS A NUTRIA
DISCOVERY LAST YEAR AND SO. IS
AGENCY CONTACTED OUR AGENCY AND
WE.
HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CAPACITY
HERE AND THERE BUT IT'S
INTERMITTENT AND SO WE HAVE SOME
STAFF THAT HAVE EXPERTISE AND
SIMILAR TYPE OF SURVEY WORK AND
SO THEY IMMEDIATELY GOT ENGAGED.
I'M UNFORTUNATELY ALL'S WE COULD
REALLY OFFER UP AT THAT TIME WAS
AN ENVIRONMENTAL.
PREVENTION ASSISTANT.
A BOTH OF THEM WERE VERY WELL
VERSED ON GETTING OUT ON THE
WATER DOING SURVEY WORK BECAUSE
SIMILAR PROGRAMS THAT GO ON.
AND SO ONCE THEY GOT ENGAGED
THEY WENT OUT AND. THEY'D HAD A
LOT OF VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THEY
PARTICIPATED IN. AND THAT YOU
KNOW I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE
POINT I'M JUST GIVING YOU THIS
IS BACKGROUND SO THAT WE HAVE A
DISCUSSION OF WHAT OUR BUDGET
PROPOSAL IN THE MAY REVISE ES.
THEN IT'LL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
PROPORTIONALITY OF WHAT WILL BE
ABLE TO DO GOING FORWARD IF THAT
PROPOSAL IS APPROVED.
I'M SO THEY DID SURVEY WORK
LOOKING FOR VISUAL SIGNS ON
THAT.
WATER WAYS OF OF THE PRESENCE OF
NUTRIA NAY VIDEOTAPE NEW TREND
THE WHILE THEY WERE ACTUALLY
ABLE TO GET SOME FOOTAGE OF THEM
IN THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER.
THEY HUNG CAMERAS.
I THEY BAITED STATIONS IN NEXT
THE CAMERAS I FOUND THE SWEET
POTATOES ARE THE MOST PREFERRED
DATE TO BRING THESE THINGS OUT.
AND THEN THEY MOVED IN SERVICE
THE CAMERAS EVERY TWO WEEKS THEY
COLLECTED PHOTOS OF NUTRIENT
CONFIRM THE PRESENCE AND CONNELL
STATE PARK IN MERCED COUNTY.
ENSURE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
FOR FOLLOW UP.
A THEY TRIED OUT A NUTRIA SENT
GLAM LURE THAT THEY GOT FROM THE
USDA CHESAPEAKE BAY ERADICATION
PROGRAM.
HOWEVER THEY DID FIND THAT THE
LOWER WAS MORE APPEALING TO
FOX'S AND RACCOONS AND IT WAS TO
THE NUTRIA.
THEY BUILT TWO WOODEN RESTING
PLATFORMS BASED OFF OF THE
DESIGN USED IN CHESAPEAKE BAY.
AND SO WE DO KNOW THAT WILL NEED
A LOT MORE PLATFORMS AND THAT IS
PART OF OUR BUDGET REQUEST GOING
FORWARD WAS THAT WAS
INCORPORATED IN IS TO BE ABLE TO
BUY MORE CAMERAS AND BUILDING
OUR PLATFORMS.
IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR WELL OUR
DEPARTMENT FINALIZED A PEST
RATING FOR NUTRIENT WAS GIVEN A
PAST RATING OF A WHICH IS A
SEVERE PASSED AND HOUSE TO BE
ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.
SO WE'VE CONDUCTED MODELING A
NEUTRAL DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
AND CLIMATE SUITABILITY AND
INDICATES A CALIFORNIA IS HIGHLY
SUITABLE FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND
SPREAD OF NUTRIA.
NOW.
THEY HAVE PROVEN TO BE A
SIGNIFICANT AGRICULTURAL PESTS
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD SO
WE HAVE. NOW HIGH CONFIDENCE
THAT THAT WOULD BE THE
EXPERIENCE HERE FEES WERE TO
BECOME ESTABLISHED.
THEY'VE CAUSED EXTREME AND BUYER
MIDDLE DEGRADATION TO WETLANDS
AROUND THE UNITED STATES. AND
BASED ON THAT WE HAVE A VERY
VALID FEAR THAT THAT COULD
HAPPEN IN THE DELTA IS ALSO A
LOT OF OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE
VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DELTA.
HAVE THE SAME FEAR WITH NUTRI
BECOMING ESTABLISHED HERE.
AND THAT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE
TO WATERWAYS WATER STORAGE AND
CONVEYANCE AS WELL AS ADJACENT
RGHT AWAY AS. A PARTICULAR
CONCERN WOULD BE THE THOUSANDS
OF MILES OF VERSE AND CANAL
DIKES AND LEVIES COMPROMISING
MUCH OF CALIFORNIA'S IRRIGATION
INFRASTRUCTURE. THE YOU CAN
IMAGINE.
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECOMING
ESTABLISHED IN THE DELTA IN AND
EVEN MOVING FARTHER NORTH INTO
RICE COUNTRY YOU KNOW THE
DEVASTATING IMPACT AGRICULTURE
IS OUR DEPARTMENTS VERY WELL
AWARE OF THIS AND THAT'S WHY
WE'RE VERY ENGAGED EARLY ON IN
THIS.
I'M IN NOVEMBER WE DID SEND A
LETTER TO FISH AND WILDLIFE TO
SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS AND OUR
STAFF HAS BEEN ON SOME OF THE
INCIDENT COMMAND CALLS AND.
THERE'S BEEN CROSSED BRIEFINGS
WITH FISH AND WILDLIFE STAFF
DID.
NOT KEEP UP TO SPEED AS TO
WHAT'S GOING ON. AS I MENTIONED
ARLIER THOUGH WE'VE ONLY HAD
THE TWO STAFF AVAILABLE ON ON A
PART TIME BASIS BECAUSE THEY DO
HAVE OTHER DUTIES THAT THEY'RE
REQUIRED TO PERFORM.
I'M SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE
RECENTLY THOUGH IS AS WE HAVE
HAD A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS WITH
PARTNER FISH AND WILDLIFE STAFF.
IN OUR STAFFS COLLECTED A LOT
INFORMATION AND WE PUT TOGETHER
A PROPOSAL THAT WENT INTO THE
MAY REVISE AND WHAT WE ASK FOR
WAS FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS FOR TWO YEARS.
AND BASICALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO
WITH THE FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS AND SO HOPEFULLY THIS
WHOLE TIME INTO WHAT US TALKING
ABOUT EARLIER WITH SOME LIMITED
ACTIVITIES THAT TWO PEOPLE COULD
DO PART TIME.
IS THIS IS GOING TO ASK FOR ONE
FULL TIME ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENTIST.
IN THAT WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR TO
AGRICULTURAL TAX IN THREE
AGRICULTURAL TECH ONES. AND WE
HAVE KIND OF A STRUCTURE WHERE.
THE AG TECH TO USE THAT SERVICE
BOAT CAPTAINS.
AND THE AG TECH ONCE WOULD BE
SURVEYORS. AND SO WE WOULD GET
TWO BOATS OUT ON THE WATER WITH
PURCHASE TO BOTH ACTUALLY WITH
THIS MONEY THE FOUR HUNDRED
THOUSAND.
WE ALSO PURCHASE FIFTEEN MOTION
TRIGGERED TRAIL CAMERAS IN THREE
MOBILE GPS UNITS.
AND THEN SUPPLIES TO CONSTRUCT
CARE SNARES I'M.
ONCE IF WE DO GET THAT BUDGET
PROPOSAL APPROVED ONCE WE GET
THAT FUNDING WHAT WE'LL DO IS
WILL BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND
FOCUS ON LAND SURVEY FOR NUTRIA.
NOW WILL GET.
THE TEAMS OUT ON THE WATER ALL
THREE OF THE CREWS WILL HAVE GPS
UNITS IN CAMERAS TOGETHER DATE
ON THE NUTRIA SIGHTINGS.
THE MOTION TRIGGER TRAIL CAMERAS
WILL BE DEPLOYED IN BAITED WITH
NUTRI ATTRACT SENSES WELLS FOOD
ITEMS LIKE THE SWEET POTATO I
MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND WE'LL CHECK THE CAMERAS TWO
WEEK INTERVALS WITH MEMORY CARDS
BEING PULLED AND REVIEWED FOR
ANY SIGN A NUTRIA.
OF THE SURVEY CREWS WILL PERFORM
VISUAL SURVEYS FOR ANY SIGNS OF
NUTRIA OTHER DAMAGE WHEN THEY'RE
MOVING FROM SITE TO SITE.
AND RESTING PLATFORMS WILL BE
CONSTRUCTED AND DEPLOYED.
WITH AND WITHOUT HERE SNEERS TO
CLICK HERE THE CAN BE ANALYZED
FOR GENETIC PROOF THAT THE AREAS
BEING FREQUENTED BY NUTRIA AND
NOT A NON TARGET ANIMAL.
AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE WE HAD
A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH FISH
AND WILDLIFE SO THAT MY.
PROPOSAL HERE WITH THESE TEAMS
WOULD WE WOULD SET UP A
STRUCTURE WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE
CONSONANT OR ACTION BRIEFINGS
WITH DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND
WILDLIFE'S THAT THEY COULD SHARE
THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY WORK.
AND ALSO JUST.
RECEIVE UPDATES ON OTHER NEW
AREAS POSSIBLY TO REDEPLOY INTO
TO DO SURVEY WORK.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IF
WE GET THIS FOUR HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING THAT.
ON SENATOR DODD THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
APPRECIATE IT. I'M TO HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS.
OKAY.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
NEXT WE HAVE FROM USDA STEVEN
CAN DRIVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
WILDLIFE OPERATION.
FAISAL OF FEAR.
ME ONE SECOND TO.
ALRIGHT.
BERRYHILL WELL. YOU'LL SEE AMPLE
EVIDENCE OF OUR PRIOR
COLLABORATIONS WITH YOUR FOLKS
HERE IN THE STATE.
MANY OF THE SLIDES YOU'RE ABOUT
TO SEE YOU'VE SEEN ABOUT PARTS
OF ALREADY IN THE OTHER
PRESENTATION SO.
MY NAME IS STEVE KENDRA.
I'M ALLEGE BIOLOGIST WITH THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE'S WILDLIFE SERVICES
PROGRAM HAVE BEEN WITH THE
AGENCY FOR ABOUT.
NINETEEN YEARS NOW
NINETY NINE.
FROM TWO THOUSAND AND TWO TO TWO
THOUSAND FOURTEEN I WAS
PRIVILEGED TO LEAVE THE FIELD
OPERATIONS AS A PROJECT LEADER
FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY NUCLEAR
EDUCATION PROJECT.
AND I'M HERE TODAY NOT JUST
REPRESENTING WILDLIFE SERVICES
BUT THE ENTIRE PARTNERSHIP THAT
DIED BROUGHT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY
PROGRAM TO FRUITION.
I'VE GOT A SLIDE ON THAT IN A
FEW MINUTES AGO. GO INTO MORE
DETAIL ON.
THIS IS A PICTURE THAT SHOULD
LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU THIS IS
BLACKWATER REFUGE PRIOR TO THE
INTRODUCTION OF NUTRIENT
NINETEEN THIRTY EIGHT AND THE
EARLY NINETEEN FORTIES NUTRIA
WERE INTRODUCED AS PART OF A.
ENDEAVOR TO ESTABLISH A FOR
TRADE.
AND THE SPECIES EXISTED THAT.
RELATIVELY LOW LEVELS FOR
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY THIRTY
YEARS.
IN THE NINETEEN.
SIXTIES IT BEGAN THE TRANSITION
FROM NOVELTIES A NUISANCE AND AS
THAT.
POPULATION CONTINUED TO GROW IT
TURNED INTO A NEMESIS.
.
IN.
HUGE SO OVER FIVE THOUSAND ACRES
OF.
BEEN CONVERTED TO THE SHALLOW
OPEN WATER ECOSYSTEM AND THAT'S
A LOSS OF HABITAT FOR.
A TREMENDOUS DIVERSITY OF OF
BIRDS MAMMALS INVERTEBRATES
SHELLFISH.
.
FISH THAT SUPPORT BOTH
COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL
FISHERY SO A HUGE ECONOMIC
IMPACT AS WELL AS ECOLOGICAL
IMPACT TO OUR.
REGION IN THE CHESAPEAKE.
OTHER TYPES OF DAMAGE FOR US IN
MARYLAND THE IT WITH THE MOST
OBVIOUS WAS THE LOSS OF WETLANDS
BUT WE ALSO SAW A LOT OF.
BURROWING INTO LEVEES WATER
CONTROL STRUCTURES BLACKWATER
REFUGE HAS WATER IMPOUNDMENTS
THAT THE USED TO FLUCTUATE WATER
LEVELS FOR.
WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT.
A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THOSE TO THE
BURROWING TUNNELING AGRICULTURAL
CROPS WERE WE HAD INTERFACES AG
LANDS WITH MARSHLANDS WOULD SEE.
DAMAGE TO SOYBEANS AND CORN
CROPS.
NURSERY HORTICULTURE LE TYPE.
DAMAGES THAN OTHER PARTS AND
THEN THE INDIRECT EFFECTS OF
LOSS OF WETLANDS AND I INCREASED
IMPACTS FROM STORM SURGES
SALTWATER INTRUSION THAT SORT OF
THING FURTHER COMPROMISES THE
INTEGRITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM
THERE.
INTERESTINGLY THIS PICTURE IS
NOT FROM THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BUT
RATHER THAN OTHER ONES.
WHERE I WAS LAST SUMMER LOOKING
AT?
SIMILAR ISSUES THEY HAVE TO I
THINK YOU'LL BE DEALING WITH
HERE IN CALIFORNIA WHERE YOU'VE
GOT THIS EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF
LEVEES AND WATER CONTROL. AND
THEY'RE TRYING MIGHTILY TO
PREVENT THE INVASION OF NUTRIA
FROM NEIGHBORING GERMANY WHERE
THE POPULATIONS ARE. WELL
ESTABLISHED.
.
THIS PICTURE ILLUSTRATES HOW ARE
THE RESULTS OF WORK THAT WAS
DONE IN THE MID NINETEEN
NINETIES.
TRYING TO PROVE THEM. CRITICAL
ROLE THAT NUTRIA PLAYED IN
CAUSING THIS SORT OF CATALYTIC
RESPONSE OF.
WELL IN LOS.
THEY PUT UP A SERIES OF.
SEVERAL DOZEN OF THESE THIRTY
BY THIRTY METER PANS.
THAT HAD FENCE THAT WAS BURIED
INTO THE MARTIAN WOULD EXCLUDE
NUTRIA. AND THEY MONITORED THE
VEGETATION GROWTH INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE AND AS YOU CAN SEE
WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME.
THE MARCIA BEGUN TO RESPOND SO
WE TOOK TO MESSAGES HOME FROM
THAT ONE IS THAT IF WE CAN
CONTROL NUTRIA WE CAN. NOT ONLY
PREVENT THOUGH OF THE HOUSE
CONTINUE DEGRADATION OF WETLANDS
BUT ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE THE
RECOVERY.
AND THE RESTORATION SO. THIS
WAS REALLY THE PIVOTAL STUDY
THAT LED TO THE INCEPTION OF OUR
CHESAPEAKE BAY PROJECT AS IT
STANDS.
SO THE CHESAPEAKE. BAY.
OUR NEW DIRECTION PROJECT IS
COMPRISED OF
LARGE NUMBER OF
FEDERAL STATE PRIVATE AND NGOS.
THE SUPPORT OF THIS ENDEAVOR.
.
THE PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED BY
THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
AND FUNDED BY THE US FISH AND
WILDLIFE SERVICE THROUGH THEIR
PARTNERS AND FISH AND WILDLIFE
PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL
WILDLIFE REFUGE.
THE PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED BY
THE ORGANIZATION I WORK FOR USDA
WILDLIFE SERVICES AND WE DO ALL
OF THE FIELD IMPLEMENTATION SO
ALL OF THE FIELD STAFF WORK FOR.
THE USDA AND WE.
.
TRANSITION THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT
BACK THROUGH AN INTERAGENCY
AGREEMENT.
WE GET SUPPORT TREMENDOUS
SUPPORT IN OVERSIGHT FROM OUR
STATE PARTNERS AS WELL AS OTHER
FEDERAL PARTNERS FOR RESEARCH.
WE HAVE THE MAIL DEPARTMENT
NATURAL RESOURCES
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF GAME
INLAND FISHERIES IN THE DELAWARE
DIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.
WE ALSO WORK WITH THE PATUXENT
WILDLIFE RESEARCH CENTER AT U.
S. G. S. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
EASTERN SHORE WHICH AT ONE TIME
HAD A COOPERATIVE FISH AND
WILDLIFE RESEARCH UNIT THERE.
BUT ALSO.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE MALL
PICTURE HERE SEVERAL DOZEN. NGOS
THAT SUPPORTED THE.
INITIATIVE
SO BROAD SUPPORT AND THAT I
REALLY THE I THINK THAT THIS.
PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY WHAT LED
TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM
BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN
THE POLITICAL SUPPORT OF
FUNDING.
THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
IN THE.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO
DO.
JUST A SINGLE AGENCY WORKING
ALONE.
BUT TO TAKE A QUICK SECOND TO
TALK ABOUT ERADICATION BECAUSE
IT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TERM
IT'S NOT.
SOMETHING THAT'S EASILY
ACCOMPLISHED IN MOST CASES BUT
IT'S REALLY THE COMPLETE REMOVAL
OF ALL INDIVIDUALS OF A SPECIES
FROM A DEFINED AREA OVER A
SPECIFIED AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND.
THAT'S MUCH DIFFERENT THAN
CONTROL OR LONG TERM SUSTAIN
MANAGEMENT WHERE YOU'RE
CONTAINING TRYING TO SUPPRESS
NUMBERS TO KEEP THEM FROM
CAUSING DAMAGE AS THEY'RE DOING
IN LOUISIANA.
THIS EFFORT IS.
TO ELIMINATE THEM ENTIRELY.
SO IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT
MEETING ERADICATION SEVERAL
CRITERIA MUST BE IN PLACE YOU
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT EVERY
SINGLE INDIVIDUAL IN THE.
AT RISK.
PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THE
FECUNDITY IN THAT REPRODUCTIVE
ABILITIES OF NUTRIA LA THEY CAN
REBOUND VERY QUICKLY.
MORTALITY MUST EXCEED
REPRODUCTION SO YOU GOTTA KILL
THEM FASTER THAN THEY CAN BREED.
AND THEN FINALLY THE RISK EVERY
INVASION MUST BE NEAR ZERO
BECAUSE WE WERE ON A PENINSULA
AND THAT NUTRIA POPULATION THAT
WE HAD WAS ACTUALLY INTRODUCED
ON SITE WE FELT THAT.
THE. RISK OF INFLATION WAS
PRETTY LOW FOR US UNLESS WE HAD
SOMEBODY THAT WAS ACTUALLY
PHYSICALLY.
ACROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY OR
WHATNOT.
BUT THERE ARE THREE OTHER
COMPONENTS THAT ARE EQUALLY AS
IMPORTANT TO THOSE BIOLOGICAL
SERVER RITERIA. AND THAT IS
THAT THE TECHNIQUE TECHNIQUES
THAT ARE USE MUST BE BOTH
ACCEPTABLE BUT ALSO IMPORTANTLY
EFFECTIVE.
.
THE BENEFITS HAVE TO OUTWEIGH
pPRETTY CLEAR. WHEN YOU START
LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS
OF THE DAMAGE THESE ANIMALS
BECAUSE TO MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES.
AND THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS ON
IT'S PRETTY EASY PART OF THAT
HOPPED.
.
AND THEN FINALLY THE
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT MUST BE
DECLARED AT THE BEGINNING AND
MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
PROGRAM AND IT'S A VERY.
DIFFICULT THING TO DO WHEN YOU
REACH THE LATER STAGES OF
ERADICATION WHERE THAT CAPTURE
RATES DROPPED TO VERY LOW
NUMBERS.
ACCOUNTS AND BEAN COUNTERS LIKE
TO LOOK AT THE THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY SPENT TO CAPTURE EACH
NUTRIA AND IT. INCREASES
ASTRONOMICALLY AS YOU APPROACH
YOUR GOAL. AND VERY OFTEN
SUPPORTERS WITHDRAWN AT THAT
POINT FIGURING OUT WHAT WE'RE
ALMOST DONE WE CAN DIVERT THESE
FUNDS OTHER.
AVENUES ANOTHER PRIORITIES AND
SADLY IN A FEW CASES WORLDWIDE
THAT'S RESULTED IN FAILED
REVOCATION ATTEMPTS WHERE THE
REMAINING ANIMALS THAT WERE NOT
REMOVED REBOUNDED.
SO THOSE THREE THINGS ARE
CRITICAL AS WELL.
YOU SEEN THE SLIDE IN A PREVIOUS
VERSION ALREADY.
DELIMITING SURVEY IS THE FIRST
STAGE OF ERADICATION TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT. WHAT THE HOW THE
EXTENT OF THE POPULATION IS THE
SIZE ISN'T NECESSARILY AS
IMPORTANT AS THE GEOGRAPHIC
EXTENT?
?
A KNOCK DOWN PHASES THE FIRST
INITIATIVE TO REDUCE THAT
POPULATION TO US CLOSE TO NEAR
ZERO.
POPULATION IS YOU CAN.
FOLLOWED BY A MOB EFFORTS
USUALLY THIS IS DONE ON A
MANAGEMENT ZONE APPROACH SO YOU.
DO NOT DOWN IN ONE AREA AND MOVE
TO ANOTHER AREA COME BACK O MOP
UP THE THE FIRST AREA AFTER
YOU'VE KNOCKED ON THE SECOND
AREA AND KIND OF ROTATE AROUND
THOSE MANAGEMENT.
FOLLOWING THE MOTTO PHASE
THERE'S VERIFICATION PERIOD
WHERE YOU GO IN AND YOU
CERVANTES THESE.
.
LOOK APPLYING ALL OF YOUR
DETECTION METHODOLOGIES TO TRY
TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF
NUTRIA HONESTY DO FIND THEM USE.
KICK BACK TO THE MOP UP PHASE
AND YOU REPEAT THAT CYCLE UNTIL
YOU NO LONGER FIND NUTRIA.
AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME
WITCHES UP TO THE MANAGERS
RUNNING THE PROGRAM. OF
VERIFICATION WITHOUT A DETECTION
YOU MOVE INTO THE SURVEILLANCE.
.
PHASE WHICH IS SORT OF LONG TERM
MONITORING.
AND ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THAT IS
BY SECURITY SO IF YOU THINK
THAT.
.
ONE OF THE ISSUES MIGHT BE THE
DELIVER REINTRODUCTION OF NUTRIA
THEN PUTTING IN PLACE.
LAWS THAT MAY PREVENT THAT OR
STRATEGIES THAT ME.
.
PROVIDE EARLY DETECTION OF THOSE
KINDS OF RELEASE OF THAT'S WOULD
BE PART OF A BY SECURITY
PROGRAM.
LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE INTEGRATED METHODS THERE'S
NO.
SILVER BULLET WHEN IT COMES TO
ERADICATING NUTRIA.
WE RELIED ON THE WHOLE SUITE OF
DIFFERENT TRAPS AND HUNTING
TECHNIQUES HOW TO REMOVE NUTRIA
BUT ALSO IMPORTANTLY WHOLE SUITE
OF F TECHNIQUES TO DETECT
NUTRIA.
AND THIS WAS A VALUABLE LEARNING
EXPERIENCE FOR US WHEN WE FIRST
STARTED WE WERE CHARGED WITH.
WITHOUT REDUCING THE POPULATIONS
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND WE
DIDN'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF
SUPPORT NOR DID WE REALLY.
RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF.
DEVELOPING TOOLS TO DETECT
NUTRIA VERY LOW DENSITIES.
AS AS IT TURNS OUT LE THAT IS
THE MOST CHALLENGING. PART OF AN
ERADICATION
IN PAIN.
BUT.
TO LIST THE TOOLS THAT WE USE
CONYBEARE TRAPS WERE PROBABLY
OUR MOST IMPORTANT.
BODY GROUPING TYPE TRAPPED.
.
WE CAPTURED PROBABLY EIGHTY
PERCENT OF THE NUTRIA REMOVED
THAT THAT TYPE OF TRAFFIC BUT
ALSO. WE DID USE OUR FOOTHOLD
TRAPS WE DID USE.
HUNTING BOTH WITH DOGS AND
I TRACKING THEM IN THE SNOW
DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
.
WHEN IT COMES TO DETECTION I
HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
PLATFORM THAT WE DEVELOPED WITH
HERE SNARES.
WE USED REMOTE TRIGGER CAMERAS.
GOOD OLD FASHIONED BOOTS ON THE
GROUND IN THE EYES ON THE MARCH
FOLKS WALKING.
THE MARSHLANDS PATROLLING
MISTER THE STREAMS AND.
WATER WAYS TO SEARCH FOR TRACKS
IN THE MUD.
IN THE EARLY STAGES FOR THE
REMOVAL WE USED DOGS TO ACTUALLY
HUNG NUTRIA.
IN THAT AIDED IN OUR REMOVAL
PROCESS IN THE LATER STAGES OF
THE PROJECT. IN THE VERIFICATION
PHASE WE'VE ACTUALLY TRAIN
SPECIALIZED DETECTION DOGS WHICH
ARE.
NOT DESIGNED TO CAPTURE NUTRIA
BUT RATHER TO DETECT THEIR
PRESENCE OR CONFIRM THEIR
ABSENCE.
NOT THAT YOU CAN EVER PROVE
SOMETHING IS NOT THERE BUT THEY
GREATLY INCREASE OUR CONFIDENCE
THAT WHEN WE SWEEP THROUGH AN
AREA AND DON'T FIND ANYTHING.
THE DOGS NOT FINDING ANYTHING IS
A MUCH STRONGER INDICATION THAT.
THEY'RE NOT THERE.
.
STAFFING IS CRITICAL.
THIS IS A SMALL COMPONENT OF
THE TEAM AT ONE POINT WE HAD
CLOSE TO TWENTY PEOPLE WORKING
ON THIS PROJECT FULL TIME.
AS MANY AS FIFTEEN WILDLIFE
SPECIALISTS ON APPLYING THE
MARSHES AT ONCE.
FUNDING IS VARIED OVER YEARS AND
WE'VE HAD. THE RANKS OF THE TEAM
HAS SWELLED AND.
TRUCK OVER TIME.
BUT THAT WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO
HAVE TEN TO ELEVEN FIELD
SPECIALIST OUT THERE. CHECKING
TRAPS AND MONITORING IN
DETECTING.
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
REQUIRES A DEDICATED STAFF IN
THE SENSE THAT THESE FOLKS
SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE
MISSION OF. ERADICATING NUTRIA
AND NOT A COLLATERAL DUTY OR YOU
KNOW.
ALTERNATE PRIORITIES.
BUT IT ALSO TAKES ON THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL QUITE A BIT A
DEDICATION.
THIS IS SOME TOUGH WORK.
.
EXTREMELY INHOSPITABLE HABITATS
IT'S CHALLENGING TO FIND
EVIDENCE OF NUTRIENT THIS TYPE
OF STUFF.
IN MARYLAND WE HAVE LARGE
EXPANSE OF WETLANDS THAT.
WE HAD TO COVER EVERY INCH OF
SO.
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
BUT WOULD SIGNIFICANT REWARDS.
YOU KNOW THIS IS AN AREA WE
FOUND.
THAT WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY
NUTRIA.
AND AFTER REMOVING JUST A FEW
DOZEN ANIMALS AND COMING BACK TO
YOUR TO LATER.
SAYING THAT RESTORATION.
IS REALLY REWARDING FOR US YOU
KNOW IT DOES.
IT'S NOT TOO OFTEN YOU GET TO
WORK ON A PROJECT THAT THIS HAS
THIS KIND OF.
.
LEGACY POTENTIAL TO RESTORE
HABITAT IN THE LEAVE SOMETHING
BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT.
THOSE VERY.
REWARDING PROJECT FOR US.
THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED.
.
FUNDING IS A BIG ONE.
THE ORIGINAL NUTRIENT CONTROL
ACT OF VIOLENCE TWO THOUSAND
THREE. AUTHORIZES EXPENSE OF
EXPENDITURE FOUR MILLION DOLLARS
A YEAR IN MARYLAND FOR FIVE
YEARS
WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT FUNDING
AT THAT LEVEL.
THE MOST WE EVER SEE WAS ABOUT
ONE AND A HALF MILLION AND.
AFTER THIS IS QUESTION ASIAN AND
TWENTY THIRTEEN A DROPPED TO
JUST UNDER A MILLION AND WE'VE
SLOWLY BEEN KINDA GET
BACK SOME OF THOSE.
FUNDS TO. BUILD OUR TEAM BACK UP
AGAIN.
.
HAD WE BEEN FUNDED AT THAT
ORIGINAL LEVEL I SUSPECT WE
WOULD HAVE.
.
THEN WHERE WE ARE TODAY. QUITE A
FEW YEARS AGO A BUT BECAUSE OF.
THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE
DID HAVE TO WORK WITH.
KNOWS FEWER PEOPLE TO COVER A
LARGER AREA SO.
THAT WAS ONE ISSUE.
.
ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION WE GET SO
CAUGHT UP IN THE REMOVAL PROCESS
THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND A WHOLE LOT
OF TIME DOCUMENTING THE ACTUAL
DAMAGE.
SHOWING THE RECOVERY
GOT A FEW NEED.
BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES AS
YOU'VE SEEN.
BUT.
A MORE RIGOROUS MEANS OF
DOCUMENTING THAT DAY.
CRITICAL AND AND REALLY SHOWING
THAT THE COSTS OF.
DEALING WITH NUTRIA.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE COSTS OF
DOING NOTHING BUT I WOULD BE.
IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGES EARLY
AGAIN.
WE DID NOT FOR SEE THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE WOULD HAVE.
ACTING NUTRIA VERY LOW DENSITIES
UNTIL WE WERE DEALING WITH
NUTRIA LOW DENSITY.
AND IT'S HARD TO.
.
DEVELOP NEW TOOLS FOR DETECTION
AND AND CONDUCT RESEARCH WHEN
YOU DON'T HAVE STUDY ANIMALS
IT WAS SO. OUT OF THESE TYPES OF
THINGS AND DEVELOPING DETECTION
TECHNIQUES SHOULD REALLY BE
DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
PROCESS OF ERADICATION RATHER
THAN SOMETHING YOU COME UP WITH
IF AND WHEN YOU HIT THE
VERIFICATION PHASE.
OUR AND INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND
INNOVATION WE DID EVERYTHING WE
COULD THINK OF.
INCLUDING JUDAS NUTRIA OUR
RADIO COLLAR JUDAS.
.
NUTRI THAT WERE STERILIZED
RELEASE THEM INTO THE MARSHES
WHERE WE THOUGHT WE ATTRACT THE
MALL AND TRACK THEM AND LONG TO
HOLD IN SOME CASES WE.
WE FOUND EVIDENCE OF OTHER
NUTRIA SO.
THE HERE CENTERS THAT WE
DEVELOPED.
USE OF. CAMERA TRAPS THAT SORT
OF THING.
.
A LOT OF INNOVATION WAS WAS KEY
THEIR.
SO HIGHER HEADFORD SORT OF. FIVE
OR SIX
SO THE KEY FACTORS THAT I THINK
WHAT HAS MADE A SUCCESSFUL SO
FAR AND TO BE CLEAR WE HAVE NOT
YET DECLARED ERADICATION.
WE'RE STILL IN THAT VERIFICATION
PHASE WE'VE PROBABLY GOT
ANOTHER.
TWO YEARS OF VERIFYING TO MAKE
SURE.
THAT WE DON'T.
HAVE ANY NUTRIA LEFT HOWEVER
THIS MONTH MARKS THE THIRD YEAR
WITHOUT A DETECTION SINCE LAST
NEUTRINOS COTTON REMOVED.
.
IN THE TO SPEAK DAYS ON.
THE KEY FACTORS TO OUR SUCCESS
TO THIS POINT HAVE BEEN THAT
EFFECTIVE AND COMMITTED
PARTNERSHIP I TOLD YOU ABOUT
EARLIER.
DEDICATED STAFF WHO HAVE A
SINGULAR MISSION.
THE INTEGRATION OF MULTIPLE
METHODS FOR BOTH REMOVAL IN
DETECTION THE ABILITY TO
INNOVATE.
AN ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT HE'LL
FIND AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT YOU
KNOW AND.
AND COUNTER CHALLENGES YOU NEVER
ANTICIPATED AND BEING ABLE TO
SORT OF.
ADAPT TO THOSE NEEDS.
IS PRETTY CRITICAL.
AND IT'S KEY FOR THE THE FOLKS
THAT ARE IN THE FIELD THE ONES
THAT ARE CARRYING OUT THE
MISSION HAVE THE FREEDOM TO MAKE
THOSE SORT OF ON THE FLY
ADJUSTMENT.
ANOTHER KEY ONE FOR US WAS HUGE
WAS BUYING FROM PRIVATE
LANDOWNERS MORE THAN HALF THE
NATURE REMOVED FOR TAKEN FROM
PRIVATE LAND SURROUNDING THE
COMPLEX OF FEDERAL AND STATE
LANDS THAT FORMED. THE CORE OF
OUR.
REPLICATIONS ON.
SO WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF
PRIVATE LANDOWNERS WE NEVER
WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
ANOTHER KEY THING THAT I THINK
YOU GUYS I HAVE SOME MATERIALS
ON IS THE RESULT OF AN EXTERNAL
REVIEW.
ATTRACTED.
OUTSIDE.
COME IN AND.
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT WE
WERE DOING.
AND I PROVIDED SOME INVALUABLE
ADVICE AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE
BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE REPORT
THAT RESULTED FROM.
AND FINALLY PERSISTENT.
IT'S JUST
HAVE TO STICK WITH IT.
I THINK THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE SO.
JUST IN TIME FOR THE CELEBRATION
OUTSIDE.
SO HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
CELL CAN NUTRIA CONTRACTED
RABIES.
I AM A MAMMAL CAN CONTRACT
RABIES YES.
IT'S NOT TERRIBLY PREVALENT IN
NUTRIA THAT I'VE.
ENCOUNTERED BUT.
.
ANY MAMMALS CAPABLE.
UP SO WHAT IT THROUGH THE THE
THIS WHOLE PROCESS DID YOU HAVE
ANY OPPOSITION FROM ANY.
.
WILDLIFE ANIMAL GROUPS OR OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU NEEDED TO
WORK WITH TO.
ADDRESS.
ANY OF YOU KNOW EFFORTS TO STOP
WE DID NOT HAVE TREMENDOUS
OPPOSITION THERE IS CONCERN OF
COURSE AND FRANKLY WE YOU KNOW
WE WERE CONCERNED AS WELL ABOUT
OUR IMPACTS ON ON TARGET SPEAK.
THAT SORT OF THING TO.
WHERE IN HERE WERE IN THIS FOR
THE CONSERVATION ASK?
BUT THE ECOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE
FOR WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS SO
OVERWHELMING.
.
YOU COULD SEE IT ANYBODY DRIVING
THROUGH BLACKWATER REFUGE.
SEE THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN DONE.
SO.
THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF FOLKS
WERE WILLING TO COME OUT.
SUPPORTIVE MAINTAINING A NUTRIA
POPULATION.
NOW CONTRAST THAT WITH NEW SONGS
WHICH WERE.
SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THE CHEST
BAY.
WITH PLAN SORRY MUTE SWANS.
THE BEAUTIFUL BIG WHITE BIRDS.
CAN THEY DO A LOT OF DAMAGE
SAYS SUBMERGED AQUATIC
VEGETATION.
AND THE STATE OF MARYLAND
IMPLEMENTED A SIMILAR
ERADICATION CONTROL PROGRAM
AROUND THE SAME TIME WE START.
AND THAT.
THE DRUGS OF THE TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF TIME.
OPPOSITION.
AND PERHAPS THAT WAS A BIT OF A
DISTRACTION.
FROM THE NUTRIA FOR US BUT.
WE DO NOT HAVE.
TREMENDOUS OPPOSITION.
HOW MANY YEARS WAS THE WHOLE
PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH
OR UNTIL NOW ANYWAY SO?
THE ERADICATION CAMPAIGN AND
PROPER.
BEGAN IN TWO THOUSAND AND.
AND IT CONTINUES TODAY.
WE ANTICIPATE THERE'S PROBABLY
ATLEAST TWO MORE YEARS OF OF
VALIDATION THERE VERIFICATION
THAT NEED TO BE.
CONDUCTED WITHOUT ANY
DETECTIONS.
BEFORE REFILL COMFORTABLE
DECLARING.
.
THE ERADICATION IS BEEN
ACHIEVED.
SO THAT'LL PUT US AT RIGHT
AROUND TWENTY.
EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY YEARS.
MUCH LONGER THAN YOUR TYPICAL OR
EDUCATION PROGRAMS MOST
ERADICATION PROGRAMS ARE. PRETTY
SHORT AND LIMITED IN TIME.
.
BUT THEY'RE OFTEN CONDUCTED ARMS
SMALLER.
ISLAND TYPE.
HABITATS THEY'RE OFTEN CONDUCTED
WITH TOXICANTS THAT. THAT CAN
QUICKLY REMOVING ENTIRE
POPULATION OF
NORWAY RATS ARE HOUSE MICE OR
OTHER RODENTS.
WITH A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WHICH
IS ESSENTIALLY CONDUCTED ON THE
MAINLAND ENVIRONMENT WITH.
TRADITIONAL.
.
TOOLS THAT ARE USED BY FOR
HARVESTERS.
.
IT'S.
YOU KNOW MUCH MORE.
HANDS ON APPROACH IN IT TAKES A
LOT MORE RESOURCES.
SO.
.
THE THE PROJECT ACTUALLY BEGAN
WITH A SHORT ABOUT TWO YEAR
PILOT STUDY IN ADVANCE OF OF
WHEN WE STARTED THIS SO WHAT'S
BEEN GOING ON SINCE ABOUT TWO
THOUSAND.
SELECT AND IN CALIFORNIA WE'VE
DISCOVERED OR DETECTED SIXTY
THREE HOW IS THAT IN COMPARISON
TO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU HAD
ORIGINALLY SEEN. WHEN YOU FIRST
STARTED YOUR PROGRAM.
.
SO.
I DID NOT PROVIDE THE LITTLE
SORT OF SUMMARY THAT I SHOULD
HAVE PROBABLY.
THE INTO THE PROGRAM WE HAD
REMOVED NUTRI ABOUT FOURTEEN
THOUSAND NUTRIA FROM OVER.
.
ABOUT A QUARTER MILLION ACRES OF
WETLAND HABITAT ALONG WHICH
BAY.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THAT
COMPARES TO THE SITES HERE N
CALIFORNIA I AM VERY EAGER TO
GET OUT IN THE FIELD TOMORROW
AND TAKE A LOOK AT.
YOUR ENVIRONMENT STUDENTS LIKE.
BUT.
.
IT ONE TIME BLACKWATER ESTIMATED
THAT.
SUPPORTED SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY
TO THIRTY FIVE TO FIFTY THOUSAND
NEW TREE.
BY THE TIME WE STARTED OUR
PROGRAM THEY'VE LITERALLY IN
THEMSELVES OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME
SO THE HABITAT THAT ONCE
SUPPORTED THOSE NUMBERS WAS NO
LONGER THERE.
.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ALSO
SOME NATURAL DECLINE IN THE
POPULATION OCCURRING AND WE WERE
ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON.
SO FOURTEEN THOUSAND SOUNDS LIKE
A LOT.
BUT IT ACTUALLY I THINK PALES
IN COMPARISON WITH THE NUMBERS
THAT WERE HAD BEEN THERE
PREVIOUSLY IN THE PEAK OF THE
POPULATION. PROBABLY EIGHTIES
AND NINETIES.
SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF
ALL OF WHAT THE NUMBER WAS SAD
THAT YOU HAD ORIGINALLY WHEN YOU
STARTED THE PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW I CAN CHANGE THAT'S THE
TROUBLE WITH ESTIMATING NUTRI
POPULATIONS WE CAN CHANGE THAT
CAN DOUBLE IN A YEAR THEY CAN.
NINETY PERCENT DIOS OVER A
SINGLE HARD WINNER SO.
IT'S IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT.
POPULATION.
ASSESSMENT IS NOT AN EASY THING
TO DO A NUTRIENT WHAT WE FOUND
WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
WAY OF.
ASSESSING THE PROBLEM THE
POPULATION SIZE.
THIS WAS THE. EFFORT OF THE
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PROJECT
THEY'RE DOING A MARKER CAPTURE
STUDY WHERE THEY GO OUT CAPTURE
ANIMALS ARE PUT ON YOUR TAG ON
ON THE RELEASE AND THEN THEY GO
OUT MY TRAP AGAIN AND THEY SEE
WHAT PROPORTION. OF THE ANIMALS
CAPTURED HAVING HERE TAG AND
FROM THAT THEY CAN EXTRAPOLATE
THE POPULATION SIZE.
THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
BY THE TIME WE STARTED THIS
WHAT WE FOUND WAS IN ABOUT A
MONTH'S TIME WE TO TRAP ABOUT
NINETY FIVE TO NINETY NINE
PERCENT OF THE NUTRIA OUT OF
THIS.
LIKE AREA.
AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST
ACCURATE WAY TO.
ACCOUNT THE NUMBER THAT WERE
THERE.
BUT BECAUSE IT WAS TAKING PLACE
OVER SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
FOURTEEN YEARS.
FOR THE REMOVAL PART.
VERY AT DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE
WHAT POPULATIONS AND OTHER
WATERSHEDS WERE DOING.
DURING THAT TIME UNTIL WE GOT
TO THE
SO.
AFRAID I CAN'T GIVE YOU A
SIGNAL.
A RELIABLE ESTIMATE
OVULATION SIZE WHEN WE STARTED.
OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE REMAIN
SEATED AT
I'M WONDERING DO WE HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MANY
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME
FORWARD?
YES.
GOOD MORNING NO WELL CREAMERS
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU
FEDERATION I JUST WANTED SAY
THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR
HAVING.
I'M.
AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THOSE OF US IN AGRICULTURE IN
THE CENTRAL VALLEY ARE VERY
WORRIED ABOUT.
FINDING NUTRIA ON THE POTENTIAL
EXPANSION AND THE DAMAGE THAT
THEY WILL CAUSE TO OUR WATERS ON
INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS CROP
DAMAGE.
AS WE WOULD URGE I'M.
ALL STATE AGENCIES TO WORK
TOGETHER WITHIN A ROLE IN THIS
TO HELP ON A RATTY KATIE SHARIA
AND USE.
ALL AVAILABLE TOOLS NECESSARY TO
DO THAT.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE
AUDIENCE.
OKAY WITH THAT THAT CONCLUDES
OUR HEARING FOR TODAY THANK YOU
TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS AND I'M
I'M CERTAIN THAT THIS WON'T BE
THE LAST.
THAT WE HAVE ON THIS ISSUE THANK
YOU