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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;font-weight:bold'>Mud
snail crops up in four more <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">North</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Coast</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> watersheds<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><b><font size=4
color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'>Eureka</span></font></b></st1:City></st1:place><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'> Times Standard – 11/06/08<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><b><font size=4 color=black
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;
font-weight:bold'>John Driscoll</span></font></b></st1:PersonName><b><font
size=4 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black;font-weight:bold'>, staff writer<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color="#000088" face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#000088'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>A prolific invasive snail has now been
found in four coastal watersheds, raising the possibility that it will infest a
larger part of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Humboldt</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in the near
future. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The <st1:country-region w:st="on">New
Zealand</st1:country-region> mud snail, first found locally in Big Lagoon in
September, has since been confirmed as present in <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceType>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Earl</st1:PlaceName>, Tillas Slough off the <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Smith</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType>,
in the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>lower Klamath</span></b></st1:PlaceName><b><span
style='font-weight:bold'> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></span></b>
and in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Russian</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> east of Hopland. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Other watersheds infested with the
invasive snail have been devastated by their presence. It was first found in
the Snake River in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Idaho</st1:State></st1:place>
in the 1980s, and now is present in 10 states. Without natural predators, the
snails consume algae and plant and animal debris, altering the food chain --
affecting protected salmon, steelhead and other species. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>While the state is launching an
educational campaign to let boaters and fishermen know how to prevent the
spread of the tiny snail, it's clear it will not be easy, if even possible. To
date, there is no way to eradicate the snail, either. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>”There's not a whole lot you can do
once they get in there,” said Fish and Game district watershed biologist
Michelle Gilroy. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The snails can spread on the feet of
wading birds, and can survive in the digestive tracts of fish. To kill them on
fishing waders and gear, the California Department of Fish and Game recommends
freezing the stuff for eight hours; to scour them from boats, the agency
recommends scrubbing them off with hot water. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The hope is to at least slow the spread of
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country-region></st1:place>
mud snail. Breck McAlexander, a Fish and Game aquatic species coordinator said
that the snails, which thrive in fresh water, could have limitations in
brackish waters like lagoons and estuaries. If their introduction into a
watershed is reduced, it's conceivable that they might not take hold enough to
produce a viable population, he said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>But even that is hopeful thinking. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>”The best strategy is to try to
prevent their spread,” McAlexander said, “which may or may not be
possible.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>On the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">American</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>,
biologists have carefully monitored for the presence of mud snails that can be
transported by hatchery fish into their destination lakes and streams. Fish and
Game policy is to not allow fish from infested hatcheries to be transported to
bodies of water not yet infested. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Now, with the presence of mud snails not
far from the Mad River Hatchery, McAlexander said it is important to monitor
that hatchery, too. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>So far, there have been no mud snails
discovered there, and the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District is working to
develop ways to prevent the spread of the snails into the upper watershed, in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Ruth</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Lake</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Pikeminnow scare is quelled <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In the effort to keep invasive species in
check, there is some good news. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The dreaded pikeminnow -- which has
voraciously consumed salmon on the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Eel</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType> for years -- was believed to
have worked its way into the Elk River, which empties into <st1:place w:st="on">Humboldt
Bay</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Biologists found a single pikeminnow in
Martin Slough, a tributary to <st1:place w:st="on">Elk River</st1:place>, in
August, and feared the worst. Along with other state and federal agencies, the
California Department of Fish and Game developed a sampling strategy to detect
whether any other pikeminnow were in the watershed. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>”The implications for restoration
around <st1:place w:st="on">Humboldt Bay</st1:place> with the introduction of
these invasive species is pretty frightening,” said Fish and Game
district watershed biologist Michelle Gilroy. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>But after a number of attempts to find
other pikeminnow, the stream turned up clean. No pikeminnow. While the sampling
will continue at least until spring of 2009, biologists are reasonably certain
that the fish's presence was an isolated case. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The question is how did it get there? <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gilroy</st1:City></st1:place> said that it seems
most likely the fish was planted in a nearby pond or in the slough itself.
That's illegal; Fish and Game requires a permit to stock fish in private ponds
and in no circumstance allows fish to be transported to other streams without
permission, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Gilroy</st1:City></st1:place>
said. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=4 color=black
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Gilroy</span></font></st1:City><font
size=4 color=black><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> said it's also
possible the fish got there from the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Eel</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType>, although pikeminnow aren't
salt-water tolerant, and would have had to travel miles to get into <st1:place
w:st="on">Elk River</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Restorationist Mitch Farro with the
Pacific Coast Fish, Wildlife and Wetlands Restoration Association said that
when the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Eel</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType>
is running strong, a current can push a stream of fresh water north from the
mouth of the river to <st1:place w:st="on">Humboldt Bay</st1:place>. That could
have allowed a pikeminnow to travel into the bay and back into fresh water. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>”It's a possibility,” Farro
said. “It's also fairly likely that someone put them there.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray'>Byron</span></font></i></em></st1:PersonName><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'> Leydecker</span></font></i></em></st1:PersonName><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'>, JCT</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Chair, Friends of <st1:place w:st="on">Trinity
River</st1:place></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray'>PO Box</span></font></i></em></st1:Street><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'> 2327</span></font></i></em></st1:address><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><em><i><font
size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:gray'>Mill Valley</span></font></i></em></st1:City><em><i><font
color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span style='color:gray'>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94942-2327</st1:PostalCode></span></font></i></em></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810 cell</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net">bwl3@comcast.net</a></span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org">bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</a>
(secondary)</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><em><i><font size=3 color=gray face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a href="http://fotr.org">http://fotr.org</a>
</span></font></i></em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net"></a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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