IVS.F | What Can We Do?

We’ve seen how damaging invasive species can be, but what’s the answer?  Are we doomed, or are there options other than throwing up our hands? As it turns out, the old saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a ton of cure holds true here as well.  Although we can take steps to remove them once they’re here, preventing those pesky invaders from getting to new habitats in the first place is the single most effective solution. 

Ballast Water

We’ve mentioned ballast water several times as a way that invasive species get from their native habitats to new ones, but what exactly is ballast water? When a ship leaves port without cargo, it fills large ballast tanks with water to help keep it stay balanced. At the next port, the ship pumps out the now unnecessary water so that it can load up with cargo. Tiny animals in the water have gotten a free ride from one port to another.But small steps can make a big difference. Captains can help prevent invasive species from entering new areas by flushing and refilling ballast tanks with water from the open ocean before they arrive in port. In deep water far from the coast, animals flushed out of the ship’s tanks are not likely to survive. Likewise, any deep-water organisms brought on board in the fresh tank of water are less likely to get a foothold in the shallow coastal waters at the ship’s next port.

Scientists have found that doing this can remove more than 90% of the tiny animals in ballast tanks. The U.S. and other countries have begun requiring ships to either keep their ballast water on board or flush it thoroughly in deep waters far from the coast. Meanwhile, scientists are studying other techniques, such filtering ballast water or treating it with UV light or heat. They hope that down the line, these techniques will put an end to high-seas hitchhiking altogether.

Individual Action

One of the most common ways that individuals assist in the spreading of these aggressive invaders is having poor habits while diving. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, there are a few steps SCUBA divers can follow to keep from transporting species between waters. Check your gear for any nuisance species as soon as you get out of the water, rinse your gear with hot water, and allow it to dry before diving in different waters.

You can also find volunteer opportunities.  Many state and national parks host invasive species walks. Some even offer half-day hikes where you learn to identify and removal invasive plants. You can also combine invasive species removal with other recreation, such as spearfishing for lionfish, or bow hunting for snakehead.

And as stated earlier, don’t release pets into the wild. Millions of exotic fishes are imported into the U.S. for the aquarium trade every year. Over 150 different species of exotic fish have been caught in U.S. waters, many of them known to have breeding populations. Over half of these introductions are from people releasing aquarium fish into the wild.

Whether a particular invasive species was introduced into its new habitat accidentally or deliberately doesn’t really matter in the end. What matters is that steps are taken to mitigate their impact and prevent further damage.