Pennsylvania Ag Connection - International Effort Raises Awareness of Aquatic Invasive Species

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International Effort Raises Awareness of Aquatic Invasive Species
Pennsylvania Ag Connection - 07/01/2022

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in partnership with seven Great Lakes states, six Northeast states, and six Canadian provinces today announced the newly expanded annual Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz. This international campaign informs boaters and the general public about the risks of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS). The campaign kicks off on July 1 and runs through July 10. During this coordinated outreach effort, partners will educate the public at hundreds of water access sites throughout the Great Lakes and Northeast.

"New York State is focused on preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and partnerships like the annual AIS Landing Blitz are an essential part of our comprehensive efforts to engage New Yorkers and our visitors on the steps they can take to protect our world class waterways," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "We are proud to once again work with our international, federal, state, and local partners on this year's blitz which further amplifies the strategic efforts underway through DEC's Boat Steward Program and other efforts to provide boaters the information they need to inspire actions to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species."

"Aquatic invasive species don't respect political boundaries, so the states and provinces must continue to work together through successful partnerships like the annual AIS Landing Blitz to prevent new invasions and reduce the damage from species already here," said Great Lakes Commission (GLC) Chair Todd Ambs of Wisconsin. "The GLC is proud to support this partnership to communicate directly with the public at landing sites across the basin."

During last year's AIS Landing Blitz, partners connected with 139,000 people at more than 1,100 public and private boat landings across the Great Lakes region. DEC's boat stewards alone have already performed more than 60,000 inspections and intercepted more than 2,750 AIS this season at boat launches throughout New York State.

This year, DEC is focusing on digital marketing strategies and coordinated social media outreach during the blitz to bolster continuing efforts to increase public knowledge of AIS issues and how to clean, drain, dry, and disinfect boats and gear.

For more information on the Great Lakes and Northeast AIS Landing Blitz, including educational materials, location information, and volunteer opportunities, visit the Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz webpage at https://bit.ly/3OSnq7f.

To help protect New York's lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, visit DEC's website at https://bit.ly/3yvFAX6 for more information on AIS and a step-by-step guide for ridding boats and equipment of AIS. DEC also recently released a public service announcement (PSA) to remind boaters to clean, drain, and dry their watercraft to protect New York's waters. The PSA is now available on DEC's YouTube page at https://bit.ly/3OOaK1c.

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