Aquatic Invasive Species Management in the San Francisco Bay Delta: A Collaborative Effort

Recent initiatives to better understand and address plant aquatic invasive species (AIS) challenges in the San Francisco Bay-Delta have highlighted the complexity of these programs and the regulatory environment in which they operate. The California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW), United States Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), and stakeholders, are developing a more holistic and comprehensive approach to aquatic invasive species control. 

This paper provides an overview of the existing process, clarifies misconceptions, and illustrates the efficiency of the approach to-date. Stakeholders propose a new process for planning and regulatory compliance that could better address and manage the on-going, expanding, and challenging issues facing AIS control in the Delta.