Unconfirmed NZMS on the Stanislaus

[epzamora]

hello everyone. my name's eric and i'm posting this to several fly forums so apologies if it keeps coming up for you elsewhere but i think it's important, hopefully you do too.

i fished the Middle fork of the Stan below Beardsley for the first time a couple of months ago. I recalled seeing the typical yellow NZMS warning sign at the lot but the Stan had not been on any previous list of NZMS positive sites i was aware of previously.
when i got back from my trip i sent an email to DFG asking about it. *I received an update from the staff member i had been corresponding with since then just last week. here is what she had to say:

"The USFWS just let me know there has been a collection of what's been tentatively identified as New Zealand mudsnail on the Stanislaus.* I probably just hadn't gotten the word about this when you wrote earlier this month.* I don't have any of the details, but more samples will be collected in a couple of weeks and I'll get more information then.* I remembered your e-mail and thought I'd send you an update.

If people go to www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives and look on the right side of the page, they can click on New Zealand mudsnail.* That will take them to our New Zealand mudsnail page where you can follow directions to bring up the map of NZMS sites for CA.* This map is actually at a Montana State University website.* They maintain this website with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.* We share information with them & vice versa.* Be aware that at the Montana State site, one sometimes has to wait a minute for the database to catch up with your directions as you navigate to the map for CA.*If the sighting for the Stanislaus River is confirmed, the information will be sent there and DFG will receive it the information as well."
Julie *

Julie Horenstein
Staff Environmental Scientist with the Department of Fish and Game's Invasive Species Program
JHORENSTEIN@dfg.ca.gov


I'm including Julie's title and contact info for attribution sake.
For now, i thought i would circulate this bit of news around to several forums i frequent so take this has a heads up for an unconfirmed report. the maps julie referred to do not list the stan. yet. we shall see what develops from the survey. i figured it would be best to at least increase awareness and precautions even if it is not NZMS in the end.

eric
fresno, ca.

[wjorg]

You've got guys doing a circut from Putah to the American to the Stan, it was only a matter of time.

Maybe if we trade meth for mudsnails we'll have whole army of real dedicated, focused folks out there with snorkels, little snail grabbers, and a net doing something productive?