Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Education and Outreach

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The Oregon Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program (AISPP) started in 2010 and until recent years, has been completely funded from the sales of the AISPP permit, which averages about $700,000 in revenue each year. Majority of these AISPP funds are used to pay for personal and supplies to operate six inspection stations at various entry points into the state with very limited resource available for outreach and education material items. Out Reach and Education AISPP will purchase various outreach and educational material such as; “Clean, Drain, Dry”, shamie towels; “Keep Oregon Quagga & Zebra Mussel Free” magnets; and whistles with messaging. Out Reach and Education –Roadside Billboards To help increase stopping compliance rates and for outreach to the public, AISPP will place a billboard near the Brooking inspection station and the I-5 Ashland inspection station. These “billboards” will stay with the “Clean, Drain, Dry” message and show pictures of various watercraft both motorized and non-motorized in order to remind boaters that they are required to stop for inspection. Out Reach and Education –Movie Theaters AISPP will develop, produce and distribute 30-second “Clean, Drain, Dry” and watercraft inspection informational segments at movie theaters in Portland, Salem, Bend, Wilsonville, Corvallis, White City, Klamath Falls, Lincoln City and Astoria. Early – Detection Monitoring Enhance current quagga and zebra mussel monitoring efforts through advanced training of senior staff to identify quagga and zebra mussel veligers. Training would occur at Aquaticus LLC in Chiefland, Florida. Training will consist of two days of identifying Dreissena veligers, Corbicula straight-hinge juveniles, and ostracods, as well as digital photographs of multiple bivalve species. Training also includes ongoing species identification support.

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