USGS Fact Sheet 2012–3100 (The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program)

The National Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Program
monitors, analyzes, and records sightings of
non-native (introduced) aquatic species throughout the United States. The program is based at the
USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center in
Gainesville, Florida.
The initiative to maintain scientific
information on nationwide occurrences of
non-native aquatic species began with the Aquatic
Nuisance Species Task Force, a group created
by Congress in 1990 to address the need for this
type of information by natural resource managers. Since then, the NAS program has maintained
the database as a clearinghouse of information for
confirmed sightings of non-native aquatic species
throughout the Nation. The program also produces
email alerts, maps, summary graphs, publications,
and other information products to support natural
resource managers.

The NAS Database in a Nutshell
The NAS database includes records of
aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates occurring
outside of their native range. It is freely accessible at a public website (http://nas.er.usgs.gov),
where users can query the database to view current
distributions.
The NAS database encompasses aquatic
ecosystems (wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and
coastlines) throughout the U.S. and its territories.
The database contains records of more than 1,100
species dating back to the year 1850, and new
records are continuously added by NAS program
staff. The database also offers a searchable reference database on non-native aquatic species,
factsheets on individual species, distribution maps,
and new location notices.
Maps produced from the database are widely
used in scientific talks, publications, and web
pages, as well as by television, internet, and
printed news outlets.
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey

Management & Policy Uses
Risk Analysis
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used NAS to examine the
risk of non-native species introduction across watershed connections to help prioritize which connections to sever and which to
monitor.
• The U.S. Forest Service used the database to identify infested
source waters, thereby lowering the risk of unintentionally
spreading non-native species while airdropping water drawn from
natural sources, such as lakes and ponds, to fight fires.
Monitoring and Prevention
• Data and alerts are used by natural resource agencies to determine
where to focus monitoring efforts.
• Federal and nongovernmental partners have prepared field guides
for early detection of invasive marine fishes.
• Ecological modelers use NAS data in predictive modeling to
show possible distributions of species in future invasions.
• South Carolina State planners used pathway analysis to determine
where to direct their public education as an intervention for
decreasing new invasions.
Management and Planning
• Occurrence data supports national assessments of aquatic
invasions and regional management of non-native aquatic species.
• Reports from NAS have been used to document the range
expansion of invasive species throughout a region of concern.
Federal Policymaking
• Data and reports from NAS have been used to make decisions
about Lacey Act listings.
• NAS provides information for Congressional testimonies.

Printed on recycled paper

Fact Sheet 2012–3100
September 2012

NAS Specimen Records
Each specimen record documents a non-native aquatic
species in a particular location at a point in time. The specimen may not have survived or reproduced after the sighting,
however, the record provides documentation of the event,
allowing researchers to analyze trends and pathways in
introductions. All specimen records include the location,
date, and identity of the non-native aquatic species. Other
details, such as photos or museum specimens (in cases
where the organism was caught), are available for some
records. To the extent possible, the database includes the
best available information on the population status of each
species, documenting whether it has failed or established a
self-sustaining wild population. The database also distinguishes between non-native species that are transplants,
meaning they are native to a different part of the U.S., and
exotics which originate from other countries.
Records are compiled from published materials, such
as books, journal articles, and technical reports, as well as
records and reports from federal and state fish and wildlife
agencies, museum holdings, and university researchers.
Fishermen, boaters, and divers, and other members of the
general public also submit reports of sightings.
To ensure the integrity of the data, the identity and
reported location of each species is verified by NAS program staff before each new specimen record is entered into
the database. Supporting documentation, such as collection
information, photos, supporting academic literature, or a
first-hand account, is attached to the specimen record.
This specimen record provides details about a single introduction
of the vermiculated sailfin catfish, including a map of the location.

Queries and Searches
Users can select text-based search to type in a genus,
species or common name, or browse all occurrences within a
broader taxonomic group, such as frogs, mammals, or fishes.
Specimen records can also be queried according to geographic
criteria, including:
• State
• County
• Major drainage area—2-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC)
• Drainage—6-digit HUC
• Watershed—8-digit HUC
• Using advanced text searches, users can filter results
by additional criteria, such as year, freshwater or marine
environments, introduction pathway, and exotic or
transplant categories.
A text-based search for “carp” as a common name returned
these 13 carp species. From here, users can access a point
map showing locations of sightings.

This bar graph compares transplants with exotics,
including the categories of hybrids, cryptogenic, or
unknown origins.

Assessing Trends in Introductions
The NAS database also includes summary graphs to
show key facts and trends, such as origins of non-native
aquatic species, as well as pathways and environments
where they have been introduced. The graphs can include
all species in the U.S. or by individual state. They also
can be displayed by taxonomic groups (fishes, mollusks,
crustaceans, reptiles, and amphibians).
Types of graphs currently available include:
• Introductions over time
• Introductions by taxonomic group
• Native transplants versus foreign (exotics)
• Introductions by pathway
• Continent of origin of exotic species

Pie charts, such as this one for Florida,
catagorized non-native aquatic occurrences
by their introduction pathways.

Interpreting Point Maps
Each individual specimen record includes an
online map displaying the location of the occurrence to the finest scale possible. Point maps show
all records for a given species. Some records
(particularly early dates) have imprecise locations,
therefore NAS uses a point distribution system to
enable all records to be georeferenced by latitude
and longitude (lat-long). Each record’s lat-long
accuracy is designated by one of three categories,
which are indicated by shape on the map:
○ Accurate – Lat-long is reasonably

close to described location, such as

“mouth of Smith Creek.”
□ Approximate – Lat-long is in the

general vicinity of the collection,

such as “a pond in Gainesville, Florida.”
Centroid – Lat-long is calculated based

on the center of a polygon, such as with

county- or drainage-level records.

This point map shows the results of a query for
bighead carp. Colors indicate population status.

Watch for New Introductions!
The NAS Alert System is designed to notify registered users of new
occurrences based on geographic area, species, or broad taxonomic categories.
• State Watches track sightings by State.
• Group Watches include categories of fish, amphibians,
reptiles, mollusk, crustaceans, and other species.
• Species Watches create single-species alerts.
To register to receive alerts, visit the NAS homepage at http://nas.er.usgs.gov.
Alerts are triggered for any recent occurrence not previously been reported in
a given country, state, county, drainage system, or bioregion.

Report Sightings!
The public plays a significant role in the invasive species issue by acting
as “early detectors” of new invasions. Users can locate the waters where a
non-native species was seen, accurately report the geographic coordinates
using an online map, and upload a photo for NAS program staff to verify the
species identity. This online tool has been a very effective for reporting new
invasions. A recent analysis of the NAS Alert System showed that approximately two-thirds of the alerts generated in the past 5 years have come
from personal communication through this volunteer reporting mechanism.
Reports can be submitted online at:
http://nas.er.usgs.gov/SightingReport.aspx.

Partnerships
The NAS program works closely with state agencies and develops special
tools with partnerships, such as integrated reporting and filtered website views.
Working with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), NAS
has helped to create an integrated data system called NISbase (www.NISbase.
org) that links SERC invasive marine species data with NAS invasive freshwater species data. Through other partnerships, NAS offers custom, regional views
of the database that allow managers to focus on a specific area of interest. Two
examples of this include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System
(GLANSIS) and a regional view of the Columbia River that NAS provides as
part of a consortium of state, federal and nongovernmental partners. NAS is
also a member of the Global Invasive Species Information Network (GISIN)
and Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and provides data to these
larger networks as well as other invasive species databases. Data analysis, time
series maps, and detailed regional maps can be designed for special projects.

For More Information
Pam Fuller, Biologist/NAS Program Leader
USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center
7920 NW 71st Street
Gainesville, FL 32653
Phone: 352-264-3481
Email: [email protected]

Potential partners can contact NAS for more information
about custom maps and other tools.
Visit NAS online at: http://nas.er.usgs.gov
Suggested Citation:
Pawlitz, R.J., and David, K.D., 2012, The National Nonindigenous Aquatic
Species Program: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2012-3100, 4 p.