STATEWIDE — Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) announced Monday that this week, February 26 to March 3, 2024, marks National Invasive Species Awareness Week.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is an international event designed to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose, and what can be done to prevent their spread.
According to LDWF, an invasive species is an organism that causes ecological and/or economic damage if it is introduced into an area to which it is not indigenous.
In Louisiana, aquatic invasive species include the Asian tiger shrimp, lionfish, northern snakehead, Rio Grande cichlid, apple snail, silver carp, bighead carp, common carp, black carp, and grass carp. Invasive plants include water hyacinth, giant salvinia, water lettuce, hydrilla, common salvinia, and alligator weed.
The best way to limit the impact of invasive species is to prevent them from spreading:
- Learn how to identify invasive species and report sightings by contacting the Aquatic Nuisance Species Hotline at (225) 765-3977 or AquaticInvasives@wlf.la.gov.
- Never release pets (including aquarium pets) purchased from pet stores into the wild. Contact LDWF for proper disposal of unwanted pets.
- Carefully clean your boat, trailer, and fishing equipment to limit the spread of invasive species.
Learn more about aquatic invasive species: https://buff.ly/49vfUtN
Learn more about invasive aquatic plants: https://buff.ly/3IcTDoK
