The overarching AIS goal is that "Risks of aquatic invasive species invasions are substantially reduced, and their economic, ecological, and human health impacts are minimized. This goal is addressed through a series of performance and workload measures. The AIS Program provides funding for Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinators for each Region within the Service and their respective aquatic nuisance species activities. These coordinators work closely with the public and private sector to develop and implement invasive species projects. One of the primary initiatives of the program is the prevention of invasive species via boats through the "100th Meridian Initiative" (overseen by individual AIS regional coordinators). This initiative aims to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by boats personal watercraft and other pathways. Through boat inspections and boaters assessments along the 100th meridian, partners can learn how to prevent the spread of zebra mussels and other AIS via transport of boats and personal watercraft.
The Summer Townet Survey (STN) is a long-term effort to monitor young pelagic fishes in the upper San Francisco Estuary. Since 1959, STN has sampled locations from eastern San Pablo Bay to Rio Vista on the Sacramento River, and to Stockton on the San Joaquin River; and a single station in the lower Napa River. The study area was expanded in 2011 to include the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Chanel and Cache Slough. Currently, 40 stations are sampled as a survey every other week June through August for a total of 6 surveys. Fish sampling uses a conical, fixed-frame net, which is pulled obliquely through the water column 2 to 3 times at each station. Data collected at 31 stations are used to calculate annual relative abundance indices for age-0 Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) and Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus). The remaining 8 stations are sampled to increase our understanding of juvenile fish abundance and distribution in the lower Napa River and the north Delta. Starting in 2005, a zooplankton net was added to assess fish food resources at each station and a subset of the fish collected are retained for diet analysis by CDFW researchers. Zooplankton sampling informs several management actions focused on Delta Smelt habitat improvements including collections of additional zooplankton samples for the Suisun Marsh Salinity Control Gate re-operation. Finally, the STN also measures environmental variables including water temperature, water clarity and specific conductivity. Managers and researchers use data collected by STN to inform decisions and improve and understand the health of the upper San Francisco Estuary.
The Wetland Regional Monitoring Program (WRMP) Fish and Fish Habitat Monitoring project is a collaborative effort to track biological responses to tidal wetland restoration in the San Francisco Estuary. Monthly sampling is conducted across a network of benchmark, reference, and project restoration sites in the South Bay and North Bay, with the goal of evaluating how wetland restoration influences fish assemblages, habitat use, and ecological condition.
The study uses primarily otter trawls to monitor fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Standardized field methods align with those used in long-term monitoring programs to ensure comparability and data integration across regions. Environmental data, including water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, are collected in tandem with biological sampling to assess habitat quality and seasonal dynamics.
The program addresses WRMP Guiding Question #4: How do policies, programs, and projects to protect and restore tidal marshes affect the distribution, abundance, and health of fish and wildlife? The data support adaptive management, regulatory compliance, and science-based restoration planning by identifying key habitats, tracking restoration performance, and detecting regional patterns in species composition and abundance over time.
