• Two online aquatic animal suppliers were fined for shipping invasive crayfish to Wisconsin.
• The companies, based in North Carolina and Indiana, ignored warnings from the Wisconsin DNR.
• The invasive crayfish pose disease risks, outcompete native species and are costly to eradicate.
• Consumers are advised to research legal species and reputable suppliers before purchasing aquatic animals.

During the annual meeting of the Manitowoc County Fish & Game Protective Association in January, Warden Bob Stroess informed attendees about an invasive problem, and now it has come to hefty fines.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported two national online suppliers of aquatic animals have been convicted in multiple Wisconsin county circuit courts for ignoring warnings from the DNR and repeatedly shipping illegal invasive species to schools, residents and businesses.

In March and April, the two companies — based in North Carolina and Indiana, respectively — were both convicted of 20 citations with penalties related to the shipment of illegal invasive species to customers in eight Wisconsin counties.

One company was convicted of 20 citations in circuit courts in Barron, Brown, Chippewa, Marinette, Milwaukee, Sauk, Sheboygan and Washington counties.

The second company was convicted of 20 citations in Brown County Circuit Court.

Stroess, who is DNR administrative warden and head of the Aquatic Species in Trade Enforcement Program, said the investigations started about two years ago when the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Law Enforcement Committee conducted educational outreach to national suppliers of aquatic species to educate them about the risks associated with invasive species and state laws governing them.

After learning the companies were still shipping to Wisconsin, wardens got involved.

Conservation wardens Sam Haferkorn of Milwaukee County and Ryan Caputo of Dane County investigated and found shipments of suspected invasive crayfish into Wisconsin by the defendants.

“In addition to companies learning the Wisconsin laws, we also advise consumers, whether they’re buying for a crayfish boil or for educational purposes, to educate themselves about the legal species and the companies with whom they place orders,” Stroess said. “Our waters and native aquatic species are important to Wisconsin, and we can work together to keep them healthy and thriving.”

Non-native crayfish species are illegal in Wisconsin because of disease concerns, their ability to outcompete native species and enormous financial costs for remediating an infested site.

In 2009, red swamp crayfish were found in two retention ponds in Germantown, costing approximately $800,000 to eradicate them over several years.

Only the following crayfish species are native to Wisconsin:

• Devil crayfish (Cambarus diogenes);
• Calico crayfish (Orconectes immunis or Faxonius immunis);
• Northern Clearwater crayfish (Orconectes propinquus or Faxonius propinquis);
• Virile crayfish (Orconectes virilis or Faxonius virilis);
• White River crayfish (Procambarus acutus); and
• Prairie crayfish (Procambarus gracilis).

More information is available on the DNR’s Invasive Species webpage.

Collins Marsh to host guest speaker May 20

Collins Marsh and Nature Center will have John Walch as a guest speaker at 6 p.m. May 20. His talk is titled “Bugs and Bees” and is open to the public.

The osprey camera is also up and running, so you can watch the latest on what the osprey are doing. A part of their nest blew down, but the osprey are busy making the repairs. Go to collinsmarsh.org and click on the camera at the top of the page to view the osprey camera, or go to their YouTube page and search for “Collins Marsh Osprey Camera” and it will pop up.

Collins Marsh and Nature Center is at 20021 County JJ, Collins.

Reedsville club’s summer trap league begins May 21

Reedsville Sportsman Club will start its summer trap league at 6 p.m. May 2. For more information, contact Gerald Fischer at 920-901-3907.

Glacial Lakes Conservancy plans fundraising party

The Glacial Lakes Conservancy Event Committee, staff, Board of Directors, and Turtle Springs Farm are ready to welcome Glacial Lakes Conservancy’s supporters for a fundraising party with something for everyone.

The event is slated for 3-8 p.m. June 28. Cost is $125 per person. Attendees can enjoy food and beverages while exploring the prairie with naturalist David Kuckuk. A raffle will include unique items such as plane rides, maple sugaring tours, a massive Yeti cooler and more. Schedule is as follows:

• 3 p.m. — Appetizers (with paired wine available for purchase);
• 3 p.m. — Start of check-in, community art project, and raffle and silent auction start;
• 3:30-4:30 p.m. — Optional prairie walk;
• 5-6 p.m. — Speaker;
• 6-7 p.m. — Dinner (with paired wine available for purchase)​ and dessert;
• 7 p.m. — Raffle drawing/end of the auction; and
• 7-8 p.m. — Sunset views and barn dance.

Food will be catered by Chef Tiffany and Chef Zeke from Kohler Hospitality. For more details or to purchase tickets, go to https://www.glaciallakes.org/rooted-in-nature-628-fundraiser—purchase-tickets-here-html.

Let the fun begin

This stretch of warm weather has farmers and gardeners busy with spring planting.

We planted our annual group of white pine trees, and the food plots for the wildlife are just about complete, too.

It is now common to see geese and ducks with their young following along with their parents. One day, Mary was in the Walmart parking lot and a mother mallard was walking across the parking lot with all her young in tow.

Sandhill cranes are protesting any time we get too close to their nesting areas.

Most inland fishing seasons are open.

So let the fun begin!

That’s it for this week, so have fun in the great outdoors.