BWCA citizen science initiative begins this summer to monitor invasive rusty crayfish

Citizen science projects play a crucial role in conservation efforts, as they involve the public in collecting data and monitoring an ecosystem’s health.

This summer, a new citizen science opportunity in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is available for those planning an overnight trip.

And it involves a hot dog and a minnow trap. 

The citizen science initiative is focused on monitoring rusty crayfish, an invasive species to Minnesota and the BWCAW. The aquatic species was transported and released to northern Minnesota from its native region of the Ohio River Basin. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the invasive crustacean was likely introduced to northern Minnesota through improper disposal of live bait or aquarium releases.

“They cause a lot of problems to our native crayfish,” said Amanda Weberg, the aquatic invasive species program supervisor. “They’re more aggressive, so they will outcompete for habitat.”

In addition to aggressive tendencies that displace native crayfish, the invasive rusty crayfish destroys aquatic plant beds, consumes fish eggs, and breeds with native crayfish, creating a decline in native populations. 

Many lakes in Cook County and neighboring the BWCAW are home to populations of invasive rusty crayfish. Weberg said the species is documented in Pike, West Bearskin, Seagull, and Saganaga Lake.  

The new citizen science initiative, which begins this summer, will help the Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District to better understand where rusty crayfish populations are within the BWCAW. 

“This initiative is important because I am one person in the program,” Weberg said. She said it would be difficult for her to take time off to monitor and conduct rusty crayfish trapping in the entire wilderness area. “So I hope that there are people really excited about doing this.”

“Trapping for crayfish is really easy,” Weberg said. “This is a great opportunity just to learn more about what’s in the water.”

Participants would set the trap with the bait inside along the shore of the campsite overnight and then check the trap in the morning to see what was inside. Weberg will provide identification cards, minnow traps, and hot dogs for rusty crayfish monitoring participants. The data and equipment will then be submitted and returned to Weberg after returning from the canoe trip. 

Find more information, sign up for the rusty crayfish citizen science initiative here, or contact Amanda Weberg at amanda.weberg@co.cook.mn.us.

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Amanda Weberg, the aquatic invasive species program supervisor, about the new rusty crayfish monitoring initiative. The audio from the interview is below. 

Kalli Hawkins April 21, 2024