FY2022-02 Declaring Crayfish A Threating Invasive Species To Increase Public Awareness And Expand Funding Opportunities To Regulate The Population.1
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Introduced by: Assembly Member Kavanaugh thru the Mayor
Drafted by: Assembly Member Kavanaugh
Introduced on: 07/01/2021
Adopted on: 07/01/2021
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
RESOLUTION NO. FY2022-02
A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH DECLARING
CRAYFISH A THREATENING INVASIVE SPECIES TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS
AND EXPAND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO REGULATE THE POPULATION.
WHEREAS, invasive species have a proven history of negative impacts on native species and
ecosystems and have frequently caused considerable environmental and economic damages;
and,
WHEREAS, when an invasive species becomes established in an area, numerous harmful
events occur, which can include alterations in biodiversity, loss of biodiversity, loss of balance
between trophic levels structure and nutrient cycling, degradation of habitat, and competition for
resources; and
WHEREAS, effects within the Buskin Watershed all include impacts to salmon habitat and
survival, rearing and spawning success, predation of eggs, fry, and smolt, and habitat impacts to
salmon reds; and
WHEREAS, Crayfish are opportunistic omnivores, ecosystem engineers, and can be voracious
predators due to their excavating behavior and added burrowing history at the Buskin, which
pose a direct threat to salmon spawning habitat; and
WHEREAS, the Buskin Watershed supports one of the most important subsistence salmon
fisheries in the Kodiak Archipelago; and
WHEREAS, though signal crayfish have not yet been observed outside the Buskin Watershed,
many other critical salmon systems along the Kodiak Road System and within the Kodiak
Archipelago have ideal habitat for signal crayfish to become established, viable populations; and,
WHEREAS, it is critical to keep crayfish from spreading beyond the Buskin Watershed, within
the Buskin Watershed, to effectively control the population; and,
WHEREAS, many local organizations, such as Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak and the Kodiak Soil and
Water Conservation District, partnerships, and concerned citizens have been working towards
control and suppression of signal crayfish for many years; and,
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
Resolution No. FY2022-02
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WHEREAS, a formal declaration as an Invasive Species would aid these suppression and
control efforts; and,
WHEREAS, declaring signal crayfish an Invasive Species within the Kodiak Island Borough will
increase public awareness of this threat to our established natural ecosystems, salmon habitat,
and associated subsistence, commercial, and sport activities, all reliant on strong and healthy
salmon runs in the Buskin Watershed.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
BOROUGH that:
declaring crayfish an Invasive Species in the Borough will increase public awareness of this
threat, increase opportunities to receive outside funding to control this population.
ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
THIS FIRST DAY OF JULY, 2021.
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
William Roberts, Mayor
VOTES:
Ayes: Arndt, Symmons, Turner, and Williams
Noes:
Absent: Dvorak, Kavanaugh, and Smith
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
S�PND eo
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Resolution No. FY2022-02
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