Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Eld Inlet beach WA/southern Puget Sound (1995, Chapman et al. 2012, 47°05'14" 122°58'29")
Geographic Extent
Eld Inlet beach WA/southern Puget Sound (Chapman et al. 2012, 47°05'14" 122°58'29"); Freeland Town Beach and Crescent Harbor, Whidbey Island and Camano Island (2003, Chapman et al. 2012, 48o 13’ 24.57” N; 122o 43’ 04.62” W); WA/southern Puget Sound near the mouth of the Nisqually River (2006, Chapman et al. 2012, 47o 06’ 13.33” N; 122o 43’ 57.83” W, U. pugettensis highly infested)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Ballast Water |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Parasitism | |
| Infested U. pugettensis were found as early as 1995, and mud shrimp populations declined in the late 198s and 1990s (Chapman et al. 2012). | ||
| Economic Impact | Fisheries | |
| The decline of U. pugettensis populations permitted the expansion of oyster culture operations into areas, such as Samish Bay, where oyster culture was not previously possible (Chapman et al. 2012). | ||