Pennsylvania hosts a growing number of aquatic invasive species.  Aquatic invasive species are introduced to new areas by many means, including intentional trade, release of ships’ ballast water, and as unintended hitchhikers in products or on clothing, vehicles and equipment.  Aquatic and estuarine invasive species within Pennsylvania interfere with water uses (drinking water, water intakes, recreation), affect the ability of our lakes
and streams to support native fisheries and wildlife, lower water quality, and alter riparian (streamside and shoreline) conditions.  Aquatic invasive species are responsible for significant annual financial losses to the Commonwealth’s economy.

Note: The table below contains examples of Aquatics with invasive characteristics that are of concern in the World, the Nation, or in the Commonwealth. Please check the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
website; the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture website or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection website for current information on the regulatory status of any of these species or regulations pertaining
to aquatic ecosystems in Pennsylvania.

Species that Impact Aquatic Ecosystems
Fishes, Diseases, Invertebrates
Northern Snakehead	West Nile Virus	Quagga Mussel
European Rudd	Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia	Zebra Mussel
Tubenose Goby	Spring Viremia of Carp	Fishhook Waterflea
Asian Carp		Rusty Crayfish
Eurasian Ruffe		Spiny Waterflea
Flathead Catfish		Asian Clam
Sea Lamprey
Round Goby
Mammals and Birds
Nutria	Mute Swans	Canada Goose
Feral Swine
Submerged Aquatic Plants
Wild Taro	Hydrilla	Curly Leaf Pondweed
Alligator Weed	Water Chestnut	Eurasian Watermilfoil
Giant Salvinia	East Indian Hygrophila	Limnophila Sessiliflora
Water Spinach	Didymo	Carolina fanwort
Parrot feather	Brazilian waterweed
Terrestrial Plants
Narrow Leaved Cattail	Japanese Hops	Japanese Knotweed
Common Reed	Giant Hogweed	Giant Knotweed
Hybrid Cattail	Purple Loosestrife
Reptiles and Amphibians
Red-Eared Slider	Yellow-bellied Slider

• Species listed above are just some of the species that were mentioned in the various Council documents published in 2006 and this is not a comprehensive list of invasive species in this ecosystem for Pennsylvania.

• Whenever possible, we have linked to a Pennsylvania specific fact sheet or a federal fact sheet.

For more information on Invasive Species of National concern visit the
National Invasive Species Information Center or the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species websites.