A New Tool For Reporting Aquatic Invasive Species
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has recently launched a new mobile tool that allows anyone to report a sighting of harmful aquatic nuisance animals. The tool is a web-based application, built on the ESRI Survey123 platform, so it can be accessed from any computer or mobile device with an internet connection.
Click here to view the NC Wildlife Aquatic Nuisance Species Reporting Tool
The form is quick and easy to use, requesting basic information about what you have seen, as well as logging your locality data. There is no login required. You can also upload photos which will allow verification of species identification. All submitted data goes to the NCWRC Division of Inland Fisheries, where it is distributed to appropriate regional staff. After verification, any pertinent records will also be submitted to the national USGS NAS (Nonindigenous Aquatic Species) database. The tool itself will continue to be developed, expanding capabilities and accessibility as we learn about the process.
We have also placed a linked text shortcut to the ANS Tool in the left sidebar of the NCAFS website homepage, just below the newsletter shortcut button, for your convenience, should you wish to access it at any time. If you see a species but don’t have internet access at your location, you can still take a photo and write down the data so you can enter it into the tool at a later time.
If you have questions about the tool, you can use our website contact form to submit your inquiry.