Bioblitz 2010:Biscayne National Park

Research Permitting

Registered Scientists

• Any research in a national park needs to happen with a valid, current NPS research permit.

• Registered Bioblitz scientists might fall under a “blanket research permit”

• Must submit methods thru registration website• Some restrictions apply for research permit• Will be asked to interact with public

Non-Registered Scientists

• Any research in a national park needs to happen with a valid, current NPS research permit.

• If you are not covered by the Bioblitz “blanket” permit, you must have your own valid, current NPS research permit.

• You may do research during Bioblitz using your existing permit, then share your data.

• You may also apply for a permit for Bioblitz activities if your proposed Bioblitz activities fall outside approved methods for “blanket” permit.

• Will not be asked to interact with public.

How to get your own NPS research permit

https://science.nature.nps.gov/research/ac/ResearchIndex

It’s easy and free• Website helps you learn about the NPS

procedures and requirements for applying for scientific research and collecting permits.

• Application Requirements and Procedures for Scientific Research and Collecting Permit

• Study Proposal Guidelines• General Permit Conditions• Instructions for Researchers

How to get on the blanket collecting permit

• It’s even easier• Register as a scientist on the official

registration website• Describe your methods in detail• Stick to the “approved methods” (and feel

free to suggest some more)• Don’t use “methods not allowed during BB”• Remember to stop by “curation station”

(details in next presentation)

Protecting resources: Concerns

The National Park Service (NPS) recognizes that some collecting may be necessary for a successful inventory during the Bioblitz event.

However, Biscayne National Park contains many resources of concern such as endangered plants, insects, fish, mammals, birds, and marine invertebrates (these are found in all major habitat groupings of the park).

Some taxa, such as vascular plants and marine fishes, are already well-understood within the park, and therefore the NPS must set limits on collection in order to ensure that the resources will be available for future generations to enjoy and prevent unnecessary injury or mortality to these resources.

No “take” of federal & State-listed threatened and endangered species

ESA definition of take applies in Bioblitz:

The term “take” means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.

For Bioblitz, we strongly recommend visual or photographic identification of protected species, from a distance. If one is captured by accident, release it immediately.

General park rules regarding resources

• Mission of park is to protect resources and provide for enjoyment of resources for future generations

• Bay is a sanctuary for lobsters and sponges i.e. no collecting

• No anchoring, swimming, diving, or using underwater viewing devices within the Legare Anchorage

• Soldier Key, parts of Sands Key, and Arsenickers are closed

Collections

• Keep collections to a minimum

• In your proposed methods, describe any collecting you may wish to do

• Try to use visual or photographic methods for ID first. If necessary, and you know it isn’t a protected species, try taking a small sample so the plant or animal can still live. If you must sacrifice the organism, try to minimize the number collected to the minimum necessary to ID.

Scuba issues

• No scuba off NPS-chartered or NPS-owned vessels

• Can dive off own boat as independent researcher with your individual research permit

• Field participants (i.e. families and schoolkids) will not be scuba diving; instead there will be FUN snorkel trips where they can interact with you

Natural milestones during the Blitz

• Sunset Friday at 7:51 p.m.• Moonrise Friday at 10:22 p.m.• Sunrise Saturday at 6:44 a.m.• Moonset Saturday at 9:02 a.m.• High tide Friday at 12:31 p.m.• Low tide Friday at 7:27 p.m.• High tide Saturday at 1:09 a.m.• Low tide Saturday at 7:57 a.m.

Approved Methods• Visual or auditory

identification• Photographic or video

identification• Catch and release of

non-threatened/endangered species

• Nets (mist, butterfly, seine, dip, cast)

• Plankton tows

• Soil and water samples• Light traps• Snorkeling, walking, wading• Glass-bottom buckets, etc.

Non-approved methods (i.e. not on blanket permit)

• “take” of Federal or State-listed Threatened or Endangered species or Species of Special Concern (including butterflies, corals, dolphins) – these collections would, in any case, require separate permits from the USFWS, NMFS, or the State (see previous slides)

• collections of species on the CITES list (e.g., queen conch).

Non-approved methods cont’d• Collections of hard corals or soft corals because these are resources of concern• Collection of vertebrate species, including fish. However, these can be handled and released during the event (exception exotics). The NPS understands that there is incidental take associated with handling, e.g. seining, but methods should be described to show the NPS how unintentional take will be minimized ; i.e.when seining, collectors will use adequately sized buckets and aerators. •Harassment of marine mammals or listed species (see previous slide on “take”).

• Spearfishing and the use of dynamite, electrofishing, or lethal chemicals (e.g. rotenone, MS22, clove oil) to catch fish will not be allowed.

• The use of Balchatri traps will not be allowed for bird collection.

• Limited collections of vascular plants and other species; only if samples needed for species or genus ID.

Non-approved methods cont’d

Non-approved methods cont’d

• Bird call playbacks are not allowed; however, researchers are encouraged to record calls during the event for later identification, provided copies of recordings are provided to the NPS museum curator.

• MSDS sheets for chemical use must be provided prior to the event.

Regarding curation…

• All investigators must be assigned an accession number by the NPS curator.

• No material collected during Bioblitz will leave the park without a loan form from the NPS curator.

• More information in the next presentation!

Thank you!

For park information visit www.nps.gov/bisc

Any Questions?