INTERBASIN TRANSFER OF AQUATIC BIOTA VIA ANGLERS BAIT BUCKETS

The dispersal and introduction of nonindigenous aquatic species have o ften been attributed to the release or escape of baitfish and other bi ota from anglers' bait buckets. Using data obtained through two mail s urveys of bait vendors, bait samples from retail locations, vendor int erviews, a creel survey, and a literature review, we estimate the pote ntial for anglers in North Dakota and Minnesota to contribute to the d ispersal of nonindigenous fish from the Mississippi River basin into t he Hudson Bay basin. Specifically, we estimate the probability of a si ngle angler on a single angling day in the Hudson Bay basin releasing live bait from the Mississippi River basin to be 1.2/100. But when the cumulative number of trials-19 million angler days per year-was consi dered, the estimated probability of bait bucket transfer occurring onc e, 100, or even 10,000 times in 1 year approaches 1.0. In light of the se findings, we conclude that drastic policy measures would have to be undertaken to reduce anglers' potential for contributing to the dispe rsal of aquatic species.