The purpose of this project was to help advance citizen science and genetic methods to detect target NIS in Prince William Sound (PWS), building on a significant body of previous work by Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (RCAC) and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) along with various partners.
Specifically, we conducted (1) a bioblitz and training event for detection of target NIS by citizen scientists in Valdez and (2) training for RCAC staff to collect zooplankton samples for detection of target NIS using genetic tools. We detected one NIS (previously known for the PWS) during this event and initiated zooplankton sampling for genetic analyses. We recommend both citizen science and genetic tools as key components, and part of a broader strategy, for long-term NIS monitoring and detection in PWS.