Speaker: John Chapman, Courtesy Professor of Fisheries Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University

Topic: Saving the native estuary mud shrimp, Upogebia pugettensis, from ecological or absolute extinction

The native blue mud shrimp, Upogebia pugettensis is declining to ecological or absolute extinction over its entire range due to the introduced Asian isopod parasite, Orthione griffenis and available regulatory and conservation options are unlikely to mitigate or manage O. griffenis. New methods needed for conserving blue mud shrimp will require information on the conditions that allow unnaturally high prevalences of this new invader. Research advances over the last 15 years have revealed critical interactions controlling the unnatural success of O. griffenis that could possibly be managed to save the mud shrimp.