Source: Pat Charlebois (847)872-0140; charlebo@uiuc.edu
AIS Conference Provides HACCP Training for Natural
Resource Managers
URBANA - As they move from one water body to another, natural resource
professionals typically take precautions to prevent the spread of
invasive species. Now, they can step up their efforts to a
state-of-the-art plan.
At the 14th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS)
in Key Biscayne, Florida, May 14-19, natural resource managers and other
related professionals can learn how to develop Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans to prevent the spread of invasive
aquatic species.
At this one-day training session on Sunday May 14, participants will
become familiar with the HACCP model, which was designed to prevent
contamination in food products for the space program and has been used
extensively by the seafood industry to ensure food safety. They will also
learn through hands-on experience how to write a HACCP plan.
"To develop a HACCP plan, workshop participants analyze each step in
their field activities to pinpoint where significant risk of transporting
AIS can occur,? said Pat Charlebois, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant aquatic
invasives specialist. ?That?s where it is most appropriate and efficient
to take action to prevent the spread of AIS."
This training session in Key Biscayne is designed to be useful for
resource professionals from any region in the country. "We are
focusing on invasive species pathways, which are relevant to different
water bodies and a variety of species," said Charlebois.
The HACCP training will go from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a lunch
break. A detailed schedule of the session can be found online in the
conference agenda at
www.icais.org. To
register, contact the conference administrator no later than April 30 at
profedge@renc.igs.net or (800) 868-8776. The session costs $15 and is
limited to 50 participants.
ICAIS is hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey. The HACCP training session
is hosted by the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network with support from the
Great Lakes Protection Fund. It has been organized by Illinois-Indiana
Sea Grant.
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The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of more than 30
National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea
Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to
address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. Department of
Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue
University at West Lafayette, Indiana.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Two States Caring for one Great Lake
Irene Miles
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
376 NSRC
1101 W. Peabody Dr.
Urbana, Il 61801
(217) 333-8055
FAX (217) 333-8046