California Sea Grant College Program

Several species of marine invertebrates are imported into California for use as live bait in recreational fishing. I investigated the marine live bait trade in California as a potential introduction pathway for non-indigenous species (NIS). I estimated that ~1,900,000 ghost shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis), ~575,000 bloodworms (Glycera dibranchiata), ~600,000 pileworms Nereis virens), and ~1,100,000 lugworms (Perinereis sp.), and are imported annually into California from different parts of the world. Hitchhiker species and parasites are also commonly observed in live bait shipments along with target species. The bopyrid isopod Ione cornuta, a parasitic castrator, infected imported ghost shrimp at a high prevalence (14%). The short-term survival of three of these live bait NIS is not restricted by thermal conditions typically found in southern California. These results will help managers to determine the approaches that should be taken to make the live bait trade in California as environmentally and economically safe as possible.