PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is educating the public about some of the state's most harmful invasive species for National Invasive Species Awareness Week.
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is promoted by environmental agencies like ODFW and the National Park Service to raise awareness about invasive species. Invasive Species Awareness Week started on Feb. 24 and ends on Feb. 28.
"Invasive species are a serious challenge for our parks and connected ecosystems," the National Park Service website states. "Join the celebration by learning more about what invasive species are, how they spread, and what we all can do to help prevent them."
The ODFW shared multiple non-native species impacting Oregon ecosystems. ODFW started the week discussing the emerald ash borer, which was recently detected in multiple Oregon counties.
"This beetle poses a severe threat to our ash trees, leading to significant ecological and economic impacts," the ODFW wrote on social media. "How can you help? Prevent its spread by avoiding moving firewood more than 10 miles from where it was cut."
Another pesky Oregon invader American bullfrog, which the ODFW calls a "voracious predator" that threatens native wildlife and water quality. The public can help stop the spread of American bullfrogs by catching them with a fishing lure or spear. They're also edible.
"These aggressive predators devour native turtles, fish, snakes, and even other frogs," the ODFW shared. "With females laying up to 20,000 eggs at a time, they spread rapidly. ... If you enjoy harvesting your own food, bullfrogs make great frog legs."
On the Oregon Coast, a couple of invasive mussels are causing trouble. Quagga and zebra mussels can clog water infrastructures and disrupt aquatic ecosystems, the ODFW warns. Invasive golden mussels were also recently found nearby in California.
"To aid in the fight against these destructive mussels, Oregon has an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program," the ODFW said. "It was established by the 2009 Oregon Legislature in an effort to keep Oregon's lakes, rivers and streams free of destructive invasive species. As part of the program, ODFW and the Oregon Marine Board manage boat inspection stations and education and outreach efforts."
Long-term funding solutions are needed to stop these species and restore impacted habitats, the ODFW said. Boaters should clean, drain, and dry their boats and gear after use to prevent further spread.
The European green crab is another "marine menace" the ODFW said.
"The European green crab is an invasive crab that competes with native crabs, like prized Dungeness and red rock, for food and affects aquaculture productivity," ODFW wrote. "Green crab can impact eelgrass beds - a habitat critical for juvenile fishes, shellfish and birds - that clean sea water, absorb climate-warming carbon, and produce oxygen."
Rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change mean the European green crab is here to stay, the ODFW said. Wildlife officials are asking crabbers to identify and report any European Green crab catches online. European green crabs are identified by three bumps between the eyes and five spines outside each eye.
"With a shellfish license, you can take home 35 green crabs per day and eat them or freeze [them and] chop them for garden fertilizer," the ODFW suggests.