![Curly leaf pondweed caught on a fish hook](/sites/default/files/styles/mobile_small/public/2022-03/species-header.jpg?itok=e04AIsjb)
![North Dakota Game and Fish Department Logo](/gnf/base/gnf-logo.png)
ANS Species List
Plants | Fish | Mollusks | Invertebrates | Pathogens
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, with input from members of the Aquatic Invasive Species Committee, has created a listing of North Dakota aquatic nuisance species. The official list includes biota considered a threat to the state’s waters; these ANS have caused known irreversible ecologic and/or economic consequences elsewhere.
Negative impacts ANS may have on native North Dakota biota are likely given the following:
- North Dakota’s climate and habitats appear favorable to the ANS,
- the ANS has the potential to establish a viable population in North Dakota waters,
- the ANS is likely to spread within North Dakota waters if a pioneering population becomes established, and
- there are one or more existing populations of the ANS close to North Dakota and/or in a few instances, the ANS already occurs in the state.
The ANS list for North Dakota is inclusive to any hybrids or varieties of the species listed below.
The North Dakota ANS list will be reviewed annually and adjustments will be made as deemed necessary. Revisions may include the addition of federally prohibited species, the deletion of species which are no longer considered threats to North Dakota’s aquatic environments, or the addition of species which have become a greater concern regarding the potential to establish and become detrimental in North Dakota’s waters.
North Dakota ANS are classified for permitting purposes. The permitting system is based on the need to control movement into or within North Dakota and allows for traditional use of select aquatic species. See ANS Classification System and Associated Permitting for details of the permitting system.
* Denotes a species that has been documented in North Dakota within the past five years and thought to still be present.
** Denotes a species last documented in North Dakota more than five years ago and no longer thought to be present
ANS Plant Species
Brazilian elodea or Brazilian waterweed
Scientific Name: Egeria densa
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Brittle naiad or brittle waternymph
Scientific Name: Najas minor
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Curly leaf pondweed in the water](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/curlyleaf-pondweed-1.jpg)
Curly leaf pondweed
Scientific Name: Potamogeton crispus
Class: 2 - Regulated ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Eurasian watermilfoil in waterbody](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/eurasian-milfoil-1.jpg)
Eurasian watermilfoil
Scientific Name: Myriophyllum spicatum
Class: 2 - Regulated ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Flowering rush](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/flowering-rush-tmb.jpg)
Flowering rush
Scientific Name: Butomus umbellatus
Class: 2 - Regulated ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Didymo or rock snot](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/rock-snot-1.jpg)
Didymo or rock snot
Scientific Name: Didymosphenia geminata
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Starry stonewort
Scientific Name: Nitellopsis obtuse
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
ANS Fish Species
Genera Channa and Parachanna (or their generic synonyms of Bostrychoides, Ophicephalus, Ophiocephalus, and Parophiocephalus) of the Family Channidae, including but not limited to:
![Northern snakehead](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/northern-snakehead-fish-1.jpg)
Northern snakehead
Scientific Name: Channa argus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Blotched snakehead](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/blotched-snakehead-1.jpg)
Blotched snakehead
Scientific Name: Channa maculata
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Bullseye snakehead](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/bullseye-snakehead-1.jpg)
Bullseye snakehead
Scientific Name: Channa marulius
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Giant snakehead](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/giant-snakehead-1.jpg)
Giant snakehead
Scientific Name: Channa micropeltes
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Silver carp](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/silver-carp-1.jpg)
Silver carp
Scientific Name: Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Class: 3 - Listed ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Bighead carp](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/bighead-carp-1.jpg)
Bighead carp
Scientific Name: Hypophthalmichthys nobilis
Class: 3 - Listed ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Black carp](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/black-carp-1.jpg)
Black carp
Scientific Name: Mylopharyngodon piceus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Grass carp](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/grass-carp-1.jpg)
Grass carp
Scientific Name: Ctenopharyngodon idella
Class: 3 - Listed ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Common carp](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/common-carp-1.jpg)
Common carp
Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio
Class: 3 - Listed ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Prussian carp (Photo credit: Saskatchewan Sport Fish Research Group)](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/prussian-carp-tmb.jpg)
Prussian carp
Scientific Name: Carassius gibelio
Class: 1 - Listed ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![European rudd](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/european-rudd-1.jpg)
European rudd
Scientific Name: Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Round goby](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/round-goby-1.jpg)
Round goby
Scientific Name: Neogobius melanostomus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Tubenose goby](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/tubenose-goby-1.jpg)
Tubenose goby
Scientific Name: Proterorhinus semilunaris
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Eurasian ruffe](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/eurasian-ruffe-1.jpg)
Eurasian ruffe
Scientific Name: Gymnocephalus cernuus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Mollusks
(e.g. mussels, clams, snails)
![Chinese mysterysnail](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/chinese-mysterysnail-usgs-tmb.jpg)
Chinese mysterysnail
Scientific Name: Cipangopaludina chinensis
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Banded mystery snail](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/banded-mystery-snail-tmb.jpg)
Banded mystery snail
Scientific Name: Viviparus georgianus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Golden clam](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/golden-clam-1.jpg)
Golden clam
Scientific Name: Corbicula fluminea
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Zebra mussel](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/zebra-mussels-1.jpg)
Zebra mussel
Scientific Name: Dreissena polymorpha
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Documented in North Dakota within the past 5 years and thought to still be present
![Quagga mussel](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/quagga-mussel-1.jpg)
Quagga mussel
Scientific Name: Dreissena bugensis
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![New Zealand mudsnail](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/mudsnail-1.jpg)
New Zealand mudsnail
Scientific Name: Potamopyrgus antipodarum
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Faucet snail](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/faucet-snail-1.jpg)
Faucet snail
Scientific Name: Bithynia tentaculata
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Invertebrates
(i.e. crayfish and zooplankton)
![Red swamp crayfish](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/red-swamp-crayfish-tmb.jpg)
Red swamp crayfish
Type: Crayfish
Scientific Name: Procambarus clarkia
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Rusty crayfish](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/rusty-crayfish-1.jpg)
Rusty crayfish
Type: Crayfish
Scientific Name: Orconectes rusticus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Scud
Type: Amphipod
Scientific Name: Echinogammarus ischnus
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Fishhook waterflea](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/fishhook-waterflea-1.jpg)
Fishhook waterflea
Type: Zooplankton
Scientific Name: Cercopagis pengoi
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
![Spiny waterflea](/gnf/fishing/images/ans/species/spiny-waterflea-1.jpg)
Spiny waterflea
Type: Zooplankton
Scientific Name: Bythotrephes cederstroemi
Class: 1 - Prohibited ANS
Status: Not thought to be present in North Dakota
Pathogens
(i.e. viruses, bacteria, parasites)
Type | Common Name | Scientific Name or Abbreviation | Class |
---|---|---|---|
Viruses | Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus | IHNV | 1 |
Viruses | Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus | IPNV | 1 |
Viruses | Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus | ISAV | 1 |
Viruses | Koi Herpes Virus | KHV | 1 |
Viruses | Channel Catfish Virus | CCV | 1 |
Viruses | Largemouth Bass Virus | LMBV | 1 |
Viruses | Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus | VHSV | 1 |
Viruses | White Sturgeon Herpes Virus – 2 | WSHV-2 | 1 |
Bacteria | Proliferative Kidney Disease | PKD | 1 |
Bacteria | Enteric septicemia of catfish | Edwardsiella ictaluri | 1 |
Bacteria | Bacterial Kidney Disease | Renibacterium salmoninarum (BKD) | 1 |
Bacteria | Enteric redmouth disease | Yersinia ruckeri | 1 |
Parasites | Parasites | Heterosporis sp | 1 |
Parasites | Asian tapeworm | Bothriocephalus opsarichthydis. Syn. Bothriocephalus acheilognathi and Bothriocephalus gowkengensis | 1 |