Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: 'from a British frigate sunk during the Revolutionary war', Manhattan/NY/Hells Gate, East River (Tryon 1862) Established populations referred to by DeKay (1843) south of NY were probably Bankia gouldi, which was apparently not distinguished from T. navalis before the 1860s.
Geographic Extent
'from a British frigate sunk during the Revolutionary war', Manhattan/NY/Hells Gate, East River (Tryon 1862); New York City, South Ferry, Pier 5/NY/New York Harbor (1922-24, MCZ Malacology 120353, Museum of Comparative Zoology 2012); Bronx-Manhattan-Queens-Brooklyn, Staten Island/NY/New York Harbor (1938-1959, 10+ stations); Hoboken/NJ/Hudson River (Wallour 1960); Bayonne/NJ/Newark Bay (Wallour 1960); Perth Amboy/NJ/Raritan Bay (Wallour 1960); Sandy Hook/NJ/New York Harbor (1922-24, MCZ Malacology 120088, Museum of Comparative Zoology 2012); JFK International Airport, Queens, New York/NY/Jamaica Bay (Abood et al. 1995); New York City Passenger Ship Terminal, Manhatten, New York/NY/Hudson River (Abood et al. 1995)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Hull Fouling |
Regional Impacts
| Economic Impact | Shipping/Boating | |
| In the 20th century, extensive pollution in New York Harbor, limited fouling and boring organisms including T. navalis. Consequently, ship captains regarded the harbor as 'clean', because of the absence of pests. The polluted water permitted the extensive use of wooden pilings, which were cheaper than steel or concrete. The Clean Water Act of 1972 prompted the improvement of water quality, eventually resulting in the return of shipworms. In the 1990s, many of these piers collapsed (Abood et al. 1995; Foderaro 2011). In the 1980s-1990s, in New York waters, extensive projects for protection of pilings were conducted at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal, and the many barge piers of the New York Sanitation Department, located around the city. These involved wrapping the piers in plastic, which was performed by divers (Abood et al. 1995). | ||
| Economic Impact | Aesthetic | |
| New York City is planning to spend $200 million over the next few decades to encase and preserve piers to be used as part of waterfront parks (Foderaro 2011). | ||