There is good news to report. As of July 31 the US Department of Agriculture had trapped and destroyed 209 nutria in Portage and Union Bays, and area residents are beginning to see signs of recovery in severely damaged wetlands.
Most of the eradication took place in the first three months of 2009, and completion of a maintenance contract is building upon that success. Under this contract running May through December, USDA staff monitor all previously trapped areas in Portage Bay and follow up on reported sightings twice each month. Generous donations from the Portage Bay floating homes community, NOAA, shoreline residents, and the Seattle and Queen City Yacht Clubs have provided the funding. Please report any nutria sightings to astixrood@comcast.net or houseboatdiana@comcast.net so the USDA can be notified.
We have also been alerted to the July 27 introduction of Senate bill 1519, which would provide substantial federal funding each year for four years "To provide for the eradication and control of nutria in Maryland, Louisiana, and other coastal States." Washington is one of the states listed in the bill.
More information about nutria and the control effort may be found at Nutria Eradication Update.