HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a risk evaluation and management program that has been applied
to both the safe processing of foods and invasive species spread prevention and control. Potential hazards are identified
and evaluated, and control measures put into place to prevent, eliminate or reduce the risks to acceptable levels. Limits
on the controls are monitored to ensure that identified risks are minimized.
The following HACCP plan for the mechanical harvest of aquatic weeds is meant to serve as guidance for anyone
operating a mechanical harvester and can be adapted to fit a specific operation. If implemented properly, the outlined
steps can help reduce the risk of inadvertent spread of aquatic invasive species by this activity. For more information,
contact Nancy Murray at CT DEEP (860-424-3589; nancy.murray@ct.gov) or Nancy Balcom, at Connecticut Sea Grant
(860-405-9107; nancy.balcom@uconn.edu).
HACCP Template drafted by Maura Robie and Nancy Balcom (CT Sea Grant), and Nancy Murray (CT DEEP);
July2013
HACCP Step 1 – Activity Description
Management Objective & Contact Information
HACCP Plan Title: Mechanical Harvest for Aquatic Nuisance Species
Management Objective:
Contact Person:
Management/Removal of ANS – Mechanical
Harvesting
Phone:
Email:
Activity Description
Mechanical Harvesting Service to fill out Who; What; Where; When
Who: (Professional Mechanical Harvesting Service Name)
What: Mechanical Harvest of (List Aquatic Nuisance plant)
Where:
When: (Date)
How: Load gear for mechanical harvesting, drive to site, and launch harvester boat. Perform harvest and
bring plants to the shore station equipment, which in turn offloads to a dump truck to move offsite. Re-load
gear into vehicle, (possibly remove boat from water), and return to storage place. Gear (and possibly boat) is
unloaded and stored.
Why: As a management plan to remove a particular aquatic nuisance species
1
HACCP Step 2 – Activity Flow Chart
Outline Sequential Tasks of Activity
PreTasks
Preliminary research
Research native and nuisance plants & animals present in water body. Perform a Natural
Diversity Database (NDDB) request looking for presence of protected species. Fill out findings
in Step 3.
Title: Load mechanical harvest equipment and drive to site
Task 1
Description: Load appropriate equipment for mechanical harvesting and drive to site.
Title: Unload gear and launch boat
Task 2
Description: Unload equipment, prepare to conduct harvesting, and launch boat.
Title: Perform harvest by cutting plants & loading on harvester
Task 3
Description: Weeds are cut and a conveyor belt carries the weeds on board to a holding area
beneath the operator's platform.
Title: Plants brought & loaded to vehicle on shore
Task 4
Description: A conveyor in the rear of the vessel off-loads the collected plant matter to a shore
conveyor (mates to the harvester) and lifts the cut plants into a dump truck.
Title: Reload gear into vehicle (& possibly remove boat from water)
Task 5
Description: Reload all equipment in vehicle (and possibly take boat out of water).
Title: Plants brought to proper off-site location
Task 6
Description: Plants on vehicle are driven to proper off-site location and disposed.
Title: Return all gear and boat to storage
Task 7
Description: Drive back to storage site and put equipment away (and possibly boat).
2
HACCP Step 3 – Identify Potential Targets & non-targets
Mechanical Harvesting Service to fill out
Targets & Non-targets That May Potentially Be Moved/Introduced
Vertebrates:
Nuisance fish:
NDDB fish:
Invertebrates:
Nuisance invertebrates:
NDDB invertebrates:
Plants:
Nuisance plants:
NDDB plants & status:
Other Organisms
Nuisance pathogens, parasites, etc.:
3
HACCP Step 4 – Target & Non-Target Analysis Worksheet
1
Tasks
(from Step 2)
2
Potential
Targets &
Non-targets
(from Step 3)
3
Risk
Assessment
Are any targets
& non-targets
significant?
4
Justification
Justify your answer
in Column 3
5
Control
What control
measures can be
applied during this
task to reduce the
risk of targets &
non-targets?
Yes or No
Vertebrates
Task # 1
Title: Load
mechanical
harvest
equipment and
drive to site
No
Justify your
answer in
Column 6
Yes or
No
N/A
No
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
↓
N/A
No
↓
Plants
No
↓
N/A
No
↓
Others
No
↓
N/A
No
↓
Task # 2
Title: Perform
harvest by
cutting plants
& loading on
harvester
Is this
task a
CCP?
No
No
Task # 3
7
Justification
Invertebrates
Vertebrates
Title: Unload
gear and
launch boat
Risk is low because
all equipment and
harvester boat are
cleaned/disinfected
after each use.
6
CCP?
Risk is low because
all equipment and
harvester boat are
cleaned/disinfected
after each use.
N/A
No
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
Invertebrates
No
↓
N/A
No
↓
Plants
No
↓
N/A
No
↓
Others
No
↓
N/A
No
↓
Vertebrates
No
Low risk because
fish, etc. can move
throughout the
waterbody on own
N/A
No
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
Invertebrates
Yes
If waterbody
contains zebra
mussels - High risk
that juvenile zebra
mussels are
attached to plants
and can be moved
from one area of
Check plants and
note any visible
zebra mussels.
Keep all plants
contained and don’t
overload harvester
holding area.
Yes
The risk of
spread is
higher during
this activity
than found in
nature
4
infestation to
another
1
Tasks
(from Step 2)
Plants
Yes
High risk for plant
fragments to
escape and reestablish in another
area of waterbody
If alone, periodically
check for fragments.
If possible, have
another person
collecting plant
fragments during
/after mechanical
harvesting
Yes
Others
No
Low risk because
pathogens/parasites
can spread
throughout the
waterbody on own
N/A
No
2
Potential
Targets &
Non-targets
(from Step 3)
3
Risk
Assessment
Are any targets
& non-targets
significant?
4
Justification
Justify your answer
in Column 3
5
Control
What control
measures can be
applied during this
task to reduce the
risk of targets &
non-targets?
Yes or No
Task # 4
Title: Plants
brought &
loaded to
vehicle on
shore
↓
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
6
CCP?
7
Justification
Is this
task a
CCP?
Justify your
answer in
Column 6
Yes or
No
Vertebrates
No
Low risk because
fish, etc. can move
throughout the
waterbody on own
N/A
No
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
Invertebrates
Yes
If waterbody
contains zebra
mussels - High risk
that juvenile zebra
mussels are
attached to plants
and can be moved
from one area of
infestation to
another while in
transport
Check plants and
note any visible
zebra mussels.
Keep all plants
contained while in
transit to shore.
Check ground area
after loading vehicle
and properly
dispose of any
plants found.
Yes
Zebra mussels
are known to
be highly
invasive. The
risk of spread
is higher
during this
activity than
found in nature
Plants
Yes
High risk that plant
fragments or seeds
can be moved from
one area of
Keep all plants and
fragments contained
while in transit to
shore. Check
Yes
Many invasive
plants can
easily propagate from the
5
Others
1
Tasks
(from Step 2)
2
Potential
Targets &
Non-targets
(from Step 3)
No
3
Risk
Assessment
Are any targets
& non-targets
significant?
infestation to
another while in
transport
ground area after
loading vehicle and
properly dispose of
any plants found.
Low risk because
pathogens/parasites
can spread
throughout the
waterbody on own
N/A
4
Justification
Justify your answer
in Column 3
No
5
Control
What control
measures can be
applied during this
task to reduce the
risk of targets &
non-targets?
Yes or No
Task # 5
Vertebrates
Yes
High risk that
hatchling
vertebrates or eggs
could be in gear or
attached to boat
and/or parts
Invertebrates
Yes
High risk that
invertebrates could
be in gear or
attached to boat
and/or parts
Plants
Yes
High risk that plant
pieces or seeds
could be in gear or
attached to boat
and/or parts
Title: Reload
gear into
vehicle (&
possibly
remove boat
from water)
smallest
fragment or
seed. The risk
of spread is
higher during
this activity
than found in
nature.
Visually inspect boat
and equipment for
targets & nontargets and properly
discard anything
found. If leaving
waterbody, follow
ANSTF clean &
drain guidelines for
Boaters.
There are no
significant
targets & nontargets during
this task
6
CCP?
7
Justification
Is this
task a
CCP?
Justify your
answer in
Column 6
Yes or
No
Yes
ANSTF clean,
drain, dry
guidelines
advise
cleaning and
draining before
leaving water
access to
reduce risk as
much as
possible
↓
Yes
↓
↓
Yes
↓
6
Others
1
Tasks
(from Step 2)
2
Potential
Targets &
Non-targets
(from Step 3)
Yes
3
Risk
Assessment
Are any targets
& non-targets
significant?
High risk that
pathogens/parasites
could be in gear or
attached to boat
and/or parts
4
Justification
Justify your answer
in Column 3
↓
5
Control
What control
measures can be
applied during this
task to reduce the
risk of targets &
non-targets?
Yes or No
Task # 6
↓
6
CCP?
7
Justification
Is this
task a
CCP?
Justify your
answer in
Column 6
Yes or
No
Vertebrates
Yes
High risk for
vertebrate eggs to
be moved from one
area of infestation
to another
Invertebrates
Yes
High risk for
invertebrates to be
moved from one
area of infestation
to another
↓
Yes
↓
Plants
Yes
High risk that plant
fragments or seeds
can be moved from
one area of
infestation to
another
↓
Yes
↓
Others
Yes
High risk for
pathogens/parasites
to be moved from
one infested area to
another
↓
Yes
↓
Title: Plants
brought to
proper off-site
location
Completely contain
all plants and
fragments in vehicle
and dispose of in an
approved location
(away from possible
re-introduction)
Yes
Yes
The risk of
spread is
higher during
this activity
than found in
nature
7
1
Tasks
(from Step 2)
2
Potential
Targets &
Non-targets
(from Step 3)
3
Risk
Assessment
Are any targets
& non-targets
significant?
4
Justification
Justify your answer
in Column 3
5
Control
What control
measures can be
applied during this
task to reduce the
risk of targets & nontargets?
Yes or No
Task # 7
7
Justification
Is this
task a
CCP?
Justify your
answer in
Column 6
Yes or
No
Vertebrates
Yes
High risk that
vertebrates or eggs
could be attached to
boat and/or
equipment
Invertebrates
Yes
High risk that
invertebrates could
be attached to boat
and/or equipment
↓
Yes
↓
Plants
Yes
High risk that plant
pieces or seeds
could be attached to
boat and/or
equipment
↓
Yes
↓
Others
Yes
High risk that
pathogens/parasites
could be attached to
boat and/or
equipment
↓
Yes
↓
Title: Return
all gear and
boat to
storage
Clean (if not done at
water access) & dry
all equipment using
ANSTF guidelines
for boats, and other
equipment.
6
CCP?
Yes
If the
equipment is
not decontaminated
then it won’t
be available
for use next
time, must be
done!
8
HACCP Step 5 - HACCP Plan Form
(all CCP’s or “yes’s” from column 6 of HACCP Step 4 – Hazard Analysis Worksheet)
Monitoring
Critical
Control
Point
(CCP)
Significant
Hazard(s)
(Step 4,
Column 3)
Prescribed Limits for each
Control Measure (PRLC)
Where
Check all plants collected as
thoroughly as time allows,
noting if any zebra mussels.
As many persons as
possible should visually
scan the work area and
collect all plants & fragments
during and after harvesting.
Keep plants contained on
boat.
In water,
on boat
Keep plants contained on
boat as much as possible.
Check the area at least
twice around the vehicle or
any storage areas after
loading, putting target &
non-target plants back in
vehicle.
How
Frequency
Who
Visually
inspect
As often as
possbible
during
harvest
Coworker or
Supervisor
On boat,
in water,
and at
water
access
Visually
inspect
Every time
plants are
brought to
shore for
offloading
Coworker or
Supervisor
At water
access
Visually
inspect
Every time
gear is
reloaded
after
harvest
Coworker or
Supervisor
Evaluation &
Corrective
Action(s)
(if control
measures fail)
Supporting
Documentation
(if any)
If plant fragments are
still observed in water,
repeat the control
measure as often as
possible and have more
than one person perform
if possible.
Aquatic Nuisance
Species Task
Force: Voluntary
Guidelines to
prevent the spread
of Aquatic Invasive
Species.
If plant fragments are
still observed in water or
at loading or storage
site, repeat the control
measure as often as
possible and have more
than one person perform
if possible.
General
Prevention
Procedures for
Stopping Aquatic
Hitchhikers from
www.protectyour
waters.net.
If any target or nontargets are found before
next use *, then repeat
control measure more
than once and/or have
more than one person
perform. Use more
thorough techniques for
removal of target & nontarget species.
* especially if
moving to another
waterbody in the
same day
Task #3
If alone, periodically check
for fragments. If possible,
have another person(s)
collecting plants & plant
fragments during/after
harvesting. Check plants
and note any visible zebra
mussels before going to
shore.
Task #4
Invertebrates,
Plants
Plants
Keep all plants contained
while in transit to shore.
Check ground area after
loading vehicle and where
plants may be stored
before removal. Dispose
of targets and non-targets
properly.
Task #5
Visually inspect boat and
gear for targets & nontargets and properly
discard anything found. If
leaving waterbody: follow
ANSTF clean, drain
guidelines for Boaters.
Vertebrates,
Invertebrates,
Plants, Other
Organisms
Clean: Inspect and clean off
visible aquatic plants,
animals, and mud from boat,
motor, trailer, and gear,
before leaving water access.
Rinse boat with (preferably
hot, high pressure) water, if
possible. Drain: water from
boat and motor before
leaving water access.
9
HACCP Step 5 - HACCP Plan Form
(all CCP’s or “yes’s” from column 6 of HACCP Step 4 – Hazard Analysis Worksheet)
Monitoring
Critical
Control
Point
(CCP)
Significant
Hazard(s)
(Step 4,
Column 3)
Task #6
Completely contain all
plants and fragments in
vehicle and dispose of in
an approved location
away from possible reintroduction. After
disposal, inspect vehicle
for any target or nontarget species and
dispose of properly.
Vertebrates,
Invertebrates,
Plants, Other
Organisms
Task #7
Clean and dry all gear
using ANSTF guidelines
for cleaning boats, and
other equipment.
Vertebrates,
Invertebrates,
Plants, Other
Organisms
Who
Prescribed Limits for each
Control Measure (PRLC)
Where
How
Frequency
Make sure all targets are
contained in vehicle and
brought to an approved
location such as landfills,
compost areas, in reclaiming
spent gravel pits, or similar
sites. (Consult with
professionals having
expertise in aquatic invasive
species for approved
locations)
Before
leaving
site, in
transit,
and after
disposal
Visually
inspect
Every time
targets are
transported
by vehicle to
another
location
Coworker or
Supervisor
At
storage
area
Visually
inspect.
Follow
ANSTF
guidelines –
clean,
dry.
Every time
gear is
returned to
storage after
mechanical
harvest
Coworker or
Supervisor
Clean: If not done at water
access, rinse boat with
(preferably hot, high
pressure) water. Dry: for
five or more days before
using boat or gear in
different water body OR
wipe with towel before reuse. Steam cleaning of boat
is recommended.
Evaluation &
Corrective
Action(s)
(if control
measures fail)
Check for complete
containment before and
during transport. If target
or non-target species
have re-established from
disposal site, consult
with more than one
expert for approved
locations every time
harvest is performed.
If any target or nontarget species found on
gear, boat, or vehicle,
then repeat the control
measure more than
once and/or have more
than one person
perform. Test cleaning
solution for proper
concentration.
Supporting
Documentation
(if any)
Aquatic Nuisance
Species Task
Force: Voluntary
Guidelines to
prevent the spread
of Aquatic Invasive
Species.
General
Prevention
Procedures for
Stopping Aquatic
Hitchhikers from
www.protectyour
waters.net.
10