National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2002

National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2002 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to require the Invasive Species Council (Council) to coordinate with the Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force (Task Force) to combat aquatic invasive species (AIS's).

Requires the Task Force to recommend to appropriate Federal agencies additions to the list of AIS's.

Requires the Task Force, the Council, and the Secretary of State to coordinate activities to ensure that international efforts to prevent and manage AIS's are coordinated with U.S. policies.

Establishes minimum invasive species prevention requirements for all vessels entering U.S. ports.

Directs the Task Force to publish a priority pathway management program.

Prohibits the importation of live aquatic organisms not in trade without specified screening and approval.

Directs the Task Force to develop a national system of ecological surveys to rapidly detect recently-established AIS's in U.S. waters.

Requires the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to construct and maintain a national dispersal barrier program to contain and control aquatic nuisances.

Makes any State with a rapid response contingency strategy eligible to receive emergency funding to implement rapid response measures for AIS's.

Requires the Task Force to encourage development of regional rapid response contingency strategies and develop a State model for such.

Requires the Council, in coordination with the Task Force and the heads of the appropriate Federal agencies, to establish a Federal rapid response team for the ten regions of the Standard Federal Regional Boundary System.

Requires the Task Force to establish a national subcommittee on nutria.

Provides for expansion of the Brown Tree Snake Control Program and Aquatic Nuisance Species Program information, education and outreach activities.

Requires specified agencies and research centers to develop and conduct marine research and demonstration programs to assess rates of, patterns of, and conditions surrounding introductions of nonnative aquatic species into aquatic ecosystems.

Requires the Secretary to develop a central national database of information on ballast water management and treatment.

Requires specified agencies to develop a vessel pathway standards research program.

Requires the National Science Foundation to establish a program of grants to institutions of higher education for research in systematics and taxonomy.