Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species

Overview
The Great Lakes ecosystem, a highly valued freshwater resource, is world renowned for its sport and commercial fishing, recreation and tourism, transportation and manufacturing industries. Since the 1800s, more than 160 nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species (ANS) have invaded the ecosystem from around the world, causing severe economic and ecological impacts.

Zebra mussel infestations in the Great Lakes and inland waters illustrate the severity of the problems stemming from ANS introduction and spread. This nonindigenous mollusk is an efficient filter feeder that competes with native mussels and impacts fish populations by reducing food and available spawning habitat. The utility and manufacturing industries around the region, depending on Great Lakes water for production, are expending substantial time and money cleaning intake and discharge pipes clogged by the zebra mussel. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the economic impact to these industries to be $5 billion dollars over the next decade.

Other species of concern that have invaded Great Lakes waters include round goby, sea lamprey, Eurasian ruffe, purple loosestrife, Eurasian watermilfoil, and spiny and fishhook waterfleas. Although not yet established in the Great Lakes, several species of Asian carp are under surveillance for their potentially devastating effects upon the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence ecosystem. Species of concern include the bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molotrix) and black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). These species fit the profile of successful Great Lakes invaders because of their vast mobility, high reproductive capacity and voracious consumption habits.

Preventing the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species is a priority for the Great Lakes Commission. Since 1991, the Great Lakes Commission has provided staff support to the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, a binational body comprised of representatives from government (state, provincial, federal, tribal), business and industry, universities, citizen environmental groups and the larger user community, that provides guidance on ANS research initiatives, policy development and information/education programs.

In the Great Lakes Commission’s Strategic Plan, the ANS issue is a key objective calling for “healthy ecosystems where new introductions of nonindigenous aquatic nuisance species are prevented and adverse ecological and economic impacts of species already present are minimized.”

The Commission seeks to achieve this objective by:

• Promoting application-oriented research in the areas of biology and life history, control and mitigation of ecosystem effects, prevention of introductions, socioeconomic considerations and analysis, and spread of aquatic nuisance species populations.
• Developing, implementing and/or promoting environmentally responsible and economically sound laws, policies, programs and practices that address biological pollution by preventing the introduction and limiting the spread of such species.
• Ensure an effective, system-wide approach to prevention and control through interjurisdictional coordination and consistency.

The Great Lakes Commission ANS project staff is made up of a multi-disciplinary team. Staff areas of expertise range from environmental policy and resource management to fisheries biology. Staff members provide support to the Great Lakes Panel on ANS as well as several Commission projects related to ANS issues. Many of these projects are cooperative/collaborative efforts between the Great Lakes Commission and the Great Lakes Panel on ANS. To view information about specific projects, visit the initiatives page.