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During
the past century, the Great
Lakes and St. Lawrence River
have suffered an onslaught
of aquatic biological invasions.
Ranging from large predacious
fish like the sea lamprey
to microscopic plankton, biological
invaders have wreaked havoc
on the ecosystem and have
caused severe economic hardship
to the people of the region.
For example, sea lampreys
invaded the Great Lakes in
the early 20th century and
decimated a thriving commercial
fishery. Zebra mussels invaded
in the 1980s and cause large-scale
disruptions in the food web
and clog water intake pipes.
Asian carp are poised to invade
the lakes and have the potential
to become a dominant fish
species at the expense of
native fish. The economic
cost to the region of these
and other invaders is in the
billions of dollars annually.
The environmental costs are
immeasurable. At least 182
non-native species have now
become established in the
Great Lakes region since the
late 1800s. Since 1959, when
the St. Lawrence Seaway opened
the lakes to direct ocean-going
shipping, ballast water has
become a dominant means by
which new species enter the
system. Today, the majority
of invasive species entering
the Great Lakes originate
from Eurasia and arrive in
ship ballast.
In efforts to stop new introductions
of aquatic invasive species
into the Great Lakes, Great
Lakes United and its coalition
members spur on action from
the federal to regional and
state level. We advocate for
the passage of national legislation
to prevent and control aquatic
invasive species in both the
U.S. and Canada. However,
federal action has failed
to slow down the rate of new
introductions, and we have
serious concerns whether action
will occur in a timely fashion.
Considering this, GLU also
promotes the development of
coordinated state legislation
within the eight Great Lakes
states, and the examination
of restricting ocean-going
vessel access into the Great
Lakes and shipping goods into
the region via an alternative
mode of transportation.
If you would like regular
updates on Aquatic Invasive
Species in the Great Lakes,
please end a plain text, blank
email from the address you
wish to subscribe: join-ais@list.glu.org
Press Releases
Bill
Axes Funding for Asian Carp
Barrier - November 2005
On
Eve of New Shipping Season,
Great Lakes Remain Unprotected
from AIS - March 2005
Loophole
Plagues Invasive Species Program,
Coast Guard Concedes -
January 2005
Support
the National Aquatic Invasive
Species Act – March
2003
Resources
NAISA
postcards: Download postcards
to print and send to your
Federal Senators and Representative
in support of the National
Aquatic Invasive Species Act.
Either print on 80lb or heavier
cardstock, or print on standard
weight paper and mail to your
federal officials in an envelope.
Please use recycled paper!
Here is another quick action
you can take to support the
National Aquatic Invasive
Species Act in the United
States. Save Our Environment.org
set up an action center where
you can contact your senators
and representative by email
or mail and urge them to support
NAISA. Go to: http://ga3.org/campaign/NAISA/
Aquatic
Invasive Species in the Great
Lakes - PDF File
Presentations and Statements
Presentation
at the IJC biennial "Halting
the Introduction of Alien
Aquatic Species"
- June 2005
Testimony
at the International Joint
commission's Twelfth Biennial
Public Forum - October
2003
Aquatic
Nuisance Species, the ecosystem
approach and pollution prevention
- March 2002
Testimony
at the International Joint
Commission’s Biennial
Public Forum - December 2001
Presentation
on Exotic Species during the
United States Cost Guard's
Marine Day - January 2001
Statement
at the Water Quality Board's
Biological Pollution Priority
Meeting - June 2000
Great Lakes United Comments
on Invasive Species
Recommendations
to Canada Shipping Act, Ballast
Water regulations - August
2005
Group
sign-on in support of the
Asian Carp Prevention and
Control Act – October
2005
Proposed
amendments to the Shipping
Act in Canada –
August 2005
Group
sign on letter on NAISA and
Senate bill 363 –
July 2005
Improving
regulations for NOBOB’s
– May 2005
Deny
Entry of Ocean Vessels that
Fail to Report - Comments
of GLU and the Lake Michigan
Federation, July 2004
Ballast
Management to the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committees
- March 2004
Support
for Ontario Prohibition of
Trade in Live Invasive Fish
- March 2004
Comments
to the Coast Guard on ballast
water exchange - October
2003
List
silver carp as injurious species
under Lacey Act - September
2003
Penalties
for non-submission of ballast
water management reports
- April 2003
Comments
in support of IJC reference
- January 2003
List
Asian carp as injurious species
under Lacey Act - September
2002
Comments
on Aquatic Nuisance Species
in Ballast Water Discharge
- January 2002
The National Environmental
Coalition on Invasive Species
(NECIS)
What is NECIS?
The National Environmental
Coalition on Invasive Species
(NECIS) is a national coalition
whose aim is to strengthen
the national environmental
voice and focus collective
efforts on one of the most
urgent threats to the environment--
non-native, harmful invasive
species. Find in-depth resources
on aquatic and terrestrial
invaders at: http://www.necis.net/
NECIS Resources
Reducing
introductions
Decreasing
ecological risks of international
trade
Improving
funding
Scientists'
Call to Action
Recommendations
to the U.S. Congress and Administration
Ten
species that have recently
invaded
Ten
species that may invade
Ten
species the United States
has exported
NECIS Testimonies
NAISA
Support Letter - June
2005
Ballast
Water Management submission
to the House Transportation
and Infrastructure Committees
- March 2004
NECIS
U.S. Senate testimony on importation
of exotics - July 2003
NECIS
testimony to the Joint Oversight
Hearing - April 2003
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