Objective, Commitments & Measures
Objective:
2.1. Protect native species and communities by preventing introductions of new non-native species.
Commitments:
2.1.a. Target prioritized introduction pathways at state, multi-state, reservation and other similar regional scales for surveillance, education, technology development and enforcement.
Measures:
| Measures of Progress With Annual Targets | Baseline/ Universe | FY2025 Target | FY2026 Target | FY2027 Target | FY2028 Target | FY2029 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1.1 Number of regional introduction pathways for non-native species invasion addressed through comprehensive approaches. | 0/N/A | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
*"Targets" are cumulative.
Background
GLRI federal agencies and their partners have continued activities and education to prevent new introductions of non-native species in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Prioritizing the prevention of new introductions of non-native species into the Great Lakes remains the more cost-efficient and proactive strategy to protect native species, habitats and the benefits they provide to Great Lakes communities. A total of 122 projects in FY2020-2022 helped block priority pathways of introduction for non-native species including canals and waterways, recreational boating, illegal trade of banned species and the release of aquarium species and live bait. For example, GLRI supported state game and wildlife officers to prevent sales of prohibited species.
GLRI federal agencies and their partners continued to forecast potential future non-native species establishment and help natural resource agencies target their prevention and response activities for greatest effectiveness. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated the suitability of future Great Lakes climatic conditions for global freshwater species (i.e., horizon scans) to understand which species may become established if transported here.
Preventing bighead and silver carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes ecosystem remained a priority for GLRI under Action Plan III. GLRI-funded actions during this period included conducting contract fishing to remove invasive carp from the Upper Illinois Waterway near Lake Michigan, maintenance of barriers that block invasive carp from swimming into the Great Lakes watershed and assisting the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee to implement the Invasive Carp Action Plan.
Under GLRI Action Plan IV, GLRI federal agencies and their partners will implement a prioritized plan to significantly reduce pathways by which non-native species may still enter the Great Lakes Basin. Coordination and planning with states, Tribes and other entities, as well as feedback received by the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS), will inform prioritized and interjurisdictional projects that significantly address pathways including recreational boating, releases of fish from unused bait and for ceremonial/cultural reasons and organisms-in-trade. Existing state (i.e., Michigan Invasive Species Watch List), interjurisdictional (e.g., GLANSIS Watchlist Species), and basin-wide lists of "least wanted" species, such as the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers list, will guide species-specific prevention projects.
Through directed support from GLRI, incremental progress to address regional pathways will be achieved through comprehensive approaches by maintaining or increasing specialized staff across the basin, conducting surveillance activities within specific pathways and collaborating regionally to reduce the risk of invasion and establishment of new non-native species. Targeted education and outreach activities will inform Great Lakes residents about the continued risks of non-native species so that everyone can play a role in this important prevention step.
GLRI will support efforts to test and implement new technologies holding great promise to assess, block or manage specific pathways. Emerging technologies will be prioritized for GLRI support based on their ability to accelerate and widen surveillance and manage species on "least wanted" lists already adopted for the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes remain an invasion pathway to the 31 states within the Mississippi River watershed and beyond, making these GLRI prevention efforts important to the entire nation.
GLRI will continue to help protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp, principally through high-priority projects that prevent silver and bighead carp introduction into the Great Lakes, prevent grass carp establishment in the Great Lakes and promote better understanding of the spread of black carp toward the Great Lakes. The GLRI will build upon past completed projects at Eagle Marsh, Indiana, and the Ohio-Erie Canal in Akron, Ohio, to close pathways of potential invasive carp introduction into the Great Lakes as identified by the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin Study, including the Little Killbuck connection between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin in Ohio. GLRI will continue to support the monitoring of invasive carp populations in the Illinois River to inform future suppression of fish densities close to the Chicago Area Waterway.
Continue reading about the Action Plan IV: