IJC Town Hall Session 4: Effectiveness of Programs to Mitigate and Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species
Jennifer Boehme, International Joint Commission, [email protected]
Abstract
Annex 6 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement commits the governments of Canada and the United States to establish a binational strategy to prevent the introduction of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in the Great Lakes basin, and focus efforts to control, and where feasible, eradicate existing AIS. A key reason for successes under this annex include leveraging extensive networks of federal, state, provincial, First Nation and Tribal governments, local municipal agencies and nongovernmental organizations (including the Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species panel) with deep AIS-related experience. Additional actions include the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act of 2018 that authorizes creation of the Coastal AIS Mitigation Grant Program and Mitigation Fund as well as the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Invasive Species Program, to provide $50M per year through 2023 for collaborative work on early detection and response to the introduction and spread of AIS in the Great Lakes. The act is an opportunity to further develop initiatives previously led by the Great Lakes Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel and the Annex 6 subcommittee. Session participants will be invited to provide input on questions related to the effectiveness of these programs as well as control measures, action priorities, data sharing with the