Strengthening the Weakest Link: The Role of Law Enforcement in Protecting Multi-Jurisdictional Water Bodies from Aquatic Invasions

The intentional or unintentional release of aquatic invasive species (AIS) constitutes one of the greatest threats to the future of the Great Lakes. Four of the five primary vectors of AIS importation in the Great Lakes basin: maritime commerce, organisms in trade, aquaculture, and recreational activities (excludes canals and waterways) are regulated by provincial, tribal, state, and federal statues and rely on law enforcement to deter violations and promote compliance. One of the most common misconceptions about law enforcement is that the mere existence of regulations or the presence of officers in the field is enough; on the contrary, successful fisheries management requires the involvement of enforcement throughout the management process to ensure that management objectives, regulations, and the expected role of enforcement are clearly defined and commensurate. Perhaps nowhere is this principle more true, and more tested, than in the Great Lakes basin. Here, the world’s largest source of freshwater and an industry that is worth more than $7 billion annually, is only as protected as the weakest, least enforced, and/or most violated regulation that exists among the many jurisdictions that that share fisheries management responsibility and law enforcement authority.