Working with Partners Across Large Landscapes: Model Activities in Midwest United States to Manage Aquatic Nuisance Species

Bi-national, federal, state, provincial, local, and non-governmental agencies are collaborating in several state-of-the-science approaches to stop the advancement of an aquatic nuisance species (ANS) in the Midwest.  Increased coordination of the efforts began in 2010, beginning with effort to prevent Asian Carp entering the Laurentian Great Lakes through the Chicago canal system.  Since 2010, USEPA funding and coordination has provided impetus for work and increased our knowledge of this threat to the Great Lakes while supporting efficiencies and development of tools to combat these carp species. Building on this effort, Great Lakes Governors and Premiers have accelerated international efforts to harmonize management and regulations across the Great Lakes Basin, agreeing on a least-wanted species list, providing a framework for mutual aid, and helping to facilitating efforts to produce a basin-wide multi-species surveillance plan.  Finally, increased awareness and knowledge sharing have promoted development of plans for monitoring and control of Asian carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River watersheds. This talk will broadly document successes and lingering needs of the Asian carp efforts since 2010.  We suggest these accomplishments and collaborations may broadly effect and improve natural resource management and interagency collaborations in the future.