Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Education

“In Massachusetts, we believe that by working together and maximizing limited resources we can stem the flow of species across our borders by educating the public and affected industries on the threat and impacts of these species.” - From the Massachusetts AIS Management Plan

The most economic and practical way to limit the impact of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in Massachusetts is to prevent introductions in the first place. Education is a critical component of prevention because AIS are introduced both intentionally and unintentionally through a wide variety of sources. Fortunately, relatively small changes in individual and industry behavior can have big benefits in helping to prevent AIS introductions through each vector.

Read Defending Massachusetts Against Aquatic Invaders an article that appeared in CZM's annual magazine Coastlines (Summer 2002).

Learn more about our targeted education efforts for the following vectors:

• Aquarium Pets/Water Gardens

• Recreational Boating

• Bait Industry/Recreational Fishing

• Seafood

• Aquaculture

• Commercial Shipping

• Research/Education Supply

Other education efforts include:

Conservation Commissions - CZM worked with the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) to develop a website on invasive plant species management. The MACC helps conservation commissions across the Commonwealth through education and outreach efforts. See the Invasive Plant Information and Resources for Massachusetts Conservation Commissions website.

Conferences/Workshops - CZM has participated in several workshops with local, regional, and national audiences, including:

• Implementing Rapid Response to Aquatic Nuisance Species in the Northeast: Key Components of a Successful Program - May 2005 (PDF, 248KB) - Workshop proceedings from the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.
• Rapid Response to Aquatic Species in the Northeast: Developing an Early Detection and Eradication Protocol - May 2003 (PDF, 5.4MB) - Workshop proceedings from the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.
• Citizens Monitoring for Marine Invasive Species: A Regional Approach to Covering the Coast - October 2006 (PDF, 19 MB) - Workshop proceedings from the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species Panel.
• State of the Bays Symposium - May 2004 - Workshop proceedings from the Massachusetts Bays Program.

Please contact us if you have any questions about the conferences/workshops, or would like more information.