Cardno ENTRIX Economists Co-Author Scientific Report Issued by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Cardno ENTRIX economists, Dr. Gretchen Greene and Dr. Donna Lee, were contributing authors to the recently released "Trinational Risk Assessment Guidelines for Aquatic Alien Invasive Species". The report issued by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was developed in cooperation with experts from Canada, Mexico, and the United States.Drs. Greene and Lee contributed Chapter 4 entitled, Social and Economic Impacts of the Loricariid Catfish in Florida.
Economic losses and the environmental impact caused by invasive species exceed $100 billion dollars annually in the United States alone. An example of this impact is the zebra mussel, which has caused nearly $1 billion in damages, according to the New York Sea Grant Report.
In southwest Mexico, the unintentional introduction of a nonnative fish species, the armored catfish, or plecostomus, in the Infiernillo reservoir has had a severe impact on local fisheries in Guerrero and Michoacn, affecting the quality of life of thousands of persons at a cost to the region's economy estimated at more than $16 million per year.
Evidence shows that the most effective way to address the potentially devastating damage to the environment and the economy is to use preventive measures.
To this end, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) released the "Trinational Risk Assessment Guidelines for Aquatic Alien Invasive Species". The guidelines outlined in the report will be used as a tool for North American resource managers to assess the risk of introducing nonnative species into a natural ecosystem. While not all invasive species cause damage and some are even beneficial, the risk analysis must be meticulous to assess the mechanisms of species establishment and dispersal, as well as the potential impacts they may have once they are released into natural ecosystems.
The control and eventual eradication of invasive fish populations, once established, is practically impossible.The governments of the region's three countries are likewise committed to building cross-border capacities to create prevention and awareness programs throughout North America.
For more report information, or to visit the CEC website click here. A limited number of print copies are also available from the CEC upon request.