Internet Trade of Aquatic Invasive Species

About GLDIATR

The Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade (GLDIATR) collects, analyzes, and allows users to access information about how many and what types of Great Lakes aquatic invasive species are being sold on the internet. Throughout the development of the GLDIATR project, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) engaged with partners, including state and federal agencies in the form of an advisory committee to ensure this work is relevant and useful. Currently there are >30 members on our advisory committee from over 20 different organizations representing both U.S. Great Lakes states and Canadian Great Lakes provinces. The advisory committee has convened periodically throughout the project to help guide the continued development and implementation of the GLDIATR tool.

Decorative image with the taxa GLDIATR focuses on.

For our most recent phase of the GLDIATR project, the advisory committee helped identify 66 species across five different taxa (plants, fish, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates) as target species. These were decided to pose the greatest threat to the Great Lakes region based on these factors:

Federal, state and provincial species regulations
Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System Watch List of Potential Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species
Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study analysis of species currently within the Mississippi River watershed, but not in the Great Lakes
Ecological risk assessments conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Council of Great Lakes Governors’ “Least Wanted” Aquatic Invasive Species list
Other expert input

Once sellers are confirmed as selling an invasive species from the target list, the GLC contacts them to provide education on the type of invasive species they are selling, what jurisdictional restrictions there are for that species, and how to properly dispose of the species. The GLC also provides recommended actions on how to help protect the Great Lakes region.

The GLC has continued to enhance and expand this work by building a database where states can track the number of sales in their jurisdictions, to help guide their own education and management actions. If you would like to learn more about GLDIATR, or if you are aware of any newly regulated species or species of emerging concern that should be added to this effort, please contact Erika Jensen ([email protected]).