The Department supports the scientific finding that the zebra mussel, spiny water flea, sea lamprey, river ruffe, and the round goby are injurious aquatic nuisance species with the ability to dramatically alter a wide variety of human uses of the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, including commercial and recreational fishing, power generation, manufacturing, navigation, tourism and beach use, natural area/native species appreciation, and public water supplies.  In addition, non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species have been shown to adversely impact biodiversity of native species.  It is the policy of the Department to inhibit, and whenever possible, prevent the rate of spread of aquatic nuisance species to uncolonized waters, including inland lakes and streams, and to require environmentally sound management practices for water intake systems.  This policy will be carried out in part by equipping the public, business and industry, and municipal entities in the region with current knowledge regarding all aspects of the species invasions.  To inhibit the spread of aquatic nuisance species, the public must know where the organisms live, how they behave, how they are transported, how the public will be impacted environmentally and economically, and what specific actions they can take.  In addition, this policy will be implemented through legislative initiatives, enforcement, applied research, lake monitoring, approved chemical application, and cooperation with other local, state, federal and provincial governments.

The following recommendations are specific action initiatives for the Department to inhibit and prevent the spread of non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species, and facilitate local, state and regional efforts to address the problem.

1.         Working cooperatively with the Michigan Sea Grant College Program, and the Great Lakes Commission, the Department must send a clear message to the citizens of the state that non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species are harmful to our environment and it is not appropriate to collect or transport them.  The public must be educated about the regulations and possible impacts, and recruited to actively, voluntarily, prevent the introduction and dispersion of non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species.

2.         The Natural Resources Commission will not support or endorse any project utilizing waters of the State that will knowingly result in the introduction or accelerate the distribution of nuisance aquatic organisms to uncolonized inland lakes and streams.

3.         The Department should seek support from the Legislature to establish and fund non-indigenous nuisance species program within the Department of Natural Resources.  This program should provide a centralized location for non-indigenous species information dissemination and transfer and facilitate coordination of control and research activities for these species.

4.         The Department should modify the existing inland lake monitoring program to include an early detection program (EDP) for zebra mussels and eventually expand the program to include other aquatic nuisance species.  By developing an early detection program for inland lakes and streams, management plans can be mobilized, local education programs can be instituted, and the implementation of studies on ecosystem changes and population dynamics can begin before major changes or impacts have been experienced.

5.         The Department should seek a high priority on research from institutions and agencies that will provide a better understanding of the means by which aquatic nuisance species spread to "unconnected" or inland waters of the state.  The Department actively supports the development of environmentally sound control measures and emphasizes that all research undertakings should be developed to include both short-term and long-term means of control and mitigation of aquatic nuisance species impacts.

6.         Michigan Congressmen should place priority on controls at the federal level to prohibit the entry of nuisance species through the St. Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes and Great Lakes Basin waters.  The Department is advised to work with Congress to secure adequate control, particularly through ballast exchange of all ships entering the St. Lawrence Seaway.

7.         The Department with assistance from the Great Lakes Commission, should prepare and submit to the nationally appointed Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, a comprehensive management plan for funding of state activities under the Non-indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, P.L. 101-646 (the Act).  This plan should identify where technical and financial assistance is needed within the state to eliminate or reduce the environmental, public health and safety risks associated with the spread of non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species.  The Department should also continue to seek support from the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation requesting full appropriations for the Act, especially for section 1203 for the Great Lakes Panel, and section 1204 for development of State Management Plans.

8.         The Department should continue active participation on the Great Lakes Panel, created pursuant to the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, P.L. 101-646.  Active participation on the Panel is important to continue coordination and implementation of current state initiatives regarding non-indigenous aquatic nuisance species.