This project will seek to increase coordination of outreach and engagement with the bait industry and state provincial tribal agencies in the great lakes basin by reviewing existing bait analyses,…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Great Lakes Commission (GLC) a $137,006 Project Grant under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (CFDA 15.662) to increase coordination of outreach and engagement with the bait industry and state, provincial, and tribal agencies in the Great Lakes basin. The key products and services to be delivered include:

1. Developing a regional bait identification guide to be distributed to bait retailers and conservation law enforcement staff.
2. Hosting a regional symposium for aquatic invasive species management staff, conservation law enforcement, and industry partners to identify approaches to increase awareness of existing bait retail regulations and tools to support improved aquatic invasive species prevention measures and increased coordination.

This collaborative 2-year project aims to provide tools and training to prevent the spread and introduction of aquatic invasive species within the live bait pathway across the Great Lakes region.

This project will seek to increase coordination of outreach and engagement with the bait industry and state provincial tribal agencies in the great lakes basin by reviewing existing bait analyses, hosting an industry workshop to share information about regulatory and outreach approaches, evaluating existing bait resources, and developing or adapting existing resources for regional use. Provincial (canadian) jurisdictions play a unique role in this project via their participation in, and leadership of, the primary lead for this project, the great lakes panel on aquatic nuisance species.project goals and objectivesthe goal of this collaborative project is to provide tools and training to prevent the spread and introduction of AIS within the live bait pathway. IT will address the following objectives:1. Develop a regional bait identification guide outputs: develop a regional bait identification guide informed by existing resources printed regional bait identification guides distributed to retailers and conservation law enforcement STAFF2. Host a regional symposium for AIS management staff, conservation law enforcement, and industry partners outputs: workshop to identify approaches to increase awareness of existing rules that apply to bait retail and the use disposal of bait and tools that would support improved AIS prevention measures and increased coordination relevant to regulation (harmonization), outreach, and engagement workshop proceedings summarizing discussion and outcomesproject activities and methodsproject team roles and responsibilitiesthe great lakes panel on aquatic nuisance species (GLP) will serve as the primary project team, and its organisms in trade ad hoc committee will oversee the project. The project team will have the following responsibilities: make decisions and guide implementation of project activities identify relevant industry and law enforcement staff and provide input on and consent to project outputs. The GLC will administer the project in their role as coordinating body for the GLP, manage the award agreement with FWS, and implement project activities.