To identify the principles fundamental to a coherent policy framework on introduction and control of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Great Lakes.
To develop policy approaches suitable for three kinds of introductions: inadvertent introductions, purposeful private introductions, and purposeful introductions by public authorities.
To develop a framework for identifying benefits and costs of planned and inadvertent introductions.
To complete one or more empirical benefit cost case studies of introductions that have already occurred in the Great Lakes.

Non-indigenous species are a recurrent source of concern in the Great Lakes. Current cases include purple loosestrife, the sea lamprey, and the zebra mussel. Introduction may occur by natural extension of range, inadvertent introductions associated with transport of people and goods, and purposeful introduction by private or public agents. Introductions may succeed or fail to become successfully established, and successful invasions may have beneficial and/or adverse impacts. Given the vulnerability of the Great Lakes to invasion by non-indigenous species, a policy framework on introduction and control is essential.

The project will develop and evaluate a policy framework for NIS, test the feasibility of benefit cost analysis in this context, and provide empirical information on the benefits and costs of introductions. Research will be coordinated with the U.S. Great Lakes NIS Coordinating Committee, and results will be communicated in scholarly publications and directly to the Great Lakes and Washington, DC policy communities.

1. Preliminary research suggests that "decide on the basis of benefits and costs (BC) but always subject to a safe minimum standard (SMS) of conservation" is an appealing policy rule for conservation issues in general, and that it can be adapted for NIS policy. Analysis will focus on adapting this approach for NIS policy, refining it as necessary, and evaluating it. 2. To implement policies based on this overarching framework, it will be necessary to identify and evaluate policy instruments and to develop policies (typically, combinations of instruments) for the three kinds of introductions identified. Analysis will focus on the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of policy instruments, and the information, monitoring, and enforcement requirements. 3. State-of-the-art benefit cost theory and methods, based on a total value framework and incorporating uncertainty, will be developed for NIS policy applications. 4. One or more cases of NIS introduction will be selected for ex post BC analysis. The case study(ies) will test the workability of the BCA framework developed in (3), and provide useful empirical information to policy makers and clientele.