serving invaders with a side of awareness: reflections on using … · 2017-12-07 · serving...

Serving invaders with a side of awareness: reflections on using harvest as an invasive species education and outreach tool

Dr. Matthew Barnes, Assistant Professor, Dept. Natural Resources Management

Invasive Species Management

Lodge et al. 2016 Annu Rev Environ Resour 41:453-488

Adaptation through harvest

Launching Invasivore.org

reilly.nd.edu/globes/ 2007-2010

2011

Proposed Benefits

• Population reduction

• Offset losses through profit

• Opportunities for education and awareness

Potential Backfire

• Creation of economic incentives to promote or maintain pops

• Conflict with other messages & control efforts

Harvest Pros & Cons

Education & Awareness benefits throughout the invasion process

Lodge et al. 2016 Annu Rev Environ Resour 41:453-488

Menu

• Reflections using harvest as an educational tool

• Experiments are ongoing

• Questions & data needs

Invasive harvest cultivates attention

1,730 site visits over past 30 days

• : 714 followers

• : 567 followers

What are we doing?

Recipes

What are we doing?

Species Profiles

What are we doing?

What are we doing? Interviews, News Roundups

Menu

• Reflections using harvest as an educational tool

• Experiments are ongoing

• Questions & data needs

We don’t know how harvest will turn out…

Potential Backfire?

• Creation of economic incentives to promote, maintain pops

• Conflict with other messages & control efforts

• Perceived lack of information and understanding

• Should we invoke precautionary principle and nip invasivory in the bud?

• ...or do the data already exist (if we know where to look)?

Finding real-world "experiments"

Web of Science and Google searches (2013) to compile examples meeting 2 criteria:

1. Recommend harvest as a strategy to manage invasive population

2. Target population was not introduced for the purpose of harvest

Barnes et al. 2014 CAB International

Harvest as management recommendation has increased

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Cum

ulat

ive

Num

ber

of O

ccur

renc

es

Year Barnes et al. 2014 CAB International

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Num

ber o

f Occ

urre

nces

9 12

49

6

25

11

Many uses, many taxa

Barnes et al. 2014 CAB International

43

“Eat Lionfish” Campaign

• Lionfish (Pterois volitans) likely aquarium release in Florida

• Campaign led by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

• Demand bolstered by education about invasive impacts

• How to measure success?

Asian Carp in the Midwest

• Large market globally, but limited interest in the US

• State of Illinois has negotiated sale of over 22K tons to China at a value near $20 million

• Illinois also using Asian carp to feed needy families through the Target Hunger Now! campaign

Menu

• Reflections using harvest as an educational tool

• Experiments are ongoing

• Questions & data needs

Opportunities to collect data during ongoing harvest efforts

Under what circumstances can harvest meet management goals?

• Eradication may not be feasible, but population reduction may be beneficial

Population Size

Species Impact

?

Which invaders are marketable, and under what conditions?

Asian Carp or Kentucky Tuna?

Photo credit: wikimedia commons

Opportunities to collect data during ongoing harvest efforts

How can the risks of backfire be estimated and avoided?

• Turn to literature on backfire of bounty programs for examples

• Maximize effectiveness of education and awareness campaigns that accompany harvest

Opportunities to collect data during ongoing harvest efforts

Conclusions

• Costs of invasion are mounting, so consumption deserves consideration at the very least as a management strategy of last resort

• Regardless of our scientific comfort zone, “experiments” have already begun

• Consumption has potential benefits and pitfalls. More research will increase potential for success. Education and awareness will decrease likelihood of backfire.

Education & Awareness benefits throughout the invasion process

Lodge et al. 2016 Annu Rev Environ Resour 41:453-488

Questions?

email: matthew.a.barnes@ttu.edu @drbarnes

@invasivore web: http://drbarnes.org

http://invasivore.org