Keeping the Native Character of the Great Lakes Alive

By Jim Diana, Michigan Sea Grant Director

Most people in the Great Lakes are familiar with invasive species. Almost daily we read information about threats of new invasive species moving into the Great Lakes basin. At this point, it should not be a big surprise—invasive species continue to shape the Great Lakes ecosystem. Yet, just because we hear about them and they have become more common doesn’t make it any less important of an issue.

Overall, more than 180 non-native aquatic organisms of all types—including plants, fish, algae and mollusks—have become established in the Great Lakes since the 1800s.

Some were introduced intentionally, like the common carp, brought to the U.S. as a food fish in the 1880s and now is probably the most damaging invasive fish species throughout the country. Others on the non-native list include those that found their way through a variety of other means, such as hitchhiking in the ballast water of ocean freighters or arriving as packing material.

Regardless of how a species was introduced, limiting the spread of invasive species is something we can all take on as a personal responsibility. It only takes one careless individual to contribute to the movement of invaders. For example, boaters know that plants should be removed from the boat trailer, the bilge should be drained and flushed and the boat should be washed before transferring it from one body of water to another.

A number of other things should be done to limit the spread of existing invasive species and prevent new invaders from becoming established. In addition to implementing a common and effective approach to ballast water management, it is imperative to stress that the Great Lakes basin has unique species and conditions that do not exist anywhere else.

Sea Grant and many other organizations invest in education and outreach about preserving Great Lakes resources, including native plants, fishes, mussels and other species. An appreciation of our native fauna and flora—and an ethic to fight for their conservation—should be an important concern of all residents of the Great Lakes basin. Nurturing such an ethic will go a long way toward solving the problem of more non-native species becoming introduced within the Great Lakes.

That is what this issue of upwellings aims to do: remind readers that invasive species are still out there and that by each of us doing our part, we can help prevent the introduction of new non-native species and better manage the invasive species that are now part of the Great Lakes ecosystem—our greatest natural resource.

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