Investigating injurious species introductions as environmental crimes.

摘要

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) threaten the sustainability of Great Lakes ecosystems by degrading habitat, competing with native and naturalized species, and disrupting essential food-web structures. The intentional and accidental release of AIS into the Great Lakes constitute environmental crimes under state and federal statutes. An imprecise definition of "invasive," limited authority through non-comprehensive legislation, inconsistent regulations, and insufficient staff and financial resources hinder the investigation of environmental crimes. Therefore, current enforcement is less effective than it should be to deter future releases. This thesis considers the release, and potential arrival, of three species of non-native Asian carp into the Great Lakes basin as an environmental crime. This example illustrates the legislative gaps and ineffective enforcement mechanisms that collectively contribute to unlawful releases going unpunished. To promote successful prosecution of accidental and intentional releases, investigative procedures must be improved. To this end, the development of a standardized investigative is proposed.