Aquaculture--A Gateway for Exotic Species

Abstract

Aquaculture is a fast-growing segment of the world food economy and a leading vector of aquatic invasive species in the United States and abroad. Surprisingly, little national or international oversight exists even for deliberate introductions of exotic species in aquaculture. The authors of this Policy Forum propose a policy agenda on exotic introductions as aquaculture expands that includes scientific risk assessment for all nonnative introductions and single-agency oversight for the prevention, containment, and monitoring of ecologically harmful species.