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The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers have identified the "least wanted" aquatic invasive species (AIS) that present an imminent threat to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River region. In 2013, the Governors and Premiers committed to take priority action on the transfer of these species to and within the region. Since then, the states and provinces have taken more than 50 separate actions to restrict these high-risk AIS, and the US federal government has similarly restricted four of the species.
See also: Aquatic Invasive Species for more resources.

Rapid response actions are often complex, costly, and controversial, and therefore advanced planning for rapid response prior to an introduction is crucial. The Mississippi River Basin Panel on AIS (MRBP) has developed this model rapid response plan and supplemental attachments to assist natural resources management agencies effectively plan and quickly implement rapid response actions. In addition to providing information on rapid response planning, the model plan includes a template that can be used by states in developing their own rapid response plans.
See also: MRBP Documents for more resources.

See also: Legislation & Regulations - Articles for more resources

Find non-invasive plant alternatives that may be appropriate in your region.

The AIM campaign that focuses on providing information and best practices to manage The Organisms in Trade (OIT) pathway. The OIT pathway is one of the main avenues by which non-native aquatic species become established in waterways. Many of the aquatic plants and animals available in the marketplace can negatively impact ecosystems, economies, and public health when introduced to new freshwater habitats. AIM was developed by a collaboration of researchers and outreach specialists led by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Illinois Natural History Survey.

A variety of organizations have developed educational materials on AIM. They can be used to learn more and teach others about these harmful plants and animals.

Predicting the next invasive species allows us to take action before they reach our waterways—an economically and environmentally smarter approach than responding after they’ve arrived. To get a jump on potential invaders, scientists have developed methods that pinpoint the risk a species poses to specific environments based on factors like history of invasion, its ability to survive in similar habitats, and how difficult it is to control. Using these tools and the information they provide, natural resource managers, environmental educators, and individuals who buy and sell live aquatic organisms can make more informed decisions on how to protect their waterways from potential AIM.

The federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force approves state and species management plans to help guide work on the ground across the USA.  These plans feature the western states and species specific plans.
See also: Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force - Control

The Alien Forest Pest Explorer (AFPE) is an interactive web tool which provides detailed spatial data describing pest distributions and host inventory estimates for damaging, non-indigenous forest insect and disease pathogens currently established in the U.S. The database is maintained as a joint effort of Purdue University, the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station, and the U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Protection.

Provides individuals with the information and tools they need to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species commonly found in trade. Water gardeners, aquarium hobbyists, retailers, anglers, teachers, wholesalers and more can use these resources to learn about invasive species and identify alternative organisms that are safe to buy and sell.

Contains a compilation of known control methods for selected aquatic and wetland nuisance species.

The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee announced the release of its 2021 Asian Carp Action Plan, a comprehensive portfolio of projects focused on Great Lakes protection.

Scroll down for 25 Most Harmful Nonindigenous Aquatic Species in the West

Most natural resource managers are familiar with the concept of Best Management Practices or BMPs uses in forestry as guidelines for recommended practices to protect water and soil resources during management operations such as timber harvests. As invasive species threaten more lands in the South, land managers can use BMPs for invasive species by developing a proactive approach to invasive species identification, documentation and control on their properties. To accomplish this, landowners must develop an awareness of the potential for the introduction and/or spread of invasive species as related to "normal use or management on their lands".

Forest*A*Syst is funded by USDA Forest Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service and developed by the Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.

Prevent delays and reduce costs associated with transporting, buying, and selling boats. Aquatic invasive species, such as zebra and quagga mussels, pose a threat to the economy and natural resources of western states and provinces. In addition, fines and costly delays associated with transporting boats with aquatic invasive species can affect you and others in the recreational boating industry.
See also: Commercial Boat Haulers - Call Before You Haul

In 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the publication, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Citizens, schools, non profit organizations, communities and government agencies used this resource to find the native plants that met their local conditions and interests in order to create landscapes to attract wildlife and reduce the amount of pollutants going into the Chesapeake Bay.

To reach more citizens and organizations, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service envisioned an online version of the guide, the Native Plants Center Chesapeake Region. This expanded online guide includes a geo-locator feature to identify plants suited to your location, a searchable database of the native plants that meet your conditions, and (coming soon) an online network to interact with other Chesapeake Bay stewards.

The Citizen Carp Control is a national public awareness campaign working to educate, empower, and advocate for enhanced control and removal of invasive carps.