The introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species represents one of the most complex and challenging resource management issues of the 21st century.  While appearing simplistic, global economic linkages complicate the issue.  Commercial activities unintentionally introduce aquatic invasives via ships’ ballast water, as aquaculture escapees and from pet and garden imports; and recreational users unknowingly spread them to other waters.  If these harmful species become established, they can wreak environmental havoc, degrade aquatic resources and make waters unusable for recreation and commercial activities.  They can also impact human health, and economists estimate costs at over $100 billion annually, which is more than earthquakes, floods and fires combined. 

Additionally, different values regarding native versus nonnative species surround the issue and legal gaps and our aquatic focus further complicates things.  While having the necessary technical expertise, resource management agencies have limited authorities to address the issue and, as an underwater issue, impacts are often not realized until damage has occurred. Thus, they are out of site, out of mind.  And unlike endangered species, people cannot relate to zebra mussels or hydrilla; they are not cute and fuzzy with big, round eyes.  Also, informed citizens become discouraged; they believe the issue is too complex for their actions to matter.

Another level of complexity involves the governmental response.  Typically, outreach with this issue has been passive and agency-specific and has been communicated using technical terms, jargon and acronyms.  Fact sheets, brochures and press releases may fulfill agency information obligations; but research shows this approach creates limited behavioral change and no unity.  We had to undue this cultural detachment, which has contributed to an unaware public that cannot relate to the issue of aquatic invasive species.  

By embracing our leadership role via our staffing and co-chair responsibilities of the national ANS Task Force, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working with PIJAC and others created a unifying brand and a full complement of cooperative marketing materials that simplifies the issue, promotes ownership and action.  The Service works collaboratively with this national partnership and public awareness initative by maintaining and updating a dynamic campaign website, providing interested partner organizations with the cooperative marketing materials, which enable them to incorporate the turnkey elements of the campaign into their organizational outreach, take credit for the campaign prevention message and website without assuming any costs, and leading efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. 

With our efforts, we are breaking new ground.  Even though this is the second national social marketing initative of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, Habitattitude^TM is different because of the significant support of the industry. Other achievements include:

• Unification of Government, Academia and Industry - After maintaining an adversarial relationship with the pet industry for over thirty years regarding exotic, nonnative species, the FWS recognized the complexity of this issue and collaborated to create a unified agenda with the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and oithers to pursue the shared interests of promoting environmentally-responsible pet ownership behaviors.
• Execution of Program Goals/Formal Evaluation of Outreach – With planning, we established our direction.  Through short-term goals, we built the campaign.  Currently, we are in the process of implementing and evaluating our long-range goals to step down and evaluate the campaign.  Formally assessing our impacts cannot be understated; because this rarely happens with conservation and environmental outreach.
• Significantly Enhanced Outreach Capacity – Even though our agency is national, we have outreach limitations.  Through our partnership with the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) and others, our ability to reach the American public has been dramatically expanded.  The entire pet and aquarium industry including exotic pet breeders, fish farmers, distributors, wholesellers, pet product manufacturers, the trade press, large chain and smaller independent retailers have stepped up to support the campaign and its prevention message.  Within the first year, we anticipate reaching over 30% of the U.S. pet owning households through direct mail from the industry about Habitattitude^TM.
• Funding Leveraged – With higher priorities in the federal government and scare funding, we needed to leverage additional support. With our initial budget of $125 thousand, we leveraged $1.1 million from the industry and an additional $300 thousand from NOAA.  This has allowed us to attract 50+ formal partner organizations within the first ten months of the campaign.