• Webinar: We hosted a webinar October 27, 2022 at 10am Pacific Time to share the goals of the project, discuss key next steps, and help to identify individuals interested in serving on focus groups to help identify key issues and challenges and develop draft strategies to address those issues. To hear a recording of the webinar, click here.

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• Surveys: In November-December 2022, we conducted surveys of buyers/sellers and state/federal employees/academia to obtain perspectives from individuals, businesses, and organizations that buy, sell, and regulate aquatic plants and animals.​ The results of the surveys have been compiled.
   

• Summit #1 was conducted March 8, 2023. A total of 206 people registered for the summit; 126 participated. Following the summit, individuals representing industry and agencies began signing up to participate in work groups to address seven key focal areas associated with AIS in Commerce. The work groups will begin their work in April 2023.
   

• Work Groups were formed in March of 2023. A total of seven work groups were formed. The following is a list of work groups and the number of members. The work groups will develop strategies that address the highest priority issues and gaps associated with the respective AIS in Commerce topics.

  • E-Commerce: 26 members

  • Information Access & Sharing:30 members

  • Information & Education: 35 members

  • Labeling & Recordkeeping: 19 members

  • Monitoring & Inspection: 34 members

  • Regulations & Enforcement: 42 members

  • Voluntary Industry Standards: 35 members
     

• Focus/work groups: By June 1 of 2023, we convened a series of work groups centered on key issues associated with aquatic invasive species in commerce. The work groups will meet a total of four times between April and September of 2023, and a virtual summit will be held after each work group meets twice. The goal of the work groups is to develop specific strategies to address the highest priority issues and gaps that contribute to aquatic invasive species in commerce.

  • Voluntary Industry Standards/Industry Best Practices & Guidelines​ 

  • Monitoring & Inspection

  • Information & Education 

  • E-Commerce 

  • Labeling & Recordkeeping 

  • Regulations & Enforcement 

  • Information Access & Sharing
     

• Web pages have been created for each of the seven work groups. Group members can visit each web page and contribute to the action plan being developed for that particular work group theme.
   

• The second summit was held on July 25, 2023. Results of the summit are shared here.
   

• An E-Commerce Background Document was created by the National Sea Grant Law Center.
   

• An Advisory Committee was formed in September 2023 to provide guidance and perspectives on project outcomes. The committee met for the first time during the last week of October.
   

• Three AIS in Commerce case studies were created by the National Sea Grant Law Center in October 2023 - Red-eared slider, Marbled Crayfish, and Water Hyacinth.
   

• A new draft of the action plan was posted to the website in October 2023.
   

• A focus group comprised of state agency representatives met the end of October to discuss challenges associated with AIS in Commerce and identify the highest priority strategies within each thematic area of the action plan.
   

• A focus group of law enforcement officials reviewed and refine draft strategies on labeling and recordkeeping; they convened in December of 2023 to review and provide comments on draft regulatory language.
   

• The Advisory Committee convened in January of 2024 to review the draft regulatory language, review early iterations of industry and agency toolkits, and provide comments on Tier 1 and Tier 2 strategies in the action plan.
   

• The project team gave a presentation on the project to the National ANSTF on 24 January 2024. 
   

• The action plan was completed the first week of February 2024.
   

• AIS in Commerce Model Regulatory Language to Address Priority Gaps was completed in February of 2024.
   

• Draft agency and industry toolkits were developed, and best management practices were compiled.
   

• The project team presented a presentation via a public webinar on 20 February 2024. A recording of that presentation can be found here. Slide deck of presentation.