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Invasive Species Legislation

Invasive plants and animals are a serious threat to native wildlife, habitats and humans. These non-native species upset the ecological processes important for sustaining native wildlife and cost our economy several billion dollars a year. We also know that major ecosystem disruptions caused by global warming will only exacerbate the impact of invasive species on habitat and native plants and wildlife. But NWF believes we can slow the flood of invasive species, with real solutions, based on good science.

As a leading partner in the National Environmental Coalition on Invasive Species (NECIS), a national partnership that provides a scientific voice on invasive species policy, NWF is working with Congress and the administration to stop potential invaders from coming into the country in the first place, through better regulation of the their major pathways of introduction: the globalized shipping industry and legal, intentional imports of live plants and animals.

Lacey Act Screening Provisions

NWF supports a revision of the Lacey Act to require screening of animal imports by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The Lacey Act provides authority for the FWS to name groups of animals as "injurious species" and thus restrict their import. However, it does not require that animal species being proposed for import first be screened for either invasiveness or disease risk. This creates unacceptable threats to native wildlife, to the economy, and to human and animal health. Thus, Congress should provide the FWS with the necessary authority to screen invasive animals, both terrestrial and aquatic, rather than relying on the Lacey Act's currently ineffective provisions.

Ballast Water Invasions

Ballast water from ships is the primary vector for unintentionally introducing invasive aquatic organisms into U.S. waters. NWF believes an important step in addressing this is to require all ships to treat their ballast water before it is discharged and to use specific "best management practices" to stop the continued introduction of aquatic invasive species.

Early Detection, Rapid Response

Finally, detecting new invaders quickly, and responding rapidly to eliminate them, is essential to limiting impacts and costs when prevention fails. However, federal and state agencies generally lack the resources needed to monitor for new invasions, and to quickly respond when found. Such delays give invaders time to reproduce, increase in numbers, and spread, making extirpation or control much more difficult. NWF supports stronger federal funding for early detection and rapid response efforts.