Introduction: genetic biocontrol of invasive fish species

Abstract

This special issue of Biological Invasions presents articles resulting from the International Symposium on Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Fish that was convened June 21-24, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA (http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/ais/biocontrol). The symposium explored prospects and risks of genetic biocontrol—a new technological approach for controlling invasive finfish species that have established populations in natural ecosystems. The frustration by some fisheries managers regarding lack of well-targeted and effective tools to control invasive fish stimulated the organizing of this symposium (Kapuscinski and Patronski 2005). The motivations for and development of any technology are not divorced from influences of society and nature. Instead, technology is part of a coevolutionary process of change involving interactions and feedbacks among values, systems of knowledge, institutions, technology and the environment (Norgaard 1994:27). This context-dependence is rarely treated explicitly, credibly and genuinely in technology development and assessment. Such a crucial omission has contributed to undesired outcomes after deployment of new technologies: unintended consequences, social resistance, and, in some cases, failure to achieve stated goals (Norgaard 1994; NRC 1996; Gibbons 1999; Kapuscinski et al. 2003). The fact that genetic biocontrol technology is at an early stage of research and development offers a rare opportunity to take a wiser approach. We therefore designed this symposium to address genetic biocontrol technology per se and its crucial contextual factors. The symposium brought together scientific and policy researchers, fisheries managers, representatives of fishing groups, businesses and environmental groups, and government regulators to start building a comprehensive understanding of issues regarding development and use this technology. Specific objectives were to: