Stakeholders and Invasive Asian Carp in the Great Lakes

Abstract

Asian carp were introduced in the 1970s as an environmentally friendly alternative to chemicals for cleaning aquaculture ponds. The carp escaped from their ponds and entered the Mississippi River system, leaving behind a path of destruction. Now, they are just a few miles away from the Great Lakes where they pose a threat to the billion-dollar fishing industry. One of the challenges in dealing with the problem is the diverse array of stakeholders involved who all have very different perspectives, concerns, and ideas about this policy problem. This case study demonstrates the challenges of stakeholder management in public policy and gives readers an analytical framework for thinking about stakeholder interests.