Thank you, Chair, and thank you, committee, for the opportunity to be with you this afternoon as you study the issue of aquatic invasive species.
The Canadian Council on Invasive Species is a nationally registered non-governmental organization that works collaboratively across jurisdictional boundaries to share information and support actions to prevent the introduction of invasive species and to help reduce the threats and impacts from them. Our work is guided by a four-chamber board of directors whose members come from federal, provincial and territorial governments, indigenous organizations, and industry and invasive species organizations. We collaborate closely with the seven invasive species chapters across Canada. These are the provincial and territorial non-profit organizations that have a similar core mandate to the council's of helping to reduce the spread and impacts of invasive species.
The council's key focus is on prevention and, therefore, on closing the pathways that introduce and spread invasive species. We work to bridge government, industry and not-for-profit organizations, indigenous organizations and invasive species councils to take actions that address invasive species, both terrestrial and aquatic, actions such as the development and implementation of national campaigns that aim to change behaviour so as to prevent the spread of invasive species.
We would very much like to thank the standing committee for your study on aquatic invasive species. Your study is timely, as others have noted, in light of the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development's April 2 report on aquatic invasive species. In this regard, the council is pleased to see DFO's commitment to implement the commissioner's recommendations. It is important to recognize that there are many demands and potentially competing priorities with respect to aquatic invasive species, and the continued leadership of DFO is needed if we are to successfully address this issue in Canada.
I would also commend DFO on its work to date, such as its response to the threat of Asian carp introduction into the Great Lakes and on its efforts to work in partnership on aquatic invasive species initiatives, as success will not be achieved by any one organization acting alone.
You've already heard from a number of witnesses and there's much information with respect to the risk aquatic invasive species pose to our environment, our economy and social and cultural concerns. I won't provide additional information in that regard. Rather, I'll move directly to recommendations that the council has for your consideration.
First, we encourage collaborative Canada-wide prioritization and planning based on sound risk assessment and risk management strategies. This strategic planning is needed to ensure that all of Canada's waters are protected. DFO needs to—is encouraged to—implement a partnership-based approach to planning to identify the high-priority pathways and the most appropriate prevention tools.
As we have heard, preventing the introduction into Canada is going to be achieved by closing the pathways of introduction. Most success is going to be achieved by focusing on those pathways. We encourage DFO to complete a risk-based analysis of current and new high-risk pathways that provide entry of aquatic invasives into Canada. We believe this can be done quickly as we already know many if not most of those pathways. We believe a focus on high-risk pathways is a faster and potentially less costly approach to preventing arrivals into the country than a species-by-species assessment approach. We believe that the priority pathways approach needs to include risk management strategies and measures needed to close those pathways.
The third area of recommendations relates to early detection and rapid response. Recognizing and reporting invasive species when they first arrive and before they are established is the key to prevent establishment. Some witnesses have already spoken in this regard. Early detection depends on monitoring and detection systems, and it's important to recognize the role and contribution that citizen science can play.
Canadians watch. They're in nature. They can see and report on newly arrived species. Monitoring and citizen science programs need to be complemented by a common data platform, the means for Canadians to actually report on new invasive species or even current ones. We encourage DFO and others to address the issue and the need for a common data platform.
Part of early detection and rapid response needs to include those response strategies and the capacities needed to respond quickly. Those strategies need to outline the roles and responsibilities of different organizations whether they're federal, provincial and perhaps even non-government organizations.
The fourth area is with respect to containing and stopping the spread of established aquatic invasive species, and we've already heard many interventions, even this afternoon, with respect to the need to address the issue of invasive zebra and quagga mussels. Canadians care, and we believe it will help to prevent introduction if they're provided with the appropriate tools and resources. There is a need to increase education and awareness campaigns to change the behaviour of those target audiences, those folks who may actually move invasive species into new areas of the country.
The Canadian council is working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans on a pilot program, “Clean Drain Dry”, based in British Columbia. This campaign focuses on changing behaviours and social marketing to influence those involved in boating and angling to take steps to clean their equipment to prevent spread.
The council is active in a number of similar other programs and is working with partners and industry involved in other key pathways. We're working with the pet industry and the Canadian Horticultural Council, for example.
The fifth area relates to strengthened collaboration. As I mentioned already, DFO alone cannot prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species. Those best placed to act need to act. It is critical that DFO work with its federal partners, particularly the Canada Border Services Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, to close those ports of entry in the country. We also encourage DFO to work with Environment and Climate Change Canada on initiatives such as data platforms. Clearly, we are encouraging DFO to work with provincial and territorial governments and indigenous governments and organizations with respect to clear roles and responsibilities and priorities.
Finally, there is a need to increase collaboration with industry and other non-governmental organizations to bring more support for increased awareness and local action. An advantage of strengthened collaboration is that it not only builds the implementation partnership that's needed if we're going to effectively address aquatic invasive species, it can also help build what I would characterize as the funding partnership to ensure that the needed resources are in place to take those actions.
This leads to my sixth and final point. It relates to strategic investments. Addressing the challenge of aquatic invasive species will require not just ongoing, dedicated DFO resourcing but increased investment and collaboration. The magnitude of the challenge is great, and increased and strategic investments are what is needed. Shifting current resources among programs is likely to simply shift the problems and risks from one part of the country to another.
In closing, the council encourages continued, strong federal and national leadership on the part of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, if we are to protect our waters from aquatic invasive species. We encourage DFO to continue to build closer collaboration amongst government and non-government organizations on priorities, roles and responsibilities, and coordinated actions. The Canadian Council on Invasive Species, as a national voice on invasive species with a strong track record of building partnerships, is keen to support and partner with DFO and others to address aquatic invasive species.
Thank you again for the opportunity to contribute to your study.