Terms of Reference

Binational Ecological Risk Assessment for Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) in the Great Lakes Basin

Regional Peer Review – Central and Arctic Region

December 4–6, 2018
Milwaukee, WI

Chairperson: Gilles Olivier

Context

Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) are dispersing throughout the Mississippi River basin and were recently captured within 250 km of the Great Lakes. Canadian and American agencies share a similar goal to prevent the arrival, survival, establishment, spread, and consequences of Black Carp in the Great Lakes. The objective of the meeting is to draw on previously published information and new research to assess the ecological risk of Black Carp to the Great Lakes. The scientifically defensible results will provide useful management and decision making advice for both sides of the border focusing on all aspects of the probability of introduction (likelihood of arrival, survival, establishment, and spread), and the magnitude of the ecological consequences of Black Carp in the Great Lakes. Ecological risk assessment experts from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the US Geological Survey, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service will use best available research to draft an ecological risk assessment following guidelines provided by DFO’s Centre of Expertise for Aquatic Risk Assessment (CEARA). These results will be peer reviewed by experts on risk assessment, freshwater invasive fishes, Great Lakes molluscs, and ecosystem modelling from both Canada and the United States in order to provide advice on questions asked by managers and decision makers at a previously held scoping meeting (December 2014). The results of the ecological risk assessment could subsequently be used to conduct a separate socio-economic impact analysis. The results of the ecological risk assessment and any socio-economic impact analysis conducted will form two separate pieces of advice for managers and decision makers to use when determining courses of action regarding prevention, monitoring, early detection, response, management, and control of Black Carp.

Objective

The objective of the meeting is to collect expert advice on the following aspects of the draft risk assessment documents:

• Are the determined risk ratings scientifically sound and defensible?
• Are components missing from the draft documents?
• Are the limitations and uncertainties of the results clearly outlined?

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document(s)

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Science, and Ecosystems and Fisheries management sectors)
• Great Lakes Fishery Commission
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• U.S. Geological Survey
• Academia
• Other invited experts from both Canada and the United States