Major Goals and Objectives

This research addresses two main questions related to the attitudes and behaviors toward invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes Region to better understand the outreach needs of these communities.

• What are the attitudes and behaviors of teachers in the Great Lakes Region towards invasive species of crayfish? What are effective methods of outreach for this community?
• What are the attitudes and behaviors of individuals involved in the culinary market in the Great Lakes Region towards invasive species of crayfish? What are effective methods of outreach for this community?

Invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes Region pose a threat to local ecosystems as they often outcompete native species and have the potential to damage local freshwater ecosystems. Native crayfish are important consumers and predators within the food web, and the disruption that invasive crayfish cause can have wide-reaching ecological and economic effects. There has been research and outreach done about the spread of invasive crayfish by use as bait by anglers, in aquariums and the pet trade, and through aquaculture. My research explores two additional potential introduction pathways: teachers who use crayfish in the classroom and people in the culinary market who use them as live food products. Both groups have been cited as potential pathways for crayfish introduction and spread. However, there is little understanding of the ways that individuals within these groups feel about and interact with invasive species in general and crayfish specifically.