Education works: Boaters who know the ‘Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!’ rules are doing their part to stop AIS
Millions of dollars are spent each year on programs that encourage recreational boaters to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species like zebra mussels and hydrilla. But do these programs, like the national Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! and Clean Drain Dry brands, actually work?
Recently published research from a University of Wisconsin–Madison team shows — for the first time — that yes, they do.
“Before now, we only assumed these messages work,” said Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s aquatic invasive species outreach specialist and coauthor of the study. “This research shows, for sure, that Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! and Clean Drain Dry outreach help keep our lakes and rivers free of invasive species.”
Tim Campbell points to a common sight at boat launches: a Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! sign informing people about AIS. Photo by Tim Campbell / ASC
Campbell and coauthors Todd Newman and Bret Shaw of the UW–Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication worked with a national social science research firm to survey boaters about their actions related to invasive species prevention and their awareness of two invasive species prevention messages and brands, Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! and Clean Drain Dry. The study found that boaters who were more aware of the brands reported that they removed plants from boats and drained water from live wells more often than people who were unaware of the programs.
Outreach materials from both brands are ready to use and available to anyone, often for free or at a nominal cost.
“What I like about this research is that it supports that there are some easy and effective things anyone can do, like using Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! and Clean Drain Dry,” said Campbell. He added that, while important, brand awareness is one of many factors that determine if and when boaters take action to prevent the spread of invasive species.
“These brands and messages are the foundation of our outreach and prevention tools,” said Campbell. “People that are already using these approaches can then layer additional prevention approaches like inspectors and cleaning stations to further protect our lakes and rivers from invasive species.”
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The University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center administers Wisconsin Sea Grant, the Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, and Water@UW–Madison. The center supports multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach for the protection and sustainable use of Wisconsin’s water resources. Wisconsin Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of marine resources through research, education, outreach, and technology transfer.
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