The fight against invasive species overrunning the Great Lakes is now online. The Great Lakes Commission has developed the Great Lakes Detector of Invasive Aquatics in Trade (GLDIATR), a web data-mining tool that aims to identify aquatic invasive species moving through online trade networks to the Great Lakes region.
GLDIATR has been used to reach out to a number of online sellers suspected of supplying invasive species — for instance, for aquariums or educational purposes — with information about the regulations and impact of invasive species. The EPA and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative fund GLDIATR through grants.
Visit glc.org to learn more.