65 



assessment of the knowledge of our citizens there. After conducting 

 an intense educational program, the knowledge level improved con- 

 siderably. Along with that, the number of packages moving through 

 the mails intercepted was reduced considerably. So I view that as 

 a very positive approach. 



Senator Akaka. Ms. Kimball? 



Ms. Kimball. Mr. Chairman, I would agree. Education has been 

 a central part of all the work that we have done. It is important 

 in Sea Grant. The Aquatic Nuisance Species Program itself and the 

 ruffe control program contain elements of education, which we 

 think is very effective if properly done and funded. 



Senator Akaka. Mr. Davison? 



Dr. Davison. I would just add to that that I agree that education 

 is a cost-effective means of prevention. It is also, in addition to 

 what Ms. Kimball said, a part of the intentional introductions pol- 

 icy review being done by the task force. 



Senator Akaka. Mr. McCleese? 



Mr. McCleese. Mr. Chairman, we certainly agree with the need 

 for education. These pests know no political boundaries, so it is 

 very important that everyone understand what the threat is and 

 everyone be aware of what can and should be done about them. 



Senator Akaka. One of the problems that we have with that kind 

 of education is to convince, for instance, the pet enthusiast that the 

 exotic bird or fish would constitute a serious environmental threat 

 if released from captivity. How would you convince them? Ms. 

 Kimball? 



Ms. Kimball. One suggestion that has been made is to distribute 

 literature at the point of sale so that when people purchase these 

 kinds of animals they will know the impacts of uncontrolled re- 

 leases. 



Dr. Davison. Gary Edwards has a specific example that he want- 

 ed to share with you. 



Mr. Edwards. Mr. Chairman, one example of that is in the 

 aquarium trade. People purchase pet goldfish, and when they get 

 ready to move they w£int to know what to do with that goldfish. 

 One of the easy answers is to t£ike it out and dump it into your 

 local stream, which is not good. We have even published a little 

 brochure i and distributed them to aquarium stores to show that if 

 you take that goldfish, and put it in the freezer of your ice box, it 

 quietly goes to sleep. Those are the kinds of things we can distrib- 

 ute to the public to show them how best to dispose of these types 

 of unwanted pets. 



Senator Akaka. Thank you very much, Mr. Edwards. I have 

 often wondered what one should do about aquatic species. [Laugh- 

 ter.] 



Senator Akaka. How would you compare the cost to control and 

 eradicate alien species with the cost of preventing their introduc- 

 tion in the first place? Is it more cost-effective to prevent harmful 

 introduction through education and enforcement than it is to eradi- 

 cate these pests, or live with the economic harm they inflict? 



Ms. Kimball. Without question, prevention is far more cost-effec- 

 tive than control after the fact. 



1 See pages 196-197. 



