Hyperbole, Simile, Metaphor, and Invasivore: Messaging About Non-native Blue Catfish Expansion

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dc.contributor.authorOrth, Donald J.en
dc.contributor.authorSchmitt, Joseph D.en
dc.contributor.authorHilling, Corbin D.en
dc.contributor.departmentFish and Wildlife Conservationen
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-20T13:24:43Zen
dc.date.available2021-07-20T13:24:43Zen
dc.date.issued2020-12en
dc.description.abstractIn this paper, we explore the news messaging surrounding the introduction and expansion of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in mid-Atlantic tidal waters. In the early news reports surrounding the non-native catfish controversy, the species was described with hyperboles and terms that evoked threats, danger, and the need for caution, all of which make science-based debate difficult. Three evidence-based models of invasion effects refer to introduced species as passengers, back-seat drivers, and drivers of ecosystem degradation. Like other non-native species introduced and supported by humans, the Blue Catfish story should shift from the invasiveness metaphor to one of collaborative problem solving to conserve elements of our natural heritage in the face of growing pressures from urbanizing watersheds. We recommend that scientists and managers, in all their communications, avoid value-laden language and focus on exploration of evidence to support alternative management interventions, rather than promoting automatic management positions without considering all aspects of the problem.en
dc.description.adminPublic domain – authored by a U.S. government employeeen
dc.description.notesResearch was supported by a grant from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries through a Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. D.J.O. was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Program and Virginia Tech University. J.D.S. and C.D.H. were supported through fellowships from Virginia Sea Grant. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. We thank Aaron J. Bunch, Mary C. Fabrizio, Yan Jiao, and Robert S. Greenlee for advice and insights during the course of this study. We thank many journalists and reviewers for interviews, writings, and thoughts about issues in this paper. The final manuscript was improved by comments and suggestions made by Tim Bonvechio, Aaron J. Bunch, Robert S. Greenlee, Clifford Hutt, John S. Odenkirk, Rob O'Reilly, and anonymous reviewers and editors.en
dc.description.sponsorshipVirginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries through a Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Program; Virginia Tech University; Virginia Sea Granten
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10502en
dc.identifier.eissn1548-8446en
dc.identifier.issn0363-2415en
dc.identifier.issue12en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/104225en
dc.identifier.volume45en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.rightsPublic Domainen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/en
dc.titleHyperbole, Simile, Metaphor, and Invasivore: Messaging About Non-native Blue Catfish Expansionen
dc.title.serialFisheriesen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.dcmitypeStillImageen

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