Shifting baselines and social license to operate: Challenges in communicating sea lamprey control

Abstract Sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) invaded the Great Lakes in the early twentieth century and caused considerable economic and ecological harm. People who fished the Great Lakes suffered crippling losses and successfully lobbied elected officials in Canada and the United States to create a sea lamprey control program which the Great Lakes Fishery Commission implements under the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries. The control program relies on two primary methods: chemical lampricides and physical barriers. Sea lamprey control has been a tremendous success; although the urgency to act is apparent to certain publics and although control methods are deemed by professionals to be safe and effective, continued public advocacy for and acceptance of the control program is not ensured. Many people in the control program are concerned that the urgency to act is not commensurate with the risk sea lampreys continue to pose and that societal acceptance of the primary control methods could wane. This commentary reflects on issues of “shifting baselines” (changes in perceived risk) and the “social license to operate” (trust in authorities to make responsible decisions regarding current and planned control methods) and suggests a course to better understand these issues. Improved understanding of these issues will inform communication efforts for all involved in the control program. Moreover, the case examined here is potentially relevant and informative for other environmentally related actions where there may be erosion of the social license.