Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Minnesota
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

RNA interference (RNAi) methods suggest promising means for controlling invasive carp species as well as zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species but people’s attitudes towards such methods are unclear. Understanding attitudes toward RNAi are necessary for effective implementation. The objectives of this study are to: 1) investigate stakeholder awareness of RNAi, 2) identify concerns that they have about RNAi including what information they would to have to inform their decision making concerning whether to support the technology and how they would like to see the technology potentially used in controlling invasive carp or zebra mussels, 3) understand and describe their attitudes toward the perceived downstream risks of conducting RNAi control, and 4) identify the potential harms from this technology that stakeholders would want to make sure are rigorously studied. The outcomes of this project will inform future efforts to develop best practices for implementation of RNAi and provide key information needed to appropriately engage stakeholders to foster support.