A Research Agenda for the Study of the Regulation of Invasive Species Introduced Unintentionally Via Maritime Trade

Abstract

I propose a queuing theoretic research agenda for studying five questions about the effects that alternate invasive species control regulations have on consumers and producers in a nation such as the USA. The five questions are as follows. First, when can one justify a trade ban as an effective regulatory policy? Second, what are the attributes of credible pre-export certification schemes? Third, how does one determine the optimal number of inspectors in a stochastic context in which arriving ships may or may not be able to queue in a particular port? Fourth, should a port manager have a small number of inspectors inspect ships less stringently or should this manager have a large number of inspectors inspect ships more stringently? Finally, when should a port manager in (say) the USA use information about (i) the dollar value of the products being transported by ships from two exporting firms and (ii) the mean time it takes to inspect ships from these two firms to grant preferential treatment to one or the other exporting firm?

Keywords: Invasive species, maritime trade, regulation, uncertainty

JEL Classification: F18, Q56, Q58