Can Environmental or Local Information Help Manage an Invasive Species Through Consumption?

Abstract

The consumption of invasive species could be an opportunity to regulate these species to limit the negative environmental impacts. However, the commercialisation of an exogenous species raises several questions. We assess the acceptance of wels catfish, an invasive species in an alpine lake, and the willingness to pay (WTP) for environmentally friendly and locally produced wels catfish products. The results show that knowledge is an important dimension to explain consumption. Informing consumers about an environmental or local dimension increases WTP for wels catfish, but it does not increase product acceptance. There is no additional premium when both types of information are used together.