The ballast water research symposium is an initiative of the Great Lakes Panel. It was suggested that the outcome would be useful at many different levels and would be important in developing strategies to prevent new ANS introductions, which, for many people, is the fundamental issue. While it is a difficult issue to address at the state and local level, bodies like the Great Lakes Panel and the national ANS Task Force provide a forum for seeking effective prevention strategies. Thus, in short, the focus of the ballast water symposium is on "closing the door" to new ANS introductions to avoid the need for control and abatement programs.