The International Symposium on the Biology and Management of Ruffe was organized to address the potential threat ruffe pose to North American fisheries. Scientists in diverse disciplines from Eurasia and North America were brought together in an attempt to examine all aspects of the North American invasion of ruffe, and to highlight the effects of similar introductions in Europe and Asia. The symposium, sponsored by the Minnesota and Michigan Sea Grant College programs, featured 48 oral and poster presentations and was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, during 21-23 March 1997. Papers from the symposium are published in a special section of this issue of the Journal of Great Lakes Research.