The Management of Invasive Species in Marine & Coastal Environments Module 2 Goals & Principles of Invasive Species Management

Module 2 Objectives Outline the goals and basic principles of IAS management and how they apply to marine and coastal environments Describe the steps in IAS management Indicate the points at which management action can be applied

Management Goals Specific goals of management actions Underlying goals, desired outcomes

Specific Goals of Management Actions Prevent or minimise introductions Prevent of minimise chances of establishment and spread Eradicate or control existing populations of invasives

Specific Goals of Management Actions WHY?

Underlying Goals Conserve/ protect marine & coastal resources & associated industries Conserve local biodiversity The ultimate goal of IAS management is to minimise threats to biodiversity, human health & welfare and economies.

General Management Principles The Precautionary Approach The Hierarchical Approach The Ecosystem Approach Sharing of Information User Pays Principle Cross-Sectoral Approach to Management

The Precautionary Approach “Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.” (Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 1992)

The Precautionary Approach Given the difficulties in : Predicting invasiveness Regulating pathways Managing introduced species When do you think the precautionary principle should be applied?

The Precautionary Approach should be applied to: Decisions to intentionally introduce any species, but especially those known to be invasive elsewhere Decisions on which management measures to impose on pathways of unintentional introductions Decisions on eradication, containment and control measures being applied to alien species that have already become established

Steps in the Hierarchical Approach Prevention Early detection & rapid response Eradication Containment Long term control Zebra mussel

The Hierarchical Approach Prevention is better than the cure! Once a species has established, it can be near impossible to remove, and very expensive to control Zebra mussel

Obstacles to Prevention Prevention is better than the cure! What do you think might be some of the obstacles to the implementation of prevention measures? Zebra mussel

Obstacles to Prevention Prevention is better than the cure! Lack of awareness Lack of vision to take pre-emptive measures Lack of capacity Lack of funds Zebra mussel

The Ecosystem Approach “Ecosystem” means a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit The ecosystem approach calls for integrated & equitable management of resources Examples?

Sharing of Information Types of information to be shared: Development of inventories and databases including species (native & introduced) distribution data Incident lists and case studies Potential threats to neighbouring countries Information on taxonomy, ecology and genetics of IAS Prevention and control methods where available National and regional guidelines National requirements/regulations regarding intentional introductions, such as imported species National requirements/regulations regarding unintentional vectors, such as ballast water controls

User Pays Principle Shipping Industry Mariculture operations

Cross-Sectoral Approach to Management Examples of Stakeholders include: Environmental administrations Quarantine, border and port authorities Health & safety administrations Transport administrations Agriculture, forestry and fisheries managers Trade administrations Scientific institutions Non-governmental organisations Local communities

Application of Management Measures Sites of application: Pre-border (before it leaves a country or en route) Border (before it enters a country) Post-border (within a country) Chinese Mitten crab introduced from Asia to Europe: burrows into river banks causing them to collapse Comb jelly introduced from US East Coast to Black Sea led to the collapse of the fisheries there – losses of billions of dollars

Pre-Border Management What do you think might be examples of pre-border management for: a) Intentional introductions? b) Unintentional introductions?

Pre-Border Management Intentional introductions – - Environmental Impact Assessment, Risk Assessment Unintentional introductions E.g. Ballast water exchange, treatment

Border Management Hull inspections, verification of records, mitigation procedures. Hull fouling Assessing compliance with ballast water treatment/ management procedures, inspection of treatment equipment, water sampling. Ballast water Unintentional Introductions: Assessing compliance with import permit requirements, including quarantine and treatment measures, verification of species identity etc. Mariculture and aquarium species Intentional Introductions: Associated Border Activity Vector Type

Post-Border Management Early detection, Rapid Response Eradication Control and mitigation

Management Examples Regular port surveys, monitoring, eradication, control and mitigation. Surveys and monitoring, eradication, control and mitigation. Post-border Assessment of compliance, open-ocean exchange records, equipment inspection, water sampling. Inspection of permits, assess compliance with permit conditions, taxonomic identification, quarantine procedures Border Management of uptake, treatment en route, open- ocean exchange. EIA, permit requirements, treatment prior to export from country of origin. Pre-border Unintentional Introduction:Ballast water Intentional Introduction: Mariculture Point of intervention

Creating a Supporting Environment Contingency Plans Legal & Institutional Issues Promoting best practice management Awareness raising Codes of Practice

A coastal fishing company has applied for a permit to import species X for mariculture purposes. The species is easy to breed; it grows quickly, can be fed cheaply and offers a high return on investment. The importing of this species has been supported by a number of political, industrial And community sectors as a solution to solving the problem of food shortage in the country and as a means of developing coastal towns by offering employment to the local community. The fishing company and the national department for trade & industry and the department of social development wants to fast-track the importing of this species as they feel any delays will cost both the company and the country. When answering the questions,forget your personal opinions and your own position; in other words ROLE PLAY. How would you respond to the permit application as a member of: The Ports Authority The Department of Environmental affairs The Local Community The Local Scientific community? When answering the question, consider the following A. The best recourse against invasion is prevention and precaution, therefore which precautionary measures would you insist be implemented? B. Should anyone be held liable if any escapes occur or if something else goes wrong? If so, who would that be? C. Should treatment measures be implemented? If so, which can you insist on? D. Would you insist on any research or scientific information? If so, what information would you need?

2. The local community harvests intertidal algae for agar 2. The local community harvests intertidal algae for agar. They are concerned by the sudden appearance of something different on the shore; they have reported their concerns to you, as the local representative of the national department of environmental affairs. Although this species has a similar appearance to the species harvested, it effectively yields no agar. The species has been on the shore for a number of months but appears to be out-competing the harvested species and is becoming dense and spreading to neighbouring areas. The local community has therefore seen less financial gain from harvesting in the past few months. A. What kind of response can you think of for eradicating this algal species? B. If you cannot respond, what other recourse do you have? C. How would you involve the local community in the treatment and the management of this invasion?