Management of bioinvasions in the Mediterranean - the way forward

Activity Overview

Type: Working group
Start Date: May 4, 2016
End Date: May 5, 2016
Venue: Villa Dohrn, Benthic ecology Center, Ischia (Italy)
Contact: Maria Cristina Gambi
E-mail: gambimc [at] szn.it

Funding Call: EuroMarine 2015 Call for Proposals
Decision Body: EuroMarine Steering Committee
Total Budget: €7,460
Funds Granted: €6,500

Manager(s): Maria Cristina Gambi
Co-organiser(s): Bella Galil

This working group will provide advice for the management of one of the main environmental stressors in European Seas, in particular the Mediterranean Sea, in response to the increasing threat of biological invasions on the Mediterranean biodiversity and the need for a pan-Mediterranean co-ordinated bioinvasion management. The objective of the workshop is to identify management issues and suggest practicable actions to be considered for Mediterranean-wide coordinated bioinvasion management.

Amongst the issues to be discussed are: harmonised data collection and dissemination; developing monitoring and modelling parameters and reporting protocols; managing vectors to minimise the risk of transfers; Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) population spread and abundance control; establishment of rapid response protocols; and NIS management in and adjacent to marine conservation/protected areas.

The main outcome will be a post-workshop preparation of a position paper on the generic requirements, challenges and milestones needed to achieve a Mediterranean-wide coordinated bio-invasion management. A proposal prescribing a generic roadmap and identifying the key elements of the management process will be prepared. This event will initiate a consortium of scientists towards the creation of a virtual global consortium to deal with the management of highly complex NIS invasions to the Mediterranean. This workshop and its outcomes would add value to regional sea conventions to address legislative requirements at regional seas levels.

To download the Ischia Declaration (the activity report) and the associated press release, please click on the link below "Managing bioinvasions: the Ischia Declaration".

Ischia poster shown at ICES ASC2017 in Florida

The workshop aimed to discuss a general framework of what a comprehensive action plan for managing NIS under the unique conditions of the Mediterranean Sea should contain. 9 invited speakers gave presentations and 17 posters were introduced.

The participants formulated and discussed the “Ischia Declaration” on the management of bioinvasions in the Mediterranean Sea and the way forward. The declaration was signed by most participants as well as several other scientists. Two manuscripts are planned, enlarging on the theme of the “Ischia Declaration” and on lost opportunities.

The declaration called to: employ a Mediterranean-wide harmonised approach and protocols when managing bioinvasions; enact a one authority approach, both nationally and regionally, appropriately funded to achieve stated targets; focus on preventing invasions; apply the existing voluntary Directives/regulations/Conventions/Guidelines and codes of practice with compliance, monitoring and enforcement, until obligatory pan-Mediterranean legislation is implemented; exercise the precautionary approach; embed risk assessment into the management at the appropriate level of action and make the information available through clearing-house mechanisms; conduct multi-vector management taking into account future changes in vector dynamics, climate scenarios and environmental changes due to human pressures; collect post-introduction information on bio-ecological features and impacts of NIS and make it available through clearing-house mechanisms; and incorporate lost opportunities (established NIS) in future novel ecosystems.

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