Combating marine invasive alien species effectively in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-65
Author(s):  
Kenny Ng
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Power Sharing ◽  
The Status ◽  
Marine Invasive Species ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Marine Alien Species ◽  
Impact On Biodiversity

Marine invasive alien species are sea-based organisms that are non-native to a marine ecosystem, and which can or have spread to a degree that has an adverse impact on biodiversity and human livelihoods. In a globalized and inter-connected world, the threats posed by marine invasive alien species are here to stay. Accordingly, it often has been lamented that the threats from marine alien species are too difficult to combat effectively. In Australia, these threats are exacerbated by the country's unique characteristics such as its sheer size, as well as its geographical and historical isolation from the rest of the world. More importantly for the purposes of this article, Australia's unique constitutional framework that entrenches its national system of federalism has led to complex power-sharing arrangements between the Commonwealth, and the State and Territory governments in the management of invasive alien species, which are arguably inadequate to combat marine invasive alien species effectively. In Australia, laws have been made to manage only one vector of marine invasive species, ballast water from vessels, but not for other vectors. This article analyses how marine invasive alien species are currently managed within the Australian legal framework, and discusses what can be done to improve the status quo in order effectively to control the spread of such foreign organisms. It argues with optimism that marine invasive alien species can be effectively managed under a strong legal framework that seeks to prevent their occurrence and minimize the negative impacts of their occurrence. Such a legal framework consists of sound domestic laws and institutions, the effects of which can be enhanced by greater international cooperation.

Legislative Approach in Managing Environment Pollution by Alien Fish Species in Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asmida Ahmad ◽  
Nur Fazini Asro Bt. Ramzi Sulaiman ◽  
Nadia Bt. Abu Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
River Pollution ◽  
National Committee ◽  
Species Lists ◽  
Alien Fish ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Alien Fish Species

River pollution has been a major problem in Malaysia and significantly affects the environment. One of the contributing issues would be the spread of invasive alien fish species that has given negative impacts on the environment and ecological disaster, the human health, harming the native animals and plants, as well the economy. Based on the National Committee on Invasive Alien Species Report in 2018, that 46 invasive alien species from a total of 130 species in the established main invasive alien species lists in Malaysia.  The alien fishes have been known to make their presence in our dams, lakes and rivers but not much attention has been paid to their existence. Based on these facts, it is proven that the issue poses a significant risk hence an urgent attention is required in managing this pollution through proactive legal measures to enforce strictly the existing law so as to prevent the halt of the spread of invasive species. A legal doctrinal and non-doctrinal modes of research are used to examine and review on the existing laws and/or policy governing this issue. This research will help to provide reference and strategic planning via legal approach for better controlling the invasion in our Malaysian waters.  

scholarly journals Existing indicators do not adequately monitor progress towards meeting invasive alien species targets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Raquel Silva Vicente ◽  
Ana Sofia Vaz ◽  
Mariona Roige ◽  
Marten Winter ◽  
David Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Invasions ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Insufficient Data ◽  
State Response ◽  
The Status ◽  
Global Biodiversity ◽  
Pressure State

Monitoring the progress parties have made toward meeting global biodiversity targets requires appropriate indicators. The recognition of Invasive alien species (IAS) as a biodiversity threat has led to the development of specific targets aiming at reducing their prevalence and impact. However, indicators for adequately monitoring and reporting on the status of biological invasions have been slow to emerge, with those that exist being arguably insufficient. We performed a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to assess the adequacy of existing IAS indicators against a range of policy-relevant and scientifically valid properties. We found that very few indicators have most of the desirable properties, and that existing indicators are unevenly spread across the components of the Driver-Pressure-State-Response and Theory of Change frameworks. We provide three possible reasons for this: i) inadequate attention paid to the requirements of an effective IAS indicator, (ii) insufficient data required to populate and inform policy-relevant, scientifically robust indicators, or (iii) deficient investment in the development and maintenance of IAS indicators. This review includes a gap analysis of where current inadequacies in IAS indicators exist, and provides a roadmap for the future development of indicators capable of measuring progress made toward mitigating and halting biological invasions.

scholarly journals Economic costs of invasive alien species in Mexico

NeoBiota ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 67 ◽  
pp. 459-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Eduardo Rico-Sánchez ◽  
Phillip J. Haubrock ◽  
Ross N. Cuthbert ◽  
Elena Angulo ◽  
Liliana Ballesteros-Mejia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Economic Costs ◽  
Natural Protected Areas ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
Negative Impacts

Invasive alien species (IAS) are a leading driver of biodiversity loss worldwide, and have negative impacts on human societies. In most countries, available data on monetary costs of IAS are scarce, while being crucial for developing efficient management. In this study, we use available data collected from the first global assessment of economic costs of IAS (InvaCost) to quantify and describe the economic cost of invasions in Mexico. This description was made across a range of taxonomic, sectoral and temporal variables, and allowed us to identify knowledge gaps within these areas. Overall, costs of invasions in Mexico were estimated at US$ 5.33 billion (i.e., 109) ($MXN 100.84 billion) during the period from 1992 to 2019. Biological invasion costs were split relatively evenly between aquatic (US$ 1.16 billion; $MXN 21.95 billion) and terrestrial (US$ 1.17 billion; $MXN 22.14 billion) invaders, but semi-aquatic taxa dominated (US$ 2.99 billion; $MXN 56.57 billion), with costs from damages to resources four times higher than those from management of IAS (US$ 4.29 billion vs. US$ 1.04 billion; $MXN 81.17 billion vs $MXN 19.68 billion). The agriculture sector incurred the highest costs (US$ 1.01 billion; $MXN 19.1 billion), followed by fisheries (US$ 517.24 million; $MXN 9.79 billion), whilst most other costs simultaneously impacted mixed or unspecified sectors. When defined, costs to Mexican natural protected areas were mostly associated with management actions in terrestrial environments, and were incurred through official authorities via monitoring, control or eradication. On natural protected islands, mainly mammals were managed (i.e. rodents, cats and goats), to a total of US$ 3.99 million, while feral cows, fishes and plants were mostly managed in protected mainland areas, amounting to US$ 1.11 million in total. Pterygoplichthys sp. and Eichhornia crassipes caused the greatest reported costs in unprotected aquatic ecosystems in Mexico, and Bemisia tabaci to terrestrial systems. Although reported damages from invasions appeared to be fluctuating through time in Mexico, management spending has been increasing. These estimates, albeit conservative, underline the monetary pressure that invasions put on the Mexican economy, calling for urgent actions alongside comprehensive cost reporting in national states such as Mexico.

scholarly journals Negative effects of the feral donkey Equus asinus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Al-Ula governorate, western Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walid Fathy Mohamed ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Equus Asinus ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Harmful Effects

Alien animals cause drastic and negative impacts on biota and ecosystems. The feral donkey Equus asinus is an invasive alien species in Saudi Arabia. Damage of farms and plant consumed by feral donkeys were studied in the area between Al-Ula and Al-Wajh governorates in order to spot their harmful effects in this region and to propose possible solutions to the problems they caused. Surveys and direct interviews and conversations with farmers and villagers were the selected methods used to collect information. Prevention, and management actions were suggested to decrease numbers of feral donkeys. A useful investment potential was proposed to get some benefits from them.

Trilateral Talks on the Filling and Annual Operation of the GERD: Competing Demands and the Need for Revisiting the Status quo towards a Negotiated Settlement

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-29
Author(s):  
Ermyas Admasu Wolde ◽  
Abiot Desta Habte
Keyword(s):  
Legal Framework ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Colonial Era ◽  
Negotiated Settlement ◽  
Positive Externalities ◽  
Competing Demands ◽  
Negotiation Processes ◽  
The Status ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Expertise Level

The Nile River Basin, with ten riparian countries, lacks any agreed-upon basin-wide legal framework. Attempts at effective management and utilization of water resources inclusive of all countries along the basin have not been possible due to lack of consensus on the legal basis of already exiting colonial-era agreements that allocate an absolute share of the Nile water to Egypt and Sudan by excluding most of the upper riparians. The review has specifically focused on the trilateral negotiation processes between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt since November 2019 on the filling and annual operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Ethiopia has been constructing since 2011. It has made a thorough review of a series of events and processes through which the negotiation has passed to conduct a critical analysis of facts, and has suggested reflections on the way forward. It considers the need for political will and flexibility of the negotiating parties to reconcile existing contradictory positions. To this end, pursuing a revisionist approach to take the dynamic socio-economic realities and development needs of co-basin countries is commendable. This further requires renegotiating long existed colonial-era agreements and formulating a basin-wide legal framework in line with existing international standards. Focusing on technical and expertise level of discussions and outcomes would minimize over politicization and specifically would help to address the negative impacts of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and optimize positive externalities. Peace is a necessity than any other option among the co-basin countries and the only avenue towards sustainable resolution of disputes. Negotiating in good faith and in a ‘give and take’ modality needs to be a second to none alternative to the parties. The international community may also need to play a neutral and genuine role to assist the parties to settle their differences amicably and reach a final negotiated settlement.

scholarly journals Invasive Alien Species Plants in Sukaraja Atas Resort, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Agus Sayfulloh ◽  
Melya Riniarti ◽  
Trio Santoso
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Imperata Cylindrica ◽  
Calliandra Calothyrsus ◽  
Importance Value Index ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
Open Land ◽  
Negative Impacts

One of the problems encountered by the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (TNBBS) is the presence of invasive alien species. Invasive alien species are plants that grow outside their natural distribution and have the ability to cover the area; hence it could suppress the growth of the other plants. The presence of invasive alien species in the national park has been widely reported to cause negative impacts on the ecosystem, local biodiversity, socio-economic, and human health in the vicinity. This study was carried out in the rehabilitation zone of the Sukaraja Atas Resort of TNBBS that had shifted into open land. This study aimed to determine the species and dominance of invasive alien species that exist. The sampling method was used by laying plots consisted of the combination of the line and multiple plot methods with a total plot of 25 plots. Data analysis was performed by selecting invasive alien species observed based related-literature, while the dominance of invasive alien species was calculated by the importance value index (IVI). The results identified 121 species, of which 29 species or 35% of them were classified as invasive alien, which originating from 19 families. Three invasive alien species become the most dominating, namely: Clidemia hirta with an IVI of 22.61, Imperata cylindrica with an IVI of 18.03, and Calliandra calothyrsus with an IVI 17.96. The environmental conditions and species characteristics supported the three invasive alien species domination; hence it inhibited the growth of native species. Keywords:  Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, invasive alien species, rehabilitation zone

scholarly journals Policy-relevant indicators for invasive alien species assessment and reporting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melodie A. McGeoch ◽  
Eduardo Arlé ◽  
Jonathan Belmaker ◽  
Yehezkel Buba ◽  
David A. Clarke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Biological Invasions ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Species Invasions ◽  
Status And Trends ◽  
The Status ◽  
Impact Risk ◽  
Status Information ◽  
Key Dimensions

AbstractInvasive alien species are repeatedly shown to be amongst the top threats to biodiversity globally. Robust indicators for measuring the status and trends of biological invasions are lacking, but essential for monitoring biological invasions and the effectiveness of interventions. Here, we formulate and demonstrate three such indicators that capture the key dimensions of species invasions, each a significant and necessary advance to inform invasive alien species policy targets: 1) Rate of Invasive Alien Species Spread, which provides modelled rates of ongoing introductions of species based on invasion discovery and reporting. 2) Impact Risk, that estimates invasive alien species impacts on the environment in space and time and provides a basis for nationally targeted prioritization of where best to invest in management efforts. 3) Status Information on invasive alien species, that tracks improvement in the essential dimensions of information needed to guide relevant policy and data collection and in support of assessing invasive alien species spread and impact. We show how proximal, model-informed status and trend indicators on invasive alien species can provide more effective global (and national) reporting on biological invasions, and how countries can contribute to supporting these indicators.

scholarly journals Setting-up a billboard of marine invasive species in the ESENIAS area

2017 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paraskevi K. Karachle ◽  
Argyro Zenetos ◽  
Irfan Uysal ◽  
Victor Surugiu ◽  
Kremena Stefanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Alien Species ◽  
Invasive Alien Species ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Horizon Scanning ◽  
Marine Invasive Species ◽  
Established Species ◽  
Ship Ballast Water ◽  
Of Greece

In this study we present a list of invasive/potential invasive alien species in the East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species (ESENIAS) countries with marine borders. The species were classified according to the existing literature and experts’ judgment, as established, casual, invasive and expected. Finally, factsheets were compiled for ten species of high importance based on their expanding/invading character. Of the 160 species comprising the list, 149 were already present in the ESENIAS countries, while eleven were invasive species either present in the Mediterranean or in other European Seas, likely to be recorded in the ESENIAS countries. The majority of the species were of Red Sea/IndoPacific origin (97 species; 60.6%). Italy, Turkey and Greece were the countries with the highest representation of species (159, 152 and 139 species respectively), due to their extended coastline and the number of scholars working on marine invasive species. The highest number of established species was recorded in Turkey (116 species), whereas in Italy and Greece the most numerous species were the “expected” ones (85 and 48 species, respectively). The eastern Adriatic Sea countries (i.e. Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia) had generally low numbers of species in this list, many of which are still “expected” to arrive from the neighbouring countries of Greece and Italy. Finally, the most frequently potential pathway was transfer stowaways (ship ballast water: 41 cases; ship hull fouling: 55), whereas unaided spread of Lessepsian immigrants followed (95 cases). This list is intended to serve as an early warning system that through horizon scanning process would assist ESENIAS countries to prioritise invasive alien species, their pathways and the areas of higher likelihood to appear, in order to take management measures.

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