Research report 2001-1 Actual and potential effects of introduced marine organisms in Norwegian waters, including Svalbard Environmental Area of countryside Animals and plants Outdoor activities cooperation and Land use Actual and potential effects of introduced marine organisms in Norwegian waters, including Svalbard Research report 2001-1 Abstract: Ekstrakt: The report focuses on actual and Rapporten fokuserer på aktuelle og Published by: potential effects of introduced potensielle effekter av introduserte Directorate for Nature Management marine organisms in Norwegian marine organismer i norske farvann February 2001 waters, including Svalbard. The inkludert Svalbard. Rapporten Number of pages: report also includes background inneholder også en del bakgrunns- 54 information on relevant international informasjon bl.a. om relevante agreements and general problems internasjonale avtaler og generelle Keywords: related to alien marine species. problemer assosiert med fremmede Introduced marine organisms marine arter. Emneord: Aquaculture and shipping are the introduserte marine arter main vectors responsible for the Akvakultur og skipsfart er hoved- introduction of marine alien species. vektorene for introduksjon av Ordering address: Organisms introduced for aqua- fremmede arter. Oppdrettsorga- Directorate for Nature Management culturepurpose can escape and nismer kan spres etter å ha blitt 7485 Trondheim spread and can also be a vector for innført med hensikt og kan føre med Tel: 73 58 05 00 Fax: 73 58 05 01 introducing parasites and pathogens. seg parasitter eller sykdomsorga- http://www.dirnat.no/publikasjoner Alien species can be spread from nismer. I forbindelse med skipsfart ships´ ballastwater or as fouling kan arter følge med i ballastvann ISSN 0804-1504 organisms eller som påvekst. ISBN 82-7072-464-5 TE 954 About 45 alien species have become I Norge antar man at ca 45 Author: C.C.E. Hopkins established in Norwegian waters. fremmede marine arter er etablert. References should be made as follows: Hopkins, C.C.E. Actual and potential effects of introduced marine organisms in Norwegian waters, including Svalbard Research report 2001-1 Directorate for Nature Management Photo: Fiskaren Preface Introduced organisms in general are identified as a critical environmental issue. Such introductions can pose impacts The report focuses on the actual and potential effects of both on biological diversity and on socioeconomics. The introduced marine organisms in Norwegian waters, information in this report is gathered to clarify the state of including Svalbard, and also includes a registry over knowledge for the topic and will hopefully provide the introduced marine organisms in Norwegian waters. management with a better understanding and will be informative for others who may be interested. Trondheim, April 2001 Yngve Svarte Head of Department 1 Abstract The current report has been prepared for the Norwegian or in bivalves) and parasites and pathogens/diseases. In Directorate of Nature Management (DN) in order to the case of shipping, introductions and transfers of alien provide an overview and registry of introduced (i.e. alien) species mainly occurs by the transport and discharge of marine organisms in Norwegian waters, including ballast water and, to a lesser extent, by transport of Svalbard, as well as to describe the actual and possible fouling organisms on hulls. ecological and socio-economic impacts associated with such species. In so doing, it is considered important to The current report documents the various alien marine present this against a wider background of information organisms (i.e. phytoplankton, macrophytes, regarding the status of relevant work and instruments (e.g. invertebrates, fish, and their associated pathogens) in agreements, treaties, conventions, codes of practice or Norwegian waters, including Svalbard. It estimates that conduct) relating to the issue of alien species, and the about 45 alien marine species have become established in general nature of the problems associated with alien these waters, comprising about 22 plant species (ca. 12 marine species internationally while taking particular macroalgae and 10 phytoplankton), 22 invertebrate account of Norwegian interests. Finally, the report species including parasites and pathogens), and a single provides conclusions and recommendations, forming a vertebrate (fish) species. Attention is drawn in the report, basis for possible follow-up and actions. The results whenever information is available, to the ecological and arising from this project are primarily intended for use in socioeconomic damage that has been or potentially may environmental management, but institutions in other be caused by such introductions and transfers of free- sectors (e.g. fisheries, business and commerce) can also living organisms and their associated parasites and be expected to benefit as the recipients of this knowledge. pathogens/diseases in Norway and elsewhere. As Norway It is also anticipated that the report will provide useful is one of the world’s foremost fisheries and aquaculture background information for Norwegian delegations in nations, with the principal resource of wild anadromous appropriate international forums. Atlantic salmon found anywhere, the introduction of alien organisms forms a very serious threat to the ecological The issue of alien marine organisms is identified as one of and socioeconomic basis for this production. Some of the the most critical environmental issues facing aquatic most damaging of these alien organisms in Norway are a) species and habitats, and biodiversity in general. Such toxic phytoplankton that can potentially cause substantial introductions and transfers pose serious impacts both in mortality of farmed and wild finfish and shellfish of about terms of ecology and socioeconomics. Accordingly, a NOK 100 million under a single severe bloom, and b) series of important international agreements and parasites and pathogens/diseases (e.g. furunculosis and instruments (e.g. UNCLOS, 1982; Rio Declaration of Gyrodactylus salaris introduced in the 1980s) that have UNCED, 1992; Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 caused more than NOK 2 billion of damage to farmed and and its Jakarta Mandate, 1995; FAO Code of Conduct on wild Atlantic salmon over about the last 15 years. Responsible Fisheries, 1995; Intermediate Ministerial Meeting on the North Sea: Integration of Fisheries and Despite the laudable intentions of international Environmental Issues, 1997) have played a seminal role agreements and instruments—many of which are based in fostering the requirement to prevent, reduce, monitor on the application of the Precautionary Approach and control the introduction and transfers of alien elaborated under Principle 15 of UNCED—to contain the organisms. movements of alien species, there is clear evidence that they are ineffective in dealing with the problem as Aquaculture and shipping are the main vectors emphasized by the exponentially increasing establishment responsible for the introduction of marine alien species. In of marine alien species in the northeast Atlantic area and the case of aquaculture, this occurs either as intended its adjacent seas (e.g. the North Sea and the Baltic Sea). introductions of the non-indigenous target species (e.g. Although several important organizations (e.g. EC, ICES, macroalgae, bivalve molluscs, fish) for industrial IMO, OSPAR Commission) currently address matters production purposes in a new area or as non-intended related to marine alien species in the North Atlantic and introductions and further transfers of the target species the North Sea area, the current report proposes that via, for example, escapement and spreading from their additional steps should be taken to place the issue of alien originally confined environment. In both intended and species high on the national and international agenda. In non-intended introductions and transfers, the further support of such steps, it is emphasized that a number of transmission and transfer of other ‘stowaway’ (i.e. commitments are necessary at the scientific and policy unintentional) aliens may occur together with the original levels to implement a series of actions in order to target species. Examples of such ‘stowaways’ occurring effectively prevent, reduce, monitor and control the together with the target species are associated biota (e.g. introduction and transfers of alien organisms in accord spores of macrophytes and toxic phytoplankton found on with the Precautionary Approach. 3 Table Of Contents Section Page 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 7 2 MATERIALS & METHODS .............................................................................................................................. 7 3 TERMINOLOGY................................................................................................................................................ 8 4 IMPACTS........................................................................................................................................................... 9 4.1 Ecological .............................................................................................................................................. 10 4.2 Economic..............................................................................................................................................