Invasive species threats in the Caribbean Region Invasive Species Threats in the Caribbean Region REPORT TO THE NATURE CONSERVANCY PREPARED BY Moses Kairo and Bibi Ali CAB INTERNATIONAL Caribbean and Latin American Regional Centre Gordon Street, Curepe Trinidad & Tobago West Indies Oliver Cheesman, Karen Haysom and Sean Murphy CABI Bioscience UK Centre (Egham) Bakeham Lane, Egham Surrey, TW20 9TY United Kingdom 1 Invasive species threats in the Caribbean Region TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...............................................................................................2 2 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................3 2.1 INVASIVE SPECIES: KEY ISSUES AND THREATS ...............................................................3 2.1.1 Definitions...........................................................................................................3 2.1.2 Impacts of invasive species ..................................................................................3 2.1.3 A growing problem ..............................................................................................4 2.1.4 Dealing with invasive species...............................................................................4 2.2 INVASIVE SPECIES AND ISLANDS...................................................................................5 2.3 INVASIVE SPECIES AND THE CARIBBEAN .......................................................................5 2.4 PROSPECTS FOR INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN...........................6 2.5 THE COMPLEXITY OF THE CARIBBEAN AS A GEOPOLITICAL REGION ................................8 3 CURRENT PROJECT....................................................................................................10 4 METHODS......................................................................................................................11 4.1 DEFINING THE CARIBBEAN .........................................................................................11 4.2 INFORMATION COLLATION AND SYNTHESIS..................................................................11 4.2.1 List of contacts...................................................................................................11 4.2.2 Questionnaire and emails ..................................................................................12 4.2.3 Electronic workshop ..........................................................................................12 4.2.4 Literature search ...............................................................................................13 4.2.5 Direct communication........................................................................................13 4.3 DATABASES ...............................................................................................................13 4.3.1 Invasive Species Database .................................................................................13 4.3.2 Contacts Database.............................................................................................14 5 RESULTS ........................................................................................................................15 5.1 INVASIVE SPECIES DATABASE......................................................................................15 5.1.1 Invasive species in different ecosystems .............................................................17 5.1.2 Organism types..................................................................................................17 5.1.3 Major invasive species in the Caribbean............................................................18 5.2 RESPONSES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................................................................20 5.3 RESULTS OF THE ELECTRONIC WORKSHOP ...................................................................20 5.4 LIST OF ACTIVE PROJECTS IN INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT ...................................21 5.5 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS INVASIVE SPECIES...............................27 5.5.1 General status....................................................................................................27 5.5.2 Animals (Diseases & Importation) Act...............................................................27 5.5.3 Importation of Fish (Importation) Act................................................................27 5.5.4 Plant Protection Act...........................................................................................27 5.5.5 Noxious Weed Act..............................................................................................31 5.5.6 Other legislation................................................................................................31 5.5.7 Analysis of gaps in current legislation re impact of invasive species ..................31 0 Invasive species threats in the Caribbean Region 6 DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................................32 6.1 BUILDING MANAGEMENT CAPACITY............................................................................32 6.2 BUILDING RESEARCH CAPACITY..................................................................................33 6.3 PROMOTE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INFORMATION SHARING.........34 6.4 COMPILE NATIONAL LISTS OF: BIOTA, IDENTIFIED INVASIVE SPECIES, PROJECTS ON INVASIVE SPECIES ..................................................................................................................35 6.5 INSTITUTE A SYSTEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ANALYSIS ...........................................36 6.6 BUILD PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT............................................................36 6.7 PREPARE NATIONAL STRATEGIES AND PLANS...............................................................37 6.8 BUILD INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES ISSUES INTO NATIONAL AND REGIONAL CHANGE INITIATIVES............................................................................................................................38 7 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................39 8 REFERENCES................................................................................................................41 9 LIST OF ACRONYMS...................................................................................................43 10 ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................44 10.1 APPENDIX 1. REGIONAL AND EXTRAREGIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND PROGRAMMES INVOLVED IN SOME ASPECT OF INVASIVE SPECIES IN THE CARIBBEAN ......................................44 10.2 APPENDIX 2. ISLANDS TARGETED IN THIS REPORT........................................................51 10.3 APPENDIX 3 PROJECT QUESTIONNAIRE .....................................................................52 10.4 APPENDIX 4 INVITATION TO ELECTRONIC WORKSHOP .................................................55 10.5 APPENDIX 5. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES AND OPERATION................................................58 10.6 APPENDIX 6 WORKSHOP RESOURCE MATERIALS..........................................................61 10.6.1 Appendix 6a. KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ...............................................63 10.6.2 Appendix 6b. STATUS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................69 10.7 APPENDIX 7. FEEDBACK TO ELECTRONIC WORKSHOP...................................................75 10.8 APPENDIX 8 A LIST OF SPECIES REPORTED EXOTIC, NATURALIZED OR NATURALIZED AND INVASIVE IN THE CARIBBEAN. ................................................................................................89 1 Invasive species threats in the Caribbean Region 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The project reported here represents the first concerted attempt to collate and synthesise information on threats posed by invasive species in the insular Caribbean. The synthesis was based on direct interaction and input from a range of stakeholders throughout the region. With few exceptions such as Cuba, and the Netherlands Antilles, it is anticipated that views expressed are largely representative of the regional status of invasive species issues. A database comprising a range of information on of invasive species was developed. The database can be queried using various search parameters. At present it contains information on 552 species. The information included varies from species and is reflective of the status of knowledge. The database is not complete and there is much additional data/gaps to be filled. The status of individual species in all broad community types (marine, freshwater and terrestrial) varies between islands but an attempt was made to identify the most serious threats at the regional level. It should be noted however, that priority species will vary from island to island and additional information will be required before completing the prioritization process A database with contact details and areas of specialization for more than 250 people interested in invasive species issues in the Caribbean was compiled. Current governmental regulations with relevance to invasive species were reviewed. Generally, specific legislation dealing with invasive species within the Caribbean is lacking. Much of what is available is outdated and does not satisfy agreed-upon international conventions and treaties. Notwithstanding