Proposal for the Development of a National Strategy on Invasive Alien Species in Croatia Riccardo Scalera July 2011 Acknowledgements: WWF would like to acknowledge the support of the working group members for their contribution in making the proposal for the development of a National Strategy on Invasive Alien Species in Croatia: Ministry of Environment/Directorate for Nature Protection (Ivana Jelinic, Zrinka Domazetovic) State Institute for Nature Protection (Aljosa Duplic, Igor Borsic, Luka Katusic) Croatian Environmental Agency (Gordana Kolacko) Contents 1 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 3 INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES IN CROATIA .............................................................................................................. 5 3.1 SPECIES , THREATS AND PATHWAYS ............................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 KEY INITIATIVES .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 3.3.1 Main projects targeting IAS .................................................................................................................................... 10 4 THE IAS STRATEGY FOR CROATIA ..................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................................................ 14 4.2 STRATEGIC GOALS ...................................................................................................................................................... 15 4.3 TERMINOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 5 PREVENTION OF INTRODUCTIONS ................................................................................................................. 18 5.1 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION .................................................................................................................................. 18 5.2 REGULATION OF TRADE ............................................................................................................................................. 20 5.2.1 Risk analysis ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 5.2.2 Black list ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 6 EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE .................................................................................................. 24 6.1 SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING ............................................................................................................................. 25 6.2 DIAGNOSIS AND DATA PROCESSING ........................................................................................................................... 27 6.3 QUICK SCREENING ..................................................................................................................................................... 28 6.4 RESPONSE ACTIONS .................................................................................................................................................... 29 6.4.1 Ecological Restoration ............................................................................................................................................ 30 6.5 FOLLOW UP ................................................................................................................................................................ 32 7 DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS ................................................................................................................................. 34 7.1 DATABASES AND INVENTORIES .................................................................................................................................. 34 7.2 EXPERTS REGISTER ..................................................................................................................................................... 36 7.3 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................................ 37 7.4 SPECIES IDENTIFICATION TOOLS ................................................................................................................................ 37 7.5 SPECIES ACCOUNTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 38 8 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY .......................................................................................................... 40 8.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................................................... 41 8.1.1 National Advisory Committee on IAS ...................................................................................................................... 41 8.2 REPORTING AND CIRCULATION OF INFORMATION ...................................................................................................... 44 8.2.1 Integration with regional networks ............................................................................................................................ 45 8.3 LEGISLATION ............................................................................................................................................................. 46 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................................................... 49 ANNEX I - NATIONAL COE WORKSHOP ON IAS (2006) ........................................................................................... 50 ANNEX II – NATIONAL LEGISLATION DEALING WITH IAS ................................................................................ 51 ANNEX III - ACTIVITIES CONCERNING IAS CONDUCTED IN THE PERIOD 2009-2011 ................................. 72 ANNEX IV – MAIN PAPERS ON IAS PUBLISHED IN THE PERIOD 2010-2011 ..................................................... 74 1 Summary In order to ensure a prompt and coordinated response to prevent the introduction of IAS into nature in Croatia and continue resolving the issues of existing IAS – as foreseen within the Strategy and action plan for the protection of biological and landscape diversity of the Republic of Croatia - it is urgent to develop and implement dedicated national strategy on IAS. This Draft proposal for the development of a National strategy on IAS in Croatia , built as part of the WWF MedPo project Protected Areas for a Living Planet – Dinaric Arc Ecoregion Project: Study on invasive species sets out the Croatian regulatory framework relevant to the issue, and details the key actions required to address the problems caused by IAS. The aimis the future development of a comprehensive national policy framework on IAS, to be harmonised/integrated with other frameworks implemented in Europe. Indeed this strategy provides a framework for a more co-ordinated and structured approach to dealing with IAS and any potential invasive threat in or to Croatia. It includes better co-ordinated and strategic prevention measures aimed at reducing the introduction of damaging IAS into Croatia. Its implementation will enable more rapid detection of potential IAS through improved and better targeted monitoring and surveillance. Where appropriate, and subject to adequate resources and technical capability, contingency planning and improved capacity to act decisively will enable rapid responses with a view to eradicating newly arrived invasive species. Implementation should lead to more targeted and efficient control, mitigation and, where both necessary and feasible, eradication of established IAS. It will also lead to greater public awareness, more strategic research and proposals for an improved legislative framework. More in detail, the proposed strategy focuses on the following four strategic goals: 1. To minimise the risk of IAS entering and becoming established in Croatia , by promoting best practices for prevention, including an increased and widespread awareness and understanding of the negative impacts caused by IAS, and an improved regulation of trade through the support of black list and risk analysis tools; 2. To establish a national guiding framework for responding promptly and effectively to biological invasions before they take hold, through a coordinated systemof measures for detection, surveillance and monitoring, diagnosis, risk assessments, identification of proper response and implementation of mitigation,