Marine Alien Species Research: Inputs towards the National Biodiversity Assessment - (NBA) 2018 Siyasanga Miza, Tammy Robinson, Kerry Sink - SANBI

Marine Alien Species Research:
      Inputs towards the
National Biodiversity Assessment
           (NBA) 2018
   Siyasanga Miza, Tammy Robinson, Kerry Sink

Marine alien & invasive Species (MAIS)

• (Marine) alien species are species whose
  presence in a region is attributed to
  human actions that enable them to over‐
  come geographical barriers

• (Marine) invasive species are alien                Metridium dianthus

  species that have self‐replacing
  populations over several generations that
  have spread from their point of
  introduction

                             Robinson et al., 2016

Overcoming geographical barriers

    Marine alien
  species in Marine
   Protected Areas

                                eg. Mytlilus galloprovincialis

Brooker et al., unpublished

NBA 2011 research priorities and gaps
1. Foundational biodiversity information
   •   Publish and Publicise MAIS lists
   •   MAIS ID and Risk assessment
   •   DNA barcoding of MAIS

2. Monitoring and reporting
    • Monitoring of MAIS pathways, eg. O&G infrast.,
       Mariculture facilities, Ports & harbours
    • Explore potential for eradication of Carcinus maenas
       and Tetrapygus niger
    • Inclusion of marine environment in the National
       Strategy for Invasive Species
    • Case studies to report on Port surveys and invasive
       species management

3. Providing science‐based policy advice
   •   Finalising and implementing the AIS Regulations
   •   SA’s adherence to International protocols
   •   Support DoT in the implementation of the conditions
       of the IMO‐BWM Convention

1. Foundational biodiversity information

                                 Robinson et al., 2016

Species status classification

Blackburn et al., 2014

Species impact classification
Environmental Impacts
Predation
e.g. European shore crab
      – is an omnivore and can feed on bivalves and clams as big as its own
      shell length when available
Structural
e.g. Reef worm                                                                     European shore crab
      ‐ creating a network of tubes altering the physical characteristics of the
      system
Competition
e.g. Meditarranean mussel
      ‐ dominates primary rock surfaces and has significantly altered rocky
      shore communities                                                                 Reef worm

Socio‐Economic Impacts
Human health
e.g. Oval shaped protist
      – produces toxins that cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
Economic impacts                                                                   Mediterranean mussel
e.g. Mud‐worm
      ‐ Oysters containing large or recently formed mudworm‐induced shell
          blisters are unsuitable for the lucrative half‐shell trade, thus
          incurring economic loss
      ‐ Mortality in infested bivalves and abalone
                                                                                           Mud worm

2. Monitoring and reporting: Key vectors

 Shipping, Aquaculture &
  Yachting.

Shipping –plays a major role
in world trade, carrying
internationally traded goods.
• Plays a role in marine alien
   species introduction
    • ballast water &
      fouling

Key vectors

Aquaculture
The farming of marine organisms to support
food security.

• Through which the spread of the Pacific
  oyster introduced the Black sea urchin
  Tetrapygus niger.

Aquaculture
        farms

DAFF, Sustainable Aquaculture Management

Key vectors
Yachts
Recreational boats and ships used for sporting
purposes.

Found in harbours – reported to be the focal
point of introduction for MAIS
(Peters et al., 2017a).

                                                          DFO T. Gosselin
Japanese skeleton shrimp – new record in SA
• Invasive range ‐ predominates in artificial habitats.
• Long distance spread through shipping and locally
  via hull fouling, aquaculture species, infrastructure
  and drifting macro‐algae.
• Competitive over native species of its kind (Peters
  et al., 2017b).

3. Providing science‐based policy advice
     National Environmental Management:
 Biodiversity Acts (NEM:BA): Alien and Invasive
                   Species Lists
Need for updated information:
• Never been recorded in SA eg. Litopenaeus vannamei & Undaria
  pinnatifida
• Native to one part of SA ‐ not known outside of their range eg.
  Fenneropenaeus indicus
• No evidence of continued presence along the coast eg. Ostrea
  edulis & Tetrapygus niger
• Need updated surveys eg. Metridium senile
• Revised names eg. Ciona robusta (formerly known as Ciona
  intestinalis).

Research priorities & recommendations
1. Strengthened baseline research including national species lists
and DNA barcodes

2. Research to support early detection, impact assessment and
prediction

3. Species‐ and vector‐specific risk assessments to inform
regulations

4. Prioritisation of harbours for monitoring of marine alien
species

5. Collaboration with the aquaculture sector and MPA managers
in the monitoring and reporting of MAIS occurrence and
distribution

6. Investigate potential of citizen science to report on MAIS
observations
                                                      Images by: C. Griffiths

THANK YOU
Siyasanga Miza, Tammy Robinson, Kerry Sink
             s.miza@sanbi.org.za