Book Description

Due to the increasing pressure of a globalized economy and under the effects of a changing climate, biological invasions have become a frequent feature of marine and freshwater environments. Global fisheries and aquaculture are therefore required to adjust to these changes, with the dual aim of reducing the negative ecological consequences caused by these species and making the most of the advantages they might bring. Here, capitalizing on a wide spectrum of management actions which can be implemented to control and/or adapt to aquatic invasions, nine measures are presented; they can be grouped under environmental, social or socioeconomic strategies, exploring their potential, main challenges and enabling factors. The nine measures, provided with key recommendations, are: #1: Develop and manage a commercial fishery #2: Promote recreational harvesting #3: Explore market opportunities #4: Implement outreach programmes #5: Foster stakeholder engagement #6: Implement spatial control #7: Implement biological control #8: Restore ecosystems #9: Do nothing These suggestions, discussed among a group of international experts and presented in a synthetic form, may be used as a practical resource (though not an exhaustive one), to aid in the evaluation and identification of appropriate fisheries management responses to aquatic invasive species in the context of climate change. While it may not address all the complexities of the subject, it provides a starting point for adaptation strategies, recognizing the diverse legal, cultural and socioeconomic conditions in different fishery contexts, offering valuable insights for policymakers, fisheries managers, and practitioners who have to deal with aquatic invasions.