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Invasive species and marine protected Marine invasions in general have been under-studied and
areas most countries have little IAS information available and
limited or no formal programmes to collect information in
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean have MPAs (see Annexes 1 and 2). Furthermore, information is in
not escaped this general trend and most of them have long many cases generated by research projects with short-term
been affected by introduced invasive alien species that funding and sometimes restricted access. MPA
threaten marine biodiversity (Fig. 3). However, very little is management teams lack or have limited capacity and
known about the origins and mechanisms of introduction of expertise to identify most non-native marine species and
the various species, or about their densities, distributions, do not know how to combat a specific invasion when one
temporal patterns or ecological significance for occurs. Thus, alien species might be overlooked or pass
Mediterranean biodiversity (Abdulla et al., 2008). Many unnoticed until they have become well established in the
MPAs in the Mediterranean are located in proximity to major local ecosystem, by which time eradication is difficult, costly
ports, have aquaculture farms in them or nearby, or are or impossible.
frequently used by small recreational or fishing boats as well
as tourists. A large number of introduced species in a given The objective of this guide is to cover part of these needs
MPA could be an indicator of high propagule pressure, and aid Mediterranean MPAs in developing an effective IAS
probably due to the development of human activities that programme. To facilitate this, a draft Marine Invasive Alien
facilitate certain pathways of introduction (such as Species Strategy for the MedPAN Network was prepared a
recreational navigation, aquaculture or the aquarium trade). priori and discussed in several regional workshops with
MPA managers and experts (MedPAN Draft IAS Strategy,
As a result, MPAs across the MedPAN Network face common 2012). The overall aim of the strategy is to establish a
challenges, among them the lack of awareness and common framework for MedPAN members to take action
understanding of the impacts of invasive species, the scarcity on marine invasive species. The present guide takes
of information on best management practices and a lack of forward some of the described actions, addressing the key
baseline information, guidelines and trained local staff to goals and main recommendations of the strategy, with a
identify and gather more information on the introduction, view to the prevention and early detection of new IAS
spread and impact of alien species. Furthermore, most MPA entering the MPA environment. Furthermore, it contains
personnel feel that the problem is too large and nothing can information on the introduction pathways and impacts of
be done with the limited funds available, if any, to develop major marine species that have invaded the Mediterranean
actions. At a regional level, the problem species differ from Sea, on how to monitor and identify them and on what can
one MPA to another and there is still weak networking, be done to prevent their establishment and spread in MPAs.
coordination and collaboration on this issue.

Fig. 3. Invasive species in Mediterranean MPAs. Data collected from published and unpublished sources.

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