Chapter 5
Non-Native Aquaculture Species Releases:
Implications for Aquatic Ecosystems
Elizabeth J. Cook
1, *, Gail Ashton
1 , Marnie Campbell
4
, Ashley Coutts
2 ,
Stephan Gollasch
3
, Chad Hewitt
4 , Hui Liu
5 , Dan Minchin
6
, Gregory Ruiz
7
,
and Richard Shucksmith
1
1 Present Address: Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory,
Oban, PA37 1QA, UK. Tel. +44 1631 559 243; Fax +44 1631 559 001; E-mail: ejc@sams.ac.uk
2 Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry GPO Box 858,
Canberra Act 2601, Australia
3 GoConsult, Bahrenfelder Str. 73a, Hamburg 22765, Germany
4 National Centre for Marine and Coastal Conservation, Australian Maritime College, Private
Mail Bag 10, Rosebud, Victoria 3939, Australia
5 Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, 106 Nanjing
Road, Qingdao, China 266071
6 Marine Organism Investigations, Marina Village, Ballina, Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland
7 Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre, 647 Contees Wharf Road, P.O. Box 28,
Edgewater MD 21037, USA
* Corresponding author
Abstract Aquaculture is undergoing a rapid worldwide expansion. Of significant
concern is the increasing use of non-native species, with subsequent escapes of
these species and their associated pathogens and parasites posing a serious threat to
native biodiversity, economic value and ecosystem function, particularly in regions
rich in endemic species. The contribution of non-native species to the growth of the
global aquaculture industry and the economic benefits that it has brought to many
developing countries cannot be underestimated. However, minimizing the escapes
of non-native aquaculture species must be a high priority for resource managers,
conservationists and the aquaculture industry. This paper reviews intentional and
unintentional non-native aquaculture introductions and the environmental consequences that escapes can have on the aquatic environment and presents a potential
system of risk evaluation, management and funding mechanisms to assist in the
long term sustainable development of the aquaculture industry.
Keywords Non-native species; aquaculture; introductions; aquatic ecosystems;
biodiversity hotspots; risk evaluation and management
M. Holmer et al. (eds.), Aquaculture in the Ecosystem.
155
© 2008 Springer
Non-Native Aquaculture Species Releases:
Implications for Aquatic Ecosystems
Elizabeth J. Cook
1, *, Gail Ashton
1 , Marnie Campbell
4
, Ashley Coutts
2 ,
Stephan Gollasch
3
, Chad Hewitt
4 , Hui Liu
5 , Dan Minchin
6
, Gregory Ruiz
7
,
and Richard Shucksmith
1
1 Present Address: Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory,
Oban, PA37 1QA, UK. Tel. +44 1631 559 243; Fax +44 1631 559 001; E-mail: ejc@sams.ac.uk
2 Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry GPO Box 858,
Canberra Act 2601, Australia
3 GoConsult, Bahrenfelder Str. 73a, Hamburg 22765, Germany
4 National Centre for Marine and Coastal Conservation, Australian Maritime College, Private
Mail Bag 10, Rosebud, Victoria 3939, Australia
5 Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, 106 Nanjing
Road, Qingdao, China 266071
6 Marine Organism Investigations, Marina Village, Ballina, Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland
7 Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre, 647 Contees Wharf Road, P.O. Box 28,
Edgewater MD 21037, USA
* Corresponding author
Abstract Aquaculture is undergoing a rapid worldwide expansion. Of significant
concern is the increasing use of non-native species, with subsequent escapes of
these species and their associated pathogens and parasites posing a serious threat to
native biodiversity, economic value and ecosystem function, particularly in regions
rich in endemic species. The contribution of non-native species to the growth of the
global aquaculture industry and the economic benefits that it has brought to many
developing countries cannot be underestimated. However, minimizing the escapes
of non-native aquaculture species must be a high priority for resource managers,
conservationists and the aquaculture industry. This paper reviews intentional and
unintentional non-native aquaculture introductions and the environmental consequences that escapes can have on the aquatic environment and presents a potential
system of risk evaluation, management and funding mechanisms to assist in the
long term sustainable development of the aquaculture industry.
Keywords Non-native species; aquaculture; introductions; aquatic ecosystems;
biodiversity hotspots; risk evaluation and management
M. Holmer et al. (eds.), Aquaculture in the Ecosystem.
155
© 2008 Springer