5 Non-Native Species in Aquaculture
173
(2005, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, MOA), the lack of management had
resulted in a somewhat chaotic situation in non-native species introductions, and
some species were introduced repeatedly. The Aquaculture Seedling Management
Procedures was enacted to deal with this situation and, for the first time the introduction of broodstock, juveniles, larvae and fertilized eggs for aquaculture
(research or production) purposes is under government control. All aquaculture
seedlings are categorized by the MOA in collaboration with relevant branches of
the State Council, as (i) whose import and export are forbidden; (ii) whose import
and export rely on the approval of MOA; or (iii) whose import and export rely on
the approval of Provincial Fisheries Administrations. Among other requirements,
all applications for the import of aquaculture seedlings should contain a Safety
Impact Report (including environmental and biological impact and possible disease transfer) and a Certificate of Origin. These measures are inadequate, in that
there is still no integrated risk assessment system in China to prevent aquatic bioinvasion, no legislation governing the early-warning, removal and control of introduced species, and no ecological remediation and compensation liability measures
to combat bio-invasion.
In recent years, however, Chinese central government has strengthened legislative and administrative measures supervising aquatic species introduction, and
encouraging research efforts on risk assessment and the control of bio-invasions.
Guided by the above mentioned acts and a number of regulations, the National
Biosafety Office, affiliated with the State Environmental Protection Agency
(SEPA), the MOA along with its provincial level agencies and the General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s
Republic of China (AQSIQ) undertake the management of species introduction and
the inspection of pests, parasites and diseases carried by any imported organisms.
Strict inspection and risk assessment procedures have also been implemented on
import and export of genetically modified organisms (GMO).
5.4.2 Risk Evaluation and Management
Risk evaluation has become a useful management tool to assess the biological and
ecological aspects of ecosystems when using limited available data (i.e., managing
under uncertainty). For example, ecologically sustainable development seeks a
balance between the benefits and the costs (environment, economic, social) of an
activity. In many instances, the information necessary to determine benefits and
costs will be unknown and risk evaluation can aid the decision-making process.
In simple terms, risk analysis is used to determine how often an event may occur
(frequency) and what the consequences of such an event would be. Risk evaluations
can inform decisions before allowing the import of a new species (pre-border) or
before allowing release of a new species into the environment (post-border).
A standardised risk management process can be summarized in four steps: (1)
establishing the context; (2) identifying the risk; (3) assessing the risks (risk
173
(2005, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, MOA), the lack of management had
resulted in a somewhat chaotic situation in non-native species introductions, and
some species were introduced repeatedly. The Aquaculture Seedling Management
Procedures was enacted to deal with this situation and, for the first time the introduction of broodstock, juveniles, larvae and fertilized eggs for aquaculture
(research or production) purposes is under government control. All aquaculture
seedlings are categorized by the MOA in collaboration with relevant branches of
the State Council, as (i) whose import and export are forbidden; (ii) whose import
and export rely on the approval of MOA; or (iii) whose import and export rely on
the approval of Provincial Fisheries Administrations. Among other requirements,
all applications for the import of aquaculture seedlings should contain a Safety
Impact Report (including environmental and biological impact and possible disease transfer) and a Certificate of Origin. These measures are inadequate, in that
there is still no integrated risk assessment system in China to prevent aquatic bioinvasion, no legislation governing the early-warning, removal and control of introduced species, and no ecological remediation and compensation liability measures
to combat bio-invasion.
In recent years, however, Chinese central government has strengthened legislative and administrative measures supervising aquatic species introduction, and
encouraging research efforts on risk assessment and the control of bio-invasions.
Guided by the above mentioned acts and a number of regulations, the National
Biosafety Office, affiliated with the State Environmental Protection Agency
(SEPA), the MOA along with its provincial level agencies and the General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s
Republic of China (AQSIQ) undertake the management of species introduction and
the inspection of pests, parasites and diseases carried by any imported organisms.
Strict inspection and risk assessment procedures have also been implemented on
import and export of genetically modified organisms (GMO).
5.4.2 Risk Evaluation and Management
Risk evaluation has become a useful management tool to assess the biological and
ecological aspects of ecosystems when using limited available data (i.e., managing
under uncertainty). For example, ecologically sustainable development seeks a
balance between the benefits and the costs (environment, economic, social) of an
activity. In many instances, the information necessary to determine benefits and
costs will be unknown and risk evaluation can aid the decision-making process.
In simple terms, risk analysis is used to determine how often an event may occur
(frequency) and what the consequences of such an event would be. Risk evaluations
can inform decisions before allowing the import of a new species (pre-border) or
before allowing release of a new species into the environment (post-border).
A standardised risk management process can be summarized in four steps: (1)
establishing the context; (2) identifying the risk; (3) assessing the risks (risk