Alien Species
Biological invasions (the
movement of organisms
beyond their natural
range) are common
in the marine
environment. Marine
‘aliens’ hitch-hike
around the globe,
exploiting human
activities such as
aquaculture, shipping
and recreational boating.
Many marine aliens leave their
natural enemies behind and
out-compete our native
species for space and
resources - with potentially
disastrous consequences. Image Credit: John Bishop, MBA
There are around 100 established non-native marine animals and plants in UK waters.
Alien early warning
Many marine plants and animals produce mobile larvae which attach to any suitable surface, for example a boat hull, and grow to fi ll the available space. UK scientists are using plastic ‘settlement panels’ hung from marina pontoons to provide an early warning of new arrivals. Image Credit: John Bishop, MBA
A 15 x 15 cm plastic panel (outline shown) from a Plymouth marina settled by native and non-native animals. The image was taken after the panel had been immersed about 8 months.
You can help
Record what you see growing on your boat or on the shore. For further information see www.marlin.ac.uk/marine_aliens For advice on reducing the transfer of alien species by your boating activities see www.thegreenblue.org.uk/youandyourboat/alienspecies.aspp
Content Credit: The Scottish Association for Marine Science, and the Marine Biological Association.