Non-Native Species in the Antarctic Workshop

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Non-Native Species in the AntarcticWorkshop
10, 11 12 April 2006
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Group 3, (Yellow badges) Chair Dr. Polly
Penhale Reporter Jessie OReilly
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• PREVENTION OF INTRODUCTIONS INTO THE ANTARCTIC
  (FROM OUTSIDE ANTARCTIC).
• Terrestrial / freshwater
• Well identified and addressed in some programs,
  however, wide range of recognition and response
• Current focus on boots, clothing, food, cargo,
  and airplanes.
• Not well covered microbes, scientific equipment,
  transport within Antarctica, and most, if not
  all, taxa.
• b) Marine introductions
• Identified ballast water, debris, and hull
  fouling
• Not well covered all pathways, all taxa. Need
  baseline data.
• Recommend Encourage universal adoption of best
  practices.

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2) PREVENTION OF SPREAD WITHIN THE ANTARCTIC ONCE
NON -NATIVE ORGANISMS HAVE ARRIVED No consensus
on action to take when a non native species is
discovered. Good baseline data needed. lack
of expertise in taxonomy Rapid Response
Frameworks required. taxa-specific procedures
needed Recommend Eradicate as quickly and
effectively as possible methodologies will be
taxa and location specific.
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3) PREVENTION OF INTRODUCTION OF SPECIES THAT ARE
NATIVE IN THE ANTARCTIC TO OTHER AREAS IN THE
ANTARCTIC WHERE THEY ARE NOT NATIVE The major
risks occur with any type of human movement.
Heightened risk with frequent and successive
movements. Recognition of greater risk with
movements between different and distinct
biogeographic zones within the Antarctic. Some
programs and operators emphasize gear cleaning,
bootwashing, permitting, and new gear and
equipment requirements for sensitive
areas. Recommend Heightened awareness of risk
is required for intra-Antarctic movement.
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4) PREVENTION OF INTRODUCTION OF ANTARCTIC
SPECIES INTO OTHER AREAS (that is, NORTH of the
AT area) WHERE THEY ARE NOT NATIVE
Responsibility of recipient country. Very
dependent on legal requirements of trans shipment
ports and ultimate destination. Recommend
Special consideration should be given to transfer
to and from the Sub Antarctic islands and Arctic
regions. Recommend Need rapid exchange of
information on disease outbreaks or unexplained
die-offs.
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• 5) PROTECTION OF ANTARCTIC VALUES AGAINST
  NON-NATIVE SPECIES IMPACTS, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO
  ACHIEVE?
• To protect all the values in Article III of the
  Protocol.
• Recommend Every effort should be made to protect
  these unique environments.
• Recommend Prevent or minimize the human assisted
  transfer of native or non-native animals, plants,
  and microorganisms associated with human
  activities.
• Recommend Address all options, including
  eradication, for non-native species.

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6) LEGAL / INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES. There is a
need for understanding of the issues by all
stakeholders (policymakers, scientists, tour
operators, national programs). Management
approaches should be adaptive to change and
grounded in as much scientific information as
available. Formalizing an agreed approach is a
progressive, multi-stage process. Recommend
Better focused information recording and sharing
required.
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7) SCIENCE AND RESEARCH Recommended Research
Priorities Focus on sites of high human
activity and highly valued or sensitive
sites. Pathways, baseline data, and associated
risks Encourage increased development of
taxonomic expertise Microbes lack of
knowledge, difficult science. Focus on penguin
sites, seal sites, and disease outbreaks. Marin
e baseline surveys, surveillance, assessment of
vectors and pathways
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8) FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS Management
Recommendations Maximize information sharing
on practices and/or procedures used by parties to
address different pathways (Antarctic and
elsewhere), for example, sharing codes of conduct
and inspection protocols. CEP should take
action, including soliciting appropriate advice
or consider making it a specific, separate agenda
item (Not an ICG). Rapid Response Frameworks
should be compiled and made available these are
collections of reports and expert contacts from
programs and non-Antarctic actors providing ideas
on how to respond to an invasion. Make sure
that management approaches are adaptive to
change.
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• Summary of KEY points
• Introductions from human activity far outweigh
  natural dispersal.
• All the values in Article 3 of the Protocol
  need to be protected the Antarctic requires the
  highest standard of protection.
• Recommended Actions
• Develop good baseline information
• Increase awareness on multiple levels to multiple
  audiences
• Encourage information sharing on current
  practices
• Increase focus on microbes and marine
  environments
• Identify specific high-risk areas
• Recognize distinct biogeographic zones within the
  Antarctic
• Preserve genetic diversity