Research Networks

The Baltic Sea is a sea of few species of plants and animals: its water is too diluted for marine species, and too saline for freshwater species. Practically all the fauna and flora have invaded during the last 10,000 years, and it is obvious that this immigration still continues. More than 30 species of anthropochorous immigrants, mainly unintentionally introduced plants and animals, have been reported from the Baltic marine, estuarine or coastal ecosystems.

Most of these species have installed themselves as important, and even key components in the ecosystems they invaded to. The introduced species may bring with them their diseases and parasites causing a severe damage to natural, autochtonous communities. It is obvious that the introduction of non-indigenous (alien) species to the environment of the Baltic is a growing problem.

Taking this into consideration the Committee of the Baltic Marine Biologists (held at October 17-20, 1994 in Mariehamn, Eland Islands, Finland) suggests to establish a new BMB Working Group on non-indigenous (alien) species in the Baltic Sea.

The objectives for this group might be following:

to promote a closer co-operation between biologists dealing with NEMOs within the Baltic and between the Baltic and other marine areas, e.g. the Black Sea since both seas are affected by NEMOs;
to collect and summarise information on NEMOs in the Baltic Sea in order to make a co-operative report (or monograph) covering their role in the ecosystem they invaded;
to seek co-operation with ICES WG on Introduced Species and Transfers of Marine Organisms (in addition to the national reports prepared every year by Germany, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, among others);
to elaborate a recommendation for HELCOM to include NEMOs in revised Guidelines of Baltic Monitoring Programme;
to report to national agencies responsible for IMO activities in each country.

Prof. Erkki Leppäkoski Dr. Sergej Olenin

Mariehamn, October 1994

	Call for cooperation
	Call for cooperation