Copenhagen Ad Hoc Meeting, May 2001

The BMB NEMO group was founded in 1994, with its first regular meeting held in Klaipeda, Lithuania in 1995. The TORs and objectives of the BMB NEMO were set at this initial meeting. The duration of the active period of the NEMO group was estimated as not less than 5 years.

Since 1995 the BMB NEMO group was active, having in average more than one meeting annually. As no funding for travelling, logistics etc. could be provided this is basically due to the enthusiastic engagement of all participants, but especially the chairman, Prof. Dr. Erkki Leppäkoski, Finland and the conveners Dr. Sergej Olenin, Lithuania and since 1999 Dr. Stephan Gollasch, Germany.

This year, the group is in its 6th year of existence. In consensus (see list of participants Attachment 1) members of the adhoc meeting in Copenhagen agreed to sum up which of the original TORs given to the group where achieved and further to outline the extend of the remaining work load.

1. TORs given to the NEMO group in 1995/1996

1.1 TOR 1 Enable proper cooperation within the Baltic Sea countries.
Since 1995 the NEMO promoted cooperational activities within its active member countries. With funding provided from other agencies, such as the Nordic Council of Ministers and NorFA several initiatives were realised and are listed below according to the year of event:
1996 Joint Meeting with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Working Group on Introductions and Transfers of Marine Organisms (WGITMO) at its annual meeting in Gdynia, Poland
1997 NorFA Ph.D. Course in Turku on Marine Bioinvasions
1997 Klaipeda database put on the Internet (see below)
1998 Nordic Risk Assessment. The result of this project is a comprehensive book entitled "Initial risk assessment of alien species in Nordic coastal waters” authored by Gollasch & Leppäkoski and published in 1999 (see attachment 2)
1998 to 2000 Involvement in European Union funded Concerted Action ”Introductions with Ships”. Detailed information on this initiative is available on the project homepage at http://members.aol.com/sgollasch/sgollasch/index.htm
1998 Meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia: NorFA Workshop on Non-Native Species in the Baltic and Black Seas (http://www.zin.ru/projects/invasions/gaas/petrep.htm)
2000 Joint Meeting of the ICES Working Group on Introductions and Transfers of Marine Organisms (ICES WGITMO) and the BMB Working Group on Non-Indigenous Estuarine and Marine Organisms (BMB WG NEMO) in Parnu, Estonia (http://www.zin.ru/projects/invasions/gaas/agenda00.htm)
2000 Update of the Klaipeda database made available via the Internet
2000 Ad hoc meeting and joint attendance of the ASLO Conference in Copenhagen
2001 Ad hoc meeting and joint attendance of the workshop on Management of Invasice Alien Species, Copenhagen

Further since 1995 a considerable number of joint publications were prepared involving more than one NEMO member, including publications in refereed scientific journals (see Attachment 2).

Future joint research initiatives including a number of BMB NEMO members are planned and relevant research proposals have been submitted.

Status of TOR: ongoing as appropriate.

1.2 TOR 2 Klaipeda database
To compile information on nonindigenous species being introduced in the Baltic Sea was one of the key TORs the group was given at its initial meeting. Relevant data on species were compiled since than and the database was put on the Internet in 1997, being physically located on a server at the Klaipeda University, Lithuania. At its initial phase the database included ca. 80 species previously found in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters. A selection of 12 species were considered in greater detail in form of case histories providing information on species taxonomy, identification features, area of origin, vector of introduction, distribution history in the Baltic, abiotic preferences, life cycle, ecological and economic impacts.

In 2000 the database was considerably updated including a modification of the layout. This work was funded by HELCOM. Further detailed reports (case histories) on non-native species were added and in addition a search tool was added to ease the use of the database (see also Attachment 2)

The Internet homepage of the BMB NEMO (included into the Database) comprises curriculum vitae of all active members of the group. Hyperlinks should be inserted guiding the reader to other relevant homepages documenting the research activities of the group members.

Status: This TOR is partly finished. The database is well designed, a search tool was implemented indicating that the technical part is completed. It was the intention to increase the number of case histories as soon as possible and to provide details on all 100 species listed. In order to complete the case histories for all known Baltic invaders future work in this field is essential and will require additional meetings.

1.3 TOR 3 Public Awareness
Public awareness campaigns were launched in conjunction with meetings of e.g. ICES, WGITMO, ICES/IOC/IMO Study Group on Ballast Water and Other Ship Vectors (SGBOSV), International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ballast Water Working Group and initiatives as listed in TOR 1 above.

Information on the existence of the NEMO working group was spread at several international conferences and in all member countries initiated by group members.

The publication of the database on non-native species in the Baltic Sea on the Internet served as a main podium for public awareness. Shortly after the database was published on the Internet it was referred to via hyperlinks from other homepages, such as the Regional Biological Invasions Center (RBIC) see http://www.zin.ru/projects/invasions/, EU Concerted Action ”Introductions with Ships” (see above) and others, in e.g. Canada and USA.

Status of TOR: partly finished, ongoing as appropriate

1.4 TOR 4 Cooperation with other international working groups
Joint interest in the field of biological invasions made other relevant working groups aware of the existence on the NEMO and as a result of the awareness campaign joint meetings were held, e.g., with the Group on Aquatic Alien Species (GAAS), currently being a subproject of the RBIC) and ICES WGITMO in Parnu, Estonia in 2000, and SIL (Societas Internationalis Limnologiae) Working Group on Aquatic Invasive Species. The cooperation with other working groups resulted in mutual benefits and a continuation is seeked. Of particular importance for future cooperation plans are linkages/contacts to working groups in other enclosed seas, such as the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea , which could be implemented in frameworks of the developing European Research Network on Aquatic Invasive Species (ERNAIS – see http://www.zin.ru/projects/invasions/gaas/bmb99_3.htm).

Status of TOR: contacts are well established, TOR partly completed, ongoing as appropriate

2. Recommendations and new TORs formed at the adhoc meeting in Copenhagen (2001)

2.1 Fund raising
It was noted that the major obstacle in the way to enable proper planning and participation of meetings was the lack of funding. It was noted that a great deal of work of the chairman and convener of the NEMO should focus fund raising, what might be achieved due to increasing cooperation with global initiatives (e.g. GloBallast Programme, GISP, GEF Project on the Baltic Sea). Linkages to global and other regional initiatives will broaden the knowledge of the NEMO and will result in mutual benefit for all involved parties.

2.2 Future projects
It was further noted that proposals for joint initiatives in form of Concerted Actions or research initiatives should be discussed, prepared and submitted to relevant bodies, such as the European Union Framework 5 and follow up initiatives, NATO Research Grant, INTAS etc.

2.3 Link to databases
It was noted by the group that a considerable high number of databases on alien species exists. Future NEMO initiatives should include an Internet based linkage of all these databases to enable proper dissemination of information. This planned Internet homepage should than be linked to the existing NEMO database on non-native species in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters. An introductory section on the planned database link page could include details on the origin of species that invaded the Baltic Sea and further it may be indicated that the Baltic Sea in the same way as it received invasions needs to be considered as a donor area of non-native species to other regions. By doing this the global scope of the problem of species invasion could be addressed. This can easily be done using existing Internet opportunities of the Regional Biological Invasions Center, hosted by the Zoological Institute in St. Petersburg.

2.4 Publishing the Klaipeda database as book
It was agreed that the publication of the Klaipeda database in a hardcopy format would be of benefit as this book could be handed over to relevant colleagues and would cover both the public awareness aspect of the NEMO group and the dissemination of information on species invasions in the Baltic Sea. Frequently, group members have been asked at meetings if the Klaipeda database could be published as printed matter are sometimes easier to work with. The book should include a preface, introductory chapter on the BMB and the NEMO as well as the NEMOs history possibly resulting in a book of about 100 pages.

A comparable initiative was launched by the above mentioned Concerted Action ”Introductions with ships”. An overlap in case histories with this planned initiative should be avoided.

The publication of the BMB NEMO database could only be achieved with funding. It is believed that this can be realised in a reasonable and cost-effective way (according to the number of copies). The NEMO group asks BMB on advice how to fund the printing costs of the planned book.

The book should be prepared shortly and it may provide information to a wide audience including scientists, managers and users of aquatic resources. For the printed publication detailed reports of each species should be limited to two pages including maps on the distribution along the coasts of the Baltic as well as line drawings of the species to ease the identification.

2.5 Cooperation
It was frequently stated that the main obstacle for the future continuation of the BMB NEMO is the lack of funding. Without funding the difficulty to meet, join other working group meetings, such as the ICES WGITMO, GloBallast, GISP etc, the distribution of public awareness material, the production (printing costs) of future material, such as the case history book, as well the preparation of further public awareness material, such as posters, flyers etc. is uncertain. It was further stated that mutual benefit would arise, if one NEMO member would be enabled to participate in workshops relevant to species invasions being held in Europe. This option would guarantee the up to date information on the NEMO group knowledge and the activities of the NEMO group and BMB would be spread to a wider audience (see attachment for complete list of NEMO group members). NEMO further noted that wherever possible close cooperation of research efforts within members of the group should be made in order to prevent double work, to optimize project results and to enable an optimum in knowledge transfer.

2.6 Book Project
A current book project, preliminary entitled ”Invasive Aquatic Species of Europe: Distribution, Impacts and Management”, edited by Erkki Leppäkoski, Sergej Olenin and Stephan Gollasch will be published later in 2001 or early in 2002 by KLUWER Academic Publishers. This book initiative partly benefited from the existence of the NEMO group as the NEMO network of enthusiastic scientists helped to bring relevant experts together, being part of the team of authors involved. The continuation of the BMB NEMO network will enable relevant follow up publication projects.

2.7 HELCOM
BMB NEMO cooperates with HELCOM, advising on reporting formats on invasive alien species for a new early warning system on abnormal events being developed by HELCOM.

It was noted that the work of the above mentioned working groups is complimentary to each other without any overlap and is of mutual interest for all groups. In order to enable effective exchange of information between the groups it is recommended to arrange, wherever possible, joint meetings and symposia of relevant working groups in the future.

3. Need for ongoing activities of NEMO

The increasing rate of species introductions with severe impacts to environment and economy in the end of the last century indicate the importance to immediately act in this field. Regional approaches in order to minimize or prevent future introductions as well as to slow down the spread of already introduced species are of high importance. The BMB NEMO provides an excellent forum and established network along the Baltic coasts. In order not to loose the momentum it was recommended to continue the work of the NEMO.

All group members expressed that there is a very strong and unanimous consensus that further meetings of the group within a one year time frame would be of extraordinary value. The participants felt that significant new levels of cooperation, understanding, and future activities (research) will be achieved both among BMB countries and on a global level. Close cooperation with relevant, recently launched initiatives, e.g. the Global Ballast Water Management Programme (GloBallast) and Global Invasives Species Program (GISP) offer the unique opportunity to fulfil the TORs of the NEMO through increased cooperation and communication.

Opportunities of future meetings arise from the involvement of participants in the next Baltic Sea Conference including the BMB Symposium in Stockholm, November 2001 and/or at the next meeting of the ICES WGITMO to be held in Sweden in March 2002.

List of participants (in alphabetical order)

BMB WG NEMO home | BMB WG 30 documents