Biosecurity

Biosecurity in the NWIFCA District

The North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NWIFCA) has produced a new Biosecurity Plan for its district, finalised in July 2022.

This plan replaces an earlier plan covering 2014-2018. It is intended for use by all marine stakeholders in the NWIFCA district and covers the prevention and control of the spread of marine invasive non-native species (INNS) and shellfish disease. It details the current status of the area, potential threats to fisheries, and suggested measures to improve biosecurity and attempt to avoid any potentially damaging effects in the future.

The plan includes reference to species that spend part of their life-cycle in freshwater and links with previously produced plans in the surrounding area to ensure biosecurity measures join up across the district. It is envisaged the plan will run until 2025 when it will be fully updated, although sections on disease and invasive species will be continually updated to reflect changes in the area.

The plan will also be reviewed annually to ensure that it is up to date.

The key objectives of the NWIFCA Biosecurity plan are:

Reduce the risk of introduction and spread of marine INNS and shellfish disease within the NWIFCA district and to other areas, with a focus on ‘key-risk’ INNS.
Promote suitable detection, monitoring and rapid response systems for marine INNS and shellfish disease which pose significant threats to biodiversity and the local economy, with a focus on ‘key-risk’ INNS.
Develop effective control programmes for existing marine ‘key-risk’ INNS and shellfish diseases which are practical and sustainable, and prevent their spread to other parts of the district or country.

The NWIFCA also communicates with other relevant parties, some of whom also produce Biosecurity Plans, to ensure a best practice approach to INNS.

The following species are the ‘key-risk INNS’ identified to be associated with fisheries within the NWIFCA district:

Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis*
Leathery sea squirt Styela clava*
American Lobster Homarus americanus*
Zebra mussel Dreisenna polymorpha*
Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus
Carpet sea squirt Didemnum vexillum
Killer shrimp Dikerogammarus vilosus
Slipper limpet Crepidula fornicata
Japanese Sting Winkle/Oyster Drill Ocenebra inornata
Veined Rapa Whelk Rapana venosa

* Currently present in the district

Information on these species can be found within the Biosecurity Plan and on the Non-native Species Secretariat website.

The NWIFCA also communicates with other relevant parties, some of whom also produce Biosecurity Plans, to ensure a best practice approach to INNS. Copies of other Biosecurity Plans and monitoring are available in the table below.

Plan	Publisher
Cumbria Freshwater Biosecurity Plan	Cumbria Freshwater Invasive Non-Native Species Initiative
Dee Catchment Biosecurity Action Plan	Dee Invasive Non-Native Species Project
Marine INNS in the Solway	Solway Firth Partnership
Monitoring INNS in Marinas of North West England	North West Wildlife Trusts

Good Practice

A number of Good Practice Management guides have been produced for carpet sea squirt, slipper limpet, zebra mussel and pacific oyster. These set out management options based on available evidence. See: INNS management toolkits » NNSS (nonnativespecies.org).

The latest GB Non-native Species Strategy 2023-2030 can also be found here: GB Strategy » NNSS (nonnativespecies.org)

Reporting INNS

Information is key to stopping the spread of INNS. There are various tools available for online reporting; details on these can be found on the Non-Native Species website.

If you should find any of the above listed species in the District please fill in this online recording form or contact [email protected] immediately.