Marine Pests

The coastal waters of South Australia are under threat from a range of introduced marine pest species.

Marine pests can have major impacts on levels of biodiversity and seafood production because they:

  • can out-compete native species for habitat and food
  • adversely affect the ecosystems on which fishing and aquaculture industries often depend.

Once a pest has been established eradication is not always possible – and control is a very expensive exercise. The most effective management options are to:

  • develop methods to minimise the entry of exotic species
  • respond to new introductions before they become well established.

Biosecurity programs are in place to identify, assess and respond to all pests, diseases and weeds that pose a significant threat to our fish stocks and their habitats.


You can help

Early detection and monitoring by the community are vital tools in controlling the spread and minimising the impact of marine pests.

If you know what species are normally present in all marine habitats you can learn to recognise any unusual species or species showing an abnormal change in abundance. 

You might not be able to identify a particular organism as a new invading species based on its shape or colour, but you might notice that this new organism has rapidly overgrown rocks and shoreline that historically had been a diverse community of other types of marine life.


What to do if you find an introduced species

  • Record the location accurately (use Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates if possible)
  • Record the depth and type of bottom (eg sandy, rocky and so on)
  • Record how it was found, for example tangled in fishing tackle or anchor, drifting or sighted attached to a substrate
  • Collect a sample (except in an aquatic reserve) and store it in a plastic bag
  • Don’t throw any suspicious animal or weed back in the water
  • Report all sightings of suspected marine pests to the 24 hour FISHWATCH hotline on 1800 065 522

Introduced marine pests of concern

These include the following:

 

For more information about these pests:

  • contact PIRSA Fisheries on 08 8226 2874
  • contact South Australia Reseach and Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences on 08 8200 2400