Invasive Alien Species

An invasive alien species is a non-native organism that establishes and spreads in a new region, causing ecological or economic harm. In the sea the main vectors are ships’ ballast water and hull biofouling; cases such as the comb jelly Mnemiopsis in the Black Sea and the zebra mussel in the Great Lakes restructured whole ecosystems. The IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and biofouling guidelines target the shipping pathways.