Alien species are not all bad!!!

According to one participant at the CABI Invasive

Alien Species Strategy and Economic Impact
Assessment training workshop, roughly 80% of useful
fruit trees in Jamaica were ‘introduced’. So, are
they now still considered ‘alien’ species? They have
become a natural part of Jamaican life, livelihoods
and economy. In other words, we have adapted to
these once-upon-a-time alien species. Are they still
considered ‘aliens’ or ‘invasive’?

This is among a number of ‘complexing’ issues being

discussed at the regional workshop under the CABI project
on ‘Managing the threat of Invasive Alien Species in the
Insular Caribbean. The issue of control vs. adaptation of the
popular predator – Lionfish currently in the waters of the
Bahamas, Bermuda and Jamaica, almost dominated the
discussion. According to Dr. Johnson, CABI Director, ‘the
lionfish is one of those IAS that we just can’t stop’. While
adaptation measures, such as, adding the fish to the
‘Bahamian fisheries and cuisine, because of its aggressive
spread, it is moving beyond just a local issue, to a regional
issue with the potential to become a global issue.

While there are some invasives that cannot be prevented, and it is recognised that Prevention is the first
line of defence, there are some IAS that can at least be managed and controlled. Others, like the Red
Lionfish, we just have to learn to live with. Hence according to Dr. Johnson, for such IAS, Adaptation, is
the only option. This seems to be the general issue when it comes to marine invasives, as distinct from
freshwater invasives, one of the three main categories of IAS, in addition to terrestrial (land). These two
latter categories, appear to lend themselves more to control and eradication methods.

Be that as it may, all management and control strategies present some level of difficulties. One way of
dealing with such difficulties is ensuring involvement of all stakeholders – agriculture, tourism, public and
private, non-governmental organisation and the general public. It is clear therefore, that any regional
IAS strategy must consider full stakeholder involvement, the content, message and way in which
information on an IAS is released to the public and the need to ensure that lack of human resources and
financing do not take us back to square one, as has already been the case with the experience of the
Tropical Bont Tick in St. Kitts and Nevis and the Carambola fruitfly in Guyana and Suriname.

If anything at all, the main message that IAS experts would like the public to know is that under no
circumstances should any invasive alien – that is plant or animal species non-native to a
country/ecosystem –be allowed to breach the borders of the wider Caribbean. Preventing IAS entry is
everybody’s responsibility, CABI, all Ministers, immigration officers, the private sector –(farmers, fishermen,
tour operators, pet suppliers), the general public, and especially travellers.

CaRAPN@ 6/10.