Introduced marine biota in Western Australian waters

Prevention of introduction of species brought into Geraldton Harbour, Western Australia, by the dredge Leonardo da Vinci

“…Most introduced, non-indigenous species cause no apparent harm in their new environments. For example, Huisman et al (2008) recorded 60 introduced marine species in Western Australia, but only three are on the national list of target species (NIMPCG 2006). A minority of the introduced species become pests that cause disease in native species and even humans, interfere with fisheries and aquaculture, foul industrial equipment, disrupt local ecosystems and/or even change the habitat in which they are living (Hallegraeff et al 1988;Grosholz and Ruiz 1995;Siguan 2003;Schwindt et al 2004;Bando 2006;Wallentinus and Nyberg 2007).…”

“…Port Phillip Bay, where the Port of Melbourne is located, has the highest known number of non-indigenous species in an Australian marine area: 99 species are regarded as introduced, and 61 are cryptogenic (Hewitt et al 2004). In contrast, only 60 introduced species and 26 cryptogenic species are known from the entire state of Western Australia, with some 14,000 km of coastline (Huisman et al 2008). The greatest concentration (46 species) is in the Fremantle area, the port with the largest number of vessel movements and a diverse marine environment.…”

“…The greatest concentration (46 species) is in the Fremantle area, the port with the largest number of vessel movements and a diverse marine environment. Seven introduced species, none of which are pest species, are known from Geraldton (Campbell 2003;Huisman et al 2008).…”

“…No mollusc species from the Leonardo da Vinci were found. The barnacle species collected were typical of the Western Australia west coast barnacle fauna and contained three species, all of which had been previously collected from the Port of Geraldton (Huisman et al 2008): Amphibalanus amphitrite (Darwin, 1854), Balanus trigonus and Megabalanus tintinnabulum (Linnaeus, 1758). The only thaid gastropod found was the Western Australian species Cronia avellana (Reeve, 1846).…”

Absence of the European shore crab, Carcinus maenas, from the Fremantle marine area, Western Australia

“…However, the CRIMP survey was of the port area and included only the lower reaches of the Swan River. In their compilation of information on introduced marine species in WA, Huisman et al (2008) listed C. maenas as not occurring in Western Australia.…”