I nvasive alien species in aquatic environments Practical information and management insights Vol. 1 Practical information Emmanuelle Sarat, Emilie Mazaubert, Alain Dutartre, Nicolas Poulet and Yohann Soubeyran (editors) N°17 T he French National Agency for Water and Aquatic The French committee of the International union Environments for the conservation of nature Onema is a public agency operating under the The French committee constitutes the network of supervision of the Ecology ministry. It was created French organisations and experts working for the by the 2006 Water law and launched in April 2007. IUCN and serves as a knowledge base and platform Onema is the principle technical organisation in for discussion on biodiversity issues. This novel France in charge of developing knowledge on the partnership comprises two ministries, 13 public ecology of aquatic environments and monitoring organisations, 41 NGOs and over 250 experts water status. Its mission is to contribute to grouped in special commissions and topical work comprehensive and sustainable management of groups. The committee addresses biodiversity water resources and aquatic ecosystems. The issues in France and promotes French research agency contributes to restoring water quality and and know-how internationally. attaining the goal of good chemical and ecological status, the objective set by the European water The IBMA work group framework directive. Onema, with a workforce of 900, This book was drafted by the Biological invasions in is present throughout continental France as well aquatic environments (IBMA) work group that Onema as in the overseas territories in the framework of the and Cemagref (now Irstea) launched jointly in 2009. national interbasin solidarity policy. In carrying out its Its mission is to assist all water stakeholders working mission, Onema works closely with all stakeholders on the topic of invasive alien species (IAS) by in the water sector. facilitating access to new knowledge on IASs and developing management tools. Since 2014, the work group has been managed by the IUCN French committee and Onema. T Knowledge for action his book continues the series that makes new research findings and science-advice work available to professionals in the water and aquatic-environment sector (scientists, engineers, managers, instructors, students, etc.). The book is available on the Onema site (www.onema.fr), in the Resources section, on the IBMA site (www.gt-ibma.eu) and at the national portal for "Water technical documents" (www.documentation.eaufrance.fr). I nvasive alien species in aquatic environments Practical information and management insights Vol. 1 Practical information Emmanuelle Sarat, Emilie Mazaubert, Alain Dutartre, Nicolas Poulet and Yohann Soubeyran (editors) 2 W e wish to salute two colleagues who passed away in 2013, two valiant defenders of biodiversity whose work and research on biological invasions continues to help us to progress to this day. Robert Barbault, a great promoter of convergence among disciplines involving biodiversity and the highly productive president of the scientific council for the INVABIO research programme, who was one of the initiators If we could accept to think differently, i.e. look at the world in ecological terms, the hope of of this book. “... reconciling humans with nature might cease to appear utopian. ” Michel Pascal, tireless traveller and unconventional researcher, nicknamed Ratator thanks to his innumerable island forays to attack ravenous alien rodent populations, even though they had never done him any particular I am criticised as a jack of all trades. But that is precisely what I want to be, with a very broad knowledge harm. “ base in order to better understand this world we live in. ” F oreword I nvasive alien species (IAS) are acknowledged as one of the main causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. This issue is so important that the Convention on biological diversity decided to include it among its major lines of work and the 2011-2020 strategic plan approved by the convention set a specific objective that the ratifying States, including France, have committed to achieving by 2020. The European Union has made the management of invasive alien species a major objective and a new regulation on preventing and managing their introduction and propagation was recently voted and entered into force in the beginning of 2015. France as well is confronted with the situation and there are many examples in aquatic environments of both plants (water primrose, knotweed, etc.) and animals (crayfish, coypu, etc.). These species enter into competition with native species, modify the functioning of natural habitats and the services provided by ecosystems, affect economic activities and can even undermine human health. These problems have become one of the major concerns for the managers of natural areas and for policy makers, and the numerous media reports over several years have even begun to evoke regular echoes among the general public. Over the past 15 years, a growing number of managers in areas spanning highly diverse administrative and geographic scales have entered the fray in an attempt to overcome the difficulties created by invasive alien species. Specific needs rapidly became apparent in terms of coordinating work, organising monitoring, assessing the impacts, establishing research programmes, defining strategies and producing effective results. This led to the creation of local work groups attempting to coordinate the many aspects of the overall problem. It was in this context that the national Biological invasions in aquatic environments (IBMA) work group was created. Since 2009, the group has brought together over 40 people representing an array of stakeholders (managers of natural areas, researchers, associations, public organisations, State services and local governments) to set up and run various projects. Intended primarily for managers, the objective of the projects is to contribute, to date in continental France, to the development of information networks on all the issues raised by invasive alien species in aquatic environments, notably by making available the knowledge gained on these species. The IBMA internet site is an effective means of disseminating information. Management of the work group, initially assumed by a partnership between Onema and Cemagref (now Irstea), shifted to Onema and the IUCN French committee in January 2014. 4 The IUCN French committee has two main projects concerning invasive alien species, the first was launched in 2005 in the French overseas territories and the second consists of managing the IBMA work group with Onema. The committee also acts as a liaison with the IUCN on the international level and is in close contact with its Invasive species specialist group (ISSG) that provides data to assist in formulating the major international agreements. Work at Onema on invasive alien species takes place on two levels, the first being financial and technical support for research projects to develop operational knowledge for IAS management. An example is the programme for the Louisiana crayfish in a partnership with INRA, CNRS and the Brière regional nature park, which resulted in the first national symposium on invasive crayfish and in publications presenting background information. On the second level, Onema provides its know-how to State services and to the Ecology ministry on issues concerning regulations and the management of invasive alien species, examples being Wels catfish, Asian carp and crayfish. The objective of these two volumes in the Knowledge for action series, based on the work of the IBMA work group in conjunction with almost 100 contributors, is to contribute to the debates on how to manage IASs, to provide a general outline on current knowledge (volume 1) and a number of specific examples (volume 2) to assist managers of aquatic environments and policy makers in their respective tasks to better manage these species. We hope that these volumes will be of use to the full range of stakeholders dealing with IASs, including managers of natural areas, the coordinators of territorial groups and policy makers. We further hope that they will contribute to raising awareness of the issues involved in managing invasive alien species in aquatic environments in France. Sébastien Moncorps Philippe Dupont Director of the IUCN French committee Research and development department, Onema 5 5 B rief outline I nvasive alien species (IAS) and their impacts represent a growing concern for the managers of natural areas. That is particularly true for aquatic environments where an array of stakeholders are now taking action. In parallel, public policies are coming into play on the national level and the European Union recently adopted a new regulation in this field. What is the status of current knowledge on biological invasions? What is the applicable legal framework and what recommendations should be made? In the field, which species are managers attempting to address? Which techniques are used, where and how, and what are the objectives and the results achieved? These two volumes of the Knowledge for action series clearly present the situation and propose a scientifically based approach to assist environmental managers in setting up management projects. Though no “cure alls” currently exist, this volume offers highly useful information while attempting to address the specific aspects of each situation, including the site, the species to be managed and the necessary technical and financial resources. Vol. 1 Practical information Vol. 2 Management insights The first volume The second volume presents the current situation is a collection of fact sheets concerning invasive alien species in aquatic on invasive alien species and management environments in continental France. projects carried out in continental France and Six chaptersprovide a detailed outline on: Europe. n current scientific knowledge on IASs, including A total of 26 fauna and flora species are covered definitions, colonisation processes, impacts and in 52 examples presenting management projects, topics for future research; drafted in conjunction with the managers. n current legislation and regulations addressing IASs on the international, European and national Each sheet includes descriptive information on levels; species identification, biology and ecology. n IAS strategies and action plans, including the main participants and existing projects; The project-feedback information comprises: n the general approach to IAS management, i.e. n the organisation managing the project; prerequisite knowledge, prevention, monitoring n a description of the project site with maps; and action taken; n the problems on the site and the issues at hand; n IAS management, including a presentation on n the intervention techniques, e.g. the selected the overall situation for interventions, a panorama method, each operational step, schedules, techni- of existing techniques, the management of waste cal constraints; and assessments of management work; n project results and budget; n the existing tools available to managers, e.g. coordination of projects, lists of species, databases, n the outlook following the project; platforms for information exchange and collections n efforts to promote the project and its results; of feedback from management projects. n available documentation and the contact person for more information. 6 C ontents Invasive alien species in aquatic environments Practical information and management insights Volume 1 Practical information 8 1. General knowledge on invasive alien species 46 2. Legal framework and regulations on invasive alien species 78 3. Panorama of strategies and action plans for invasive alien species 110 4. General approach to managing invasive alien species 134 5. Management techniques for invasive alien species in aquatic environments 212 6. Resources and techniques to improve management of invasive alien species 237 Bibliographical references 250 Acknowledgements and contributions 7 This chapter was drafted by: Emmanuelle Sarat (IUCN French committee), Alain Dutartre (independent expert, formerly at Irstea), Emilie Mazaubert (Irstea). With the collaboration of: Jacques Haury (AgroCampus Ouest), Isabelle Mandon-Dalger (Federation of national botanical conservatories), Nicolas Poulet (Onema), Yohann Soubeyran (IUCN French committee), Eric Tabacchi (University of Toulouse). 8