Publication Date
4-2009
Series Number
189
Publisher
Department of Fisheries, Western Australia
City
Perth
ISBN
1 921258 47 0
ISSN
1035 - 4549
Abstract
A survey of the Swan River region for four non-indigenous marine species was conducted in 2007: the European shore crab Carcinus maenas, the Asian bag mussel Musculista senhousia, the European fan worm Sabella spallanzanii, and the scallop Scaeochlamys livida. The first three of these species are global in their distribution and on the ‘top-ten world’s worst invaders listing; the last species is introduced from the eastern states of Australia.
In this survey divers on SCUBA examined 43 sites for each of the listed species. Despite previous records of Carcinus maenas and Musculista senhousia in this region the diver visual surveys found no evidence of either species. The European fan worm, despite anecdotal reports that it had died out in the Swan region, has actually increased its geographic spread, though the densities of this species in the more open waters of Cockburn Sound are much reduced from those reported in the early 1990’s. The scallop Scaeochlamys livida has well-established populations in Cockburn Sound and the Swan River. There is some speculation that this species may have displaced the ‘native scallop’ Mimachlamys asperrimus.
There are currently 46 known non-indigenous species in the Cockburn Sound and Fremantle Harbour area. These species have the capacity to be translocated within the Swan River region quite easily; furthermore they have the capacity to be translocated to iconic areas such as Rottnest Island. As such, a study into the potential of these species to be translocated is needed.
Number of Pages
24
Keywords
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, European shore crab, Asian bag mussel, European fan worm, scallop
Disciplines
Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Monitoring | Environmental Sciences | Natural Resources Management and Policy
Recommended Citation
McDonald, J.I. and Wells, F.E. 2009. Results of a 2007 survey of the Swan River region for four introduced marine species. Fisheries Research Report No. 189. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. 24 p.
Included in
Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons
Comments
McDonald, J.I. and Wells, F.E. 2009. Results of a 2007 survey of the Swan River region for four introduced marine species. Fisheries Research Report No. 189. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia. 24 p.