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Is bait worms’ importation an introduction vector for non-indigenous species in Portugal?

Erica A. Sá1*, Pedro F. Costa2, Luis C. Da Fonseca2, 3, Ana S. Alves1, Nuno Castro1, Sara D. Cabral1, Paula Chainho1, João Canning-Clode4, Pedro Melo5, Ana Pombo6 and José L. Costa1
  • 1 MARE/FCUL - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal
  • 2 MARE/LMG – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal
  • 3 CTA - Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias da Água, Portugal
  • 4 MARE/Madeira – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal
  • 5 Direcção-Geral de Alimentação e Veterinária (PIF Lisboa), Portugal
  • 6 MARE/IPLeiria - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal

The ancient activity of worm-collecting on sediment shores or turning over the mudflats where dense worms’ populations are present is frequently observed in different countries (Brown and Jr, 1997; Fidalgo e Costa et al., 2006). For many people living in coastal areas constitutes the main source of financial income to subsist. This disturbance could have a variety of effects depending on the ecological communities and area disturbed, both of which vary among different catching methods and digging areas (Brown and Wilson Jr, 1997). Several invertebrate groups are often exploited like polychaetes (Arenicolidae, Glyceridae, Nereididae, Nephyidae, Eunicidae), sipunculids, bivalves and crustaceans. The commercial importance of polychaetes as a resource has been increased since they have been used as food source for the aquaculture sector (Dinis, 1986). The request of worms for use as sea angling baits has led to the growth of a large business globally leading also to the development of an economically viable worm aquaculture sector providing different reared species, mainly by Asian countries. Human aided transport mechanisms have become a major contributor to the global homogenization of marine biota globally and bait trade might be a vector of introduction of non-indigenous species, including the bait species and other hitchhikers (Ruiz & Carlton, 2003; Lockwood et al., 2005; Fowler, et al., 2016). As a consequence, bait worms’ importation is a matter of concern and can contribute to the current global problem of non-indigenous species. In Portugal bait harvesting from natural populations became insufficient to meet market demands. In recent years, due to an increased demand it was necessary to import polychaetes and sipunculids from others countries (Fidalgo e Costa et al., 2006). The majority of these worms arrive at Lisbon airport imported by a few distributors and are partially exported to Spain and other countries, and partially commonly sold at retail outlets along the Portuguese coast. The main aim of this work was to identify which bait species are imported for Portugal and assess the potential risks of introduction of non-indigenous species, including the imported alien worms and the flora and fauna hitchhiking organisms. Live worms imported to Portugal arrived mainly from China, USA and Vietnam. The origin and quantities of imported live bait were determined by examining the landing’s registers at Lisbon airport, from 2002 – 2003 and 2012 – 2015. China was identified as the major supplier, followed by the USA, while Vietnam was recognized as a minor supplier. In addition, the potential of the live bait’s importation as an introduction vector was evaluated by examining the bait box contents. Live bait boxes were acquired in Portuguese stores at national level. Each box was examined and the worms were separated from the packaging material. Worms were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level with a binocular stereomicroscope. Each packaging material was sorted in order to detect the presence of other associated non-indigenous flora and fauna organisms. Although distributers refer other imported species, the taxonomic identification identified only four species: Glycera dibranchiata Ehlers 1868, Perinereis linea (Treadwell 1936), Perinereis cultrifera (Grube 1840), and Sipunculus (Sipunculus) nudus Linnaeus 1766. No flora accompanying organisms were found in any bait boxes and only a few individuals of Enchytraeidae (oligochaete annelids) were found in three bait boxes. Bait worms used in the USA industry are mostly Glycera dibranchiata and Nereis virens Sars 1835, that are then packed in cardboard boxes usually filled with macroalgae (e.g. Ascophyllum nodosum (Linnaeus) Le Jolis, Fucus sp.) to keep live worms moist during transportation (Fowler et al., 2016). Surprisingly no bait boxes imported from the USA to Portugal contained macroalgae as packaging materials. In fact, the incoming worms are washed and repacked by the Portuguese distributers, decreasing the risk of dissemination of convoyed species. The examination of bait boxes in Portugal suggested that there is a low risk of accompanying species introduction most likely because of this packaging procedures. Moreover, species imported from China are produced in aquaculture which further reduces this risk of the presence of hitchhiking organisms. However, the species used as bait are indeed a potential risk as non-indigenous species because they arrive and are used still alive.

Acknowledgements

This study had the support of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), through the strategic project UID/MAR/04292/2013 granted to MARE, and thePROMAR Program through the project 31-03-05-FEP-42: LIVE BAIT - Annelid polychaetes as live bait in Portugal: harvesting, import and rearing management.

References

Brown, B. and Wilson Jr., W. H. (1997) The role of commercial digging of mudflats as an agent for change of infaunal intertidal populations. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 218: 49 – 61.
Dinis, M.T. (1986) Quatre Soleidae de l’estuaire du Tage: reproduction et croissance essai d’elevage de Solea senegalensis Kaup. PhD. thesis, Univ. Bretagne Occidentale, Brest.
Fidalgo e Costa, P., Gil, J., Passos, A. M., Pereira, P., Melo, P., Batista, F. and Cancela da Fonseca, L. (2006) The market features of imported non-indigenous polychaetes in Portugal and consequent ecological concerns. Scientia Marina 70S3, 287 – 292, Barcelona (Spain). ISSN: 0214-8358.
Fowler, A. E., Blakeslee, A. M. H., Canning-Clode, J., Repetto, M. F., Phillip, A. M., Carlton, J. T., Moser, F. C., Ruiz, G. M. and Miller, A. W. (2015) Opening Pandora’s bait box: a potent vector for biological invasions of live marine species. Diversity and Distributions, 22, 30–42.
Lockwood, J.L., Cassey, P. & Blackburn, T. (2005) The role of propagule pressure in explaining species invasions. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 20, 223–228.
Ruiz, G. M. & Carlton, J. T. Invasion vectors: a conceptual framework for management. In: RUIZ, G. M.; CARLTON, J. T. (Ed.). Invasive species: vectors and management strategies. Washington, DC: Island Press,

Keywords: biological invasions, live worms, imported bait, hitchhiking species, Invasion risk

Conference: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016, Peniche, Portugal, 14 Jul - 15 Jul, 2016.

Presentation Type: Poster presentation

Topic: Biodiversity, Conservation and Coastal Management

Citation: Sá EA, Costa PF, Da Fonseca LC, Alves AS, Castro N, Cabral SD, Chainho P, Canning-Clode J, Melo P, Pombo A and Costa JL (2016). Is bait worms’ importation an introduction vector for non-indigenous species in Portugal?. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2016. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.04.00079

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Received: 28 Apr 2016; Published Online: 13 Jul 2016.

* Correspondence: Dr. Erica A Sá, MARE/FCUL - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Lisbon, 1749-016, Portugal, easa@fc.ul.pt