Mitigating the growing risks of marine invasive species in the Easter Tropical Pacific Region: an action plan for the future

The marine ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands harbor unique biological communities with a high incidence of endemic species. Galapagos is a UNESCO world heritage site, renowned for its high biodiversity and extraordinary... [ view full abstract ]

The marine ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands harbor unique biological communities with a high incidence of endemic species. Galapagos is a UNESCO world heritage site, renowned for its high biodiversity and extraordinary oceanographic features that provide a great variety of habitats in a unique environmental setting. Marine biological invasions have increased due to global trade, transport and tourism. The Galapagos Islands are under threat from marine non-native arrivals, given the connectivity that exists across the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), the increase in marine traffic and the effect of extreme climatic events such as the El Niño. The management strategies to tackle marine invasive species in Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) in the Pacific region have to be addressed in order to protect the marine biodiversity of the region. The number and impact of marine invasions are accelerating worldwide yet, most regions lack the rigorous data required to understand status and trends of invasions, how these are changing through time, and the effectiveness of management strategies to prevent new invasions and their associated impacts. The risk posed by non-native marine species already established in the GMR and the region, should not be under-underestimated, nor should the amount of crucial research needed to mitigate this risk.  This paper starts to quantify that risks present in the ETP region by describing the species that have been found in the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) and Cocos Island (Costa Rica) using different methodologies.