Global Ship Traffic Could Imperil the Antarctic's Biosecurity

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Vessels from more than 1,500 ports have visited the region since 2014. Each one is a threat to introduce invasive species.

, the polar zone could become more agreeable for various species that would otherwise simply die in the cold. Competition from new species would add stress on many Antarctic species that are vulnerable to warming temperatures anyway, McCarthy said. Further, the naturally warmer parts of the area—the Antarctic Peninsula, for instance—are already the places where ships go more often , and they’re warming faster than the rest of the region.

These potential marine invasive species also pose an economic threat. There are two main industries that operate in the Antarctic: fishing and tourism. It’s mostly unknown how much invasive species would impact them, McCarthy said. But invasive species can come with pathogens that could kill fish and/or krill, hurting those businesses. If penguins were also impacted, directly or indirectly, tourism could also see a hit.

There are already some biosecurity measures protecting the Antarctic from invasion, but there's room for improvement. The area is governed through the Antarctic Treaty system, which includes more than 50 nations that have agreed to try to keep the zone free of nonnative species. But, McCarthy said, there aren’t many regulations about the fouling of ships' hulls.

Knowing where ships went and what critters they may have come into contact with prior to entering the Antarctic may aid in biosecurity, she said. The team also identified ports where biosecurity measures could be implemented to get the best results and various hot spots within the Antarctic where monitoring programs should be established.

 

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