INVASAQUA

Aquatic Invasive Alien Species of Freshwater and Estuarine Systems: Awareness and Prevention in the Iberian Peninsula
Acronym: 
INVASAQUA
Reference: 
LIFE17 GIE/ES/000515
Start year: 
2018
End year: 
2023
Type of project: 
International
Principal investigator: 
Universidade de Murcia
MARE coordination: 
Pedro Anastácio, Filipe Ribeiro
Participating Institutions: 
Universidade de Murcia, SIBIC, ASPEA, IUCN, Universidade de Navarra, Universidade de Évora, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, EFE verde, Museo Nacional de Ciências Naturales
Funding entity: 
LIFE Programme
State: 
Ongoing
Abstract: 

The Portuguese and Spanish societies have very limited understanding about the threats posed by Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in aquatic ecosystems. This lack of awareness about IAS problems hampers any management policy proposed by public administration and stakeholders, contributing to missing IAS management strategy in both countries. Surprisingly, data on aquatic invasions and impacts are available and complete, lacking of key information to improve awareness and management. LIFE INVASAQUA will run between 2018 and 2023 in the Iberian Peninsula. The main goal of INVASQUA is to increase Iberian public and stakeholders awareness for IAS problems in aquatic ecosystems and to develop tools that will improve an efficient Early Warning and Rapid Response (EWRR) framework for new IAS in freshwater and estuarine habitats. Specific objectives are to 1) Support the EU Reg. implementation on IAS by engaging and creating synergies between knowledge building and management stakeholders at the Peninsula scale. 2) Improve Iberian capacity for early detection and rapid response (EWRR) by increasing awareness and training key target groups. 3) Raise general public awareness about the threats caused by aquatic IAS.