Risk Assessment of Introduced Species in the Aquaculture Areas of Pampanga, Philippines | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 21, Volume 29, Issue 3, May and June 2025, Page 311-324 PDF (323.67 K) | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.426853 | ||||
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| Author | ||||
| Divine Aquino | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The intentional and unintentional introduction of new species can have significant ecological, social, and economic impacts at national, regional, and global scales. Due to the limited and scarce data on the impact of introduced species in the Philippines, this study was conducted to monitor, manage, and better understand the invasion strategies of these species. A total of six (6) species were assessed for potential invasiveness using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK). Based on the outcomes of the Basic Risk Assessment (BRA) and BRA plus Climate Change Assessment (BRA+CCA) thresholds, all species were classified as “high risk” (score >30) for potential invasion. These species include the Thai catfish (Clarias batrachus), mudfish (Channa striata), softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis), janitor fish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus), Rice eel (Monopterus albus), and blackchin tilapia (Sarotherodon melanotheron). Of the six species, four—Clarias batrachus, Channa striata, Pelodiscus sinensis, and Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus—were found to pose a high risk in both freshwater and brackish water areas of Pampanga. Monopterus albus was found to be a high-risk species in freshwater areas only, while Sarotherodon melanotheron posed a high risk in brackish water areas. This study successfully identified potentially invasive aquatic species in the aquaculture areas of Pampanga. The findings can be used to guide effective policy-making and informed decision-making for invasive species management. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Risk assessment; Aquatic species Invasiveness screening kit (AS-ISK); Introduced species; Impact | ||||
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