Introduction

The introduction of aquatic invasive species has been identified by scientists and policy makers as a major threat to the biodiversity in marine ecosystems. The control of aquatic invasive species is still in its infancy, and the prevention of introduction and establishment must be a priority.

Unfortunately, many populations of aquatic invasive species have already been established along the Pacific Coast of North America. Most prominently, these have been seen along the San Francisco Bay area of California for decades.

In 1998, to address the issue, a multinational group of 25 scientists and attorneys convened to examine options for controlling already established populations of aquatic invasive species. The resultant framework designed to control these species consists of 7 basic steps.

The first step is to "establish the nature and magnitude of the problem".

In this study we will examine the distribution of 5 aquatic invasive species along the Pacific Coast in North America. Our objective is to determine whether or not these species have been expanding, and to interpret the most favorable locations for the growth and propagation of the species.

Abstract

This study is a two-part project that analyzes the growth of aquatic invasive species on the Pacific Coast. Five invasive species were selected for their level of threat, rate of growth and potential to propagate into the British Columbian coast. These are Styela clava, Ciona savignyi, Didemnum sp. A, Carcinus Maenas, and Eriocheir sinesis.

The first part is a historical, empirical analysis that records observational data from referenced, published sources and attempts to interpret a growth pattern over the years of observation. The second part involves analyzing various factors believed to have an impact on where the aquatic invasive species can be established.

Analytical results may imply that British Columbia has highly favorable conditions to harbor many of these species, and a particularly high risk area in the Lower Mainland / Vancouver Island region due to its high concentration of high-traffic ports, marine biological productivity, relatively warmer waters and presence of freshwater mixing to support certain species.

Empirical results have also shown that observations for all of the species in this study have been expanding northward over the past 20 years