Invasive Alien Species & Biosecurity
OBIS delivers early warning and monitoring for invasive threats that endanger biodiversity, fisheries, and national economies. By aggregating georeferenced occurrence data across ocean basins, OBIS provides the baseline needed to detect new introductions, reconstruct invasion histories, and assess risk at ports, shipping lanes, and aquaculture sites.
Supports: KMGBF Target 6, CBD, IPBES IAS Assessment, IMO Ballast Water Convention
Invasive marine algae in the Mediterranean was misidentified for decades — OBIS data helped confirm the true occurrence and distribution of the species.
Setting up an operational invasive species warning framework — PacMAN project
Implemented
The PacMAN (Pacific Monitoring and Assessment Network) project, co-developed with OBIS, built an operational biorisk monitoring framework for Pacific island ports. It combined real-time eDNA surveillance with OBIS baseline occurrence data to detect the presence of target invasive species, demonstrating a scalable model for biosecurity monitoring in Small Island Developing States.
Ballast water compliance monitoring
Potential use case
OBIS occurrence data can identify invasive species risk along shipping lanes and in port environments, providing the biodiversity baseline needed to assess compliance with the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and prioritise surveillance efforts.
Aquaculture biosecurity assessments
Ongoing
OBIS distribution records can be used to detect potential invasive hitchhikers on imported aquaculture stock, flagging species of concern before they are introduced to new environments.
Tourism hotspot screening
Potential use case
High-traffic marine areas — dive sites, snorkelling zones, and coastal resorts — can be systematically monitored for invasive introductions using OBIS baseline data, enabling early detection before populations become established.
