Risk screening of non-native freshwater fishes at the frontier between Asia and Europe: first application in Turkey of the fish invasiveness screening kit

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the invasive potential of introduced non-native and translocated fishes in Turkey (Anatolia and Thrace) by applying the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK), a risk identification tool for freshwater fishes. From independent evaluations by two assessors of 35 species, calibration of FISK for Turkey identified a threshold score of 23, which reliably distinguished between potentially invasive (high risk) and potentially noninvasive (medium to low risk) fishes for Anatolia (Asia) and Thrace (Europe). No species was categorized as 'low risk', 18 species were categorized as 'medium risk' and 17 as 'high risk' (two being 'moderately high risk', nine 'high risk', and six 'very high risk'). The highest scoring species was gibel carp Carassius gibelio, whereas the lowest scoring species was Caucasian dwarf goby Knipowitschia caucasica, a translocated species. Assessor certainty in their responses averaged overall between 'mostly uncertain' and 'mostly certain', with red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri and topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva achieving the lowest and highest certainty values, respectively, and with overall significant differences in certainty between assessors. The results of the present study indicate that FISK is a useful and viable tool for identifying potentially invasive non-native fishes in Turkey, a country characterized by natural biogeographical frontiers.U.S.

Introduction and establishment of tropical ornamental fish, Pterygoplichthys spp. (Actinopterygii: Siluriformes: Loricariidae) in hot springs: Aquarium trade as a potential risk for biodiversity in Turkey

“…Mendoza et al (2015) using risk screening tool for freshwater fi shes (Freshwater Invasiveness Screening Kit-FISK; Copp et al 2009) determined a high invasiveness potential for Pterygoplichthys species in Mexico. The same has been estimated for several European countries (Simonović et al 2013, Perdikaris et al 2016 and Turkey (Tarkan et al 2014). In those studies, high risk of invasiveness of this fi sh was associated with its advanced reproductive features, previous history of successful introductions, detrimental impacts to the recipient ecosystems, and its environmental versatility.…”

Natural and Non-natural distribution of African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in Turkey

“…For the 'Risk of Introduction' section of the "organism" module, African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, was attributed to the highest score, followed by Japanese clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) . Tarkan et al (2014) also assessed the invasive potential of introduced non-native and translocated fishes in Turkey (Anatolia and Thrace) by applying the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK), a risk identification tool for freshwater fishes that C. gariepinus was evaluated as translocated native invasive species with a mean value of calibration score 25.8, high risk species.…”

The Factors Increasing of Invasiveness Potential of Five Pufferfishes in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

“…AS-ISK and FISK v2 have been used successfully for the screening of non-native and translocated fish species in the freshwater systems (e.g. Tarkan et al, 2014;. Risk screening practices are part of risk assessment systems and used to estimate a potential invader colonizing into a new environment (Daehler et al, 2004).…”