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Aquaculture » Alien species risk assessments
In recent years, the global implications of alien introductions on biodiversity have started to take centre stage in environmental debates, and governments around the globe have introduced, or are in the process of introducing, legislation to regulate the importation of alien species. In South Africa the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA, Act 10 of 2004) and associated regulations legislates the conditions under which alien species can be imported into South Africa. Species introductions are controlled through an import permit process. Prior to being granted an import permit, a novel alien species must undergo a risk assessment process to determine the impact that the introduction would have on existing fauna and flora. In terms of the aquatic environment, the aquaculture sector, while historically relying on the importation of alien species to support much of their development, now needs to conform to the new regulatory dispensation. The company's background in aquaculture and freshwater and marine ecology provides a suitable skills set to undertake these risk assessments. While the legislation has only recently been promulgated, the company has already undertaken risk assessments for the introduction of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) into the Eastern Cape, and the introduction of the Barramundi (Lates calcarifer).
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