Patterns of biological invasions are influenced and shaped by trends in human activities, including the trade of biota, which facilitates the spread of species and accelerates the rate of introduction of non-indigenous species into new environments. The aquarium trade moves thousands of species around the globe, and unwanted organisms may be released into aquatic systems, with adverse ecological and economic effects. A questionnaire delivered to the Icelandic aquarium stores identified a total of 1,275 marine species available to aquarium hobbyists, of which 134 have been introduced elsewhere, and seven of them being reported in the literature as invasive. While there may not be a strict climate match between the source and receptor environments of these species, this does not preclude the possibility of some of them proliferating along the coast of Iceland. Additionally, 73 species are considered Vulnerable, Near Threatened or Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Although Iceland has regulatory legislation on the importation of pets, including ornamental fish and aquatic animals, no information is currently collected by customs offices on aquarium species being traded. Management strategies, starting from gathering information on aquarium trade and educational campaigns aiming to avoid the release of unwanted live organisms into the environment, are urgent. |
