Report prepared for the Experts Meeting Towards the Implementation of a Global Invasive Species
Information Network (GISIN), 6-8 April, 2004. Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Page 42
8/30/2004
Online Alien Species Database:
Experience of Regional
Cooperation in the Baltic Sea
Area
Sergej Olenin, Chief Scientist, Coastal Research
and Planning Institute, Klaipeda University, H.
Manto 84, Klaipeda, 5808 Lithuania
Abstract
Well-established international co-
operation is a prerequisite of any regional
initiative, especially in the field of environmental
protection. Invasion of alien species is a global
problem, which by definition requires
international interaction. This paper presents an
overview of the successful regional cooperation
in the Baltic Sea area, which comprises nine
countries with different cultural and political
traditions.
In 1994, the Baltic Marine Biologists
(BMB), a scientific non-government
organization, established a new Working Group
on Non-indigenous Estuarine and Marine
Organisms (WG NEMO). In 1997 the BMB WG
NEMO created the first version of the online
Alien Species Directory. In 2000, with support
from the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the
intergovernmental commission for the protection
of the Baltic Sea environment, a new concept of
the online database was developed. Now, the
online Baltic Sea Alien Species Database is an
interactive tool, which includes several
information retrieving options. The next step
includes development of schemas for
continuous updating and fast dissemination of
information. The Baltic Database is seen as a
regional node in a future global information
system on invasive species. The experience of
the Baltic international co-operation may be
applied in the implementation of GISIN tasks.
Introduction
The Baltic Sea Alien Species Database
(
contains information from the Baltic Sea
region, which consists of nine countries with
very different historical and political
infrastructural backgrounds. The Baltic Sea
is a well-studied area and aquatic invasive
species were incorporated as a component
of the political environmental policy agenda
in the mid 1990s. Prior to the 1990s, aquatic
invasive species were not recognized as a
problem.
Initially, the geographic focus of the
project was restricted to the Baltic
Sea, but now it goes beyond this and
serves as a regional node in the
global information system on
biological invasions (i.e. GISIN).
Just over ten years ago, regional
cooperation on this issue was established
through a research network. It was very
quickly decided that a database was
needed to meet the goals of providing: a
qualified reference system on aquatic alien
species for the Baltic Sea area; up to date
information on alien species biology,
introduction vectors, spread, and
environmental and economic impact; and to
encourage the exchange of data among
different geographical regions. Initially, the
geographic focus of the project was
restricted to the Baltic Sea, but now it goes
beyond this and serves as a regional node
in the global information system on
biological invasions (i.e. GISIN).
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