COREAN WORMS ARE INVADING AZORES

In an interview to Correio dos Açores, Joana Micael talks about a potential alien species which can threaten the Azorean coast: the corean marine worm. These animals, which are being sold as bait, end up invading the ocean. In this process, there are two relevant issues to bare in mind: firstly, these animals are being sold for only 20 cents each, making them a very attractive alternative for those fishermen who are used to catch autochthone worms that are hard to find and to catch; secondly, these is a highly predatory species, which necessarily unbalances the native ecosystem. The main concern in this regards is not the use of the worms in fisheries, but rather the release of the left overs that are still alive to the sea, as this gives them a chance to reproduce and conquer a new territory. Overall, there are two possible solutions for these problems that may reduce the probability of spreading the exotic worms: a) avoiding the release of living worms to the sea; and b) creating regional worms in captivity.

To read the full interview, please click in the link below

Minhocas da Coreia compradas a vinte cêntimos em São Miguel são um perigo para o meio marinho micaelense | Correio dos Açores | Feb 19, 2015