Strengthening the Science-Policy Interface for Marine Biosecurity: Insights from Transatlantic Non-indigenous species Frameworks

Résumé fourni par la source

Marine non-indigenous species (NIS) are a major driver of ecological change in coastal and marine ecosystems, affecting biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and maritime economies. Effective governance and monitoring frameworks are therefore essential to support prevention, early detection and management of biological invasions. However, regulatory approaches and assessment methods differ considerably across regions, which can limit comparability of environmental evaluations and hinder coordinated responses to marine biosecurity challenges. Understanding how policy frameworks address NIS and how ecological indicators are applied is therefore essential for strengthening the science-policy interface in marine biodiversity management. This study presents a comparative analysis of policy frameworks and ecological indicators related to marine NIS across European and North American governance systems. A systematic review of legislation, policy documents and scientific literature was conducted, covering European Union regulatory instruments such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, regional agreements developed within the OSPAR Commission, national marine strategies, and North American regulatory frameworks including those implemented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The analysis focused on how NIS are defined within policy contexts, the types of ecological indicators used to assess environmental status, and the governance structures responsible for implementation. In parallel, the study examined ecological indicators and indices that incorporate NIS, including metrics based on species presence, abundance and documented ecological impacts. These indicators were evaluated in terms of their methodological approaches, ecological relevance, and spatial and temporal applicability within existing monitoring frameworks. The results highlight both convergences and gaps in current governance and monitoring approaches. By combining policy analysis with a review of existing ecological indicators, this work supports the development of improved tools for assessing marine biological invasions. The findings provide a basis for the future development of robust NIS indicators applicable to the North Atlantic and potentially transferable to other marine regions.

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