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A review of freshwater fish introductions to the Guangdong province, China

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posted on 2020-02-27, 15:00 authored by Hui Wei, Yinchang Hu, Shan Li, Fangcan Chen, Du Luo, Dangen Gu, Meng Xu, Xidong Mu, Yexin Yang

In the last few decades, non-native freshwater fishes have been introduced all over the world for economic purposes, including aquaculture and aquarium trade, as well as improvement for wild stocks resulting in adverse environmental and socio-economic effects. The Guangdong province of China is at a high risk of fish invasions owing to its warm and humid climate, abundance of water courses, flourishing aquaculture and ornamental fish trade, and extensive sea ports. A total of 160 non-native freshwater species were introduced in the Guangdong province and 71.9% of them were imported for aquarium purposes. Fourteen species have established self-sustaining populations and 21 species were found in the main river basin of the Guangdong province. Propagule pressure, rapid evolution and abundant resources in the environment were the factors likely to contribute to successful invasion by non-native fishes. The invasion of non-native fishes in the Guangdong province has already resulted in economic losses, decline of native species, as well as negative impacts on the functional diversity of native fish assemblages. To mitigate these effects and prevent future non-native fish invasions, scientists, policy makers and stakeholders should collaborate on the management of non-native fish introductions by developing risk assessments, statutory regulations, public education and scientific research.

Funding

This work was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2017A030310669 and 2016A030313145), Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, CAFS (NO. 2018GH11) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31700473).

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