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NEW ALERT 29 Nov

Killer Shrimp

Invasive species of shrimp found in Wales for the first time

 

Environment Agency Wales has confirmed that an invasive species of predatory shrimp is inhabiting waters at various locations across south Wales.

 

Dikerogammarus villosus, dubbed the killer shrimp by biologists for its appetite for native species like shrimp, young fish and insect larvae, can alter the ecology of the habitats it invades.

 

It has been confirmed at Cardiff Bay and Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir in Port Talbot.  The non-native species was found by Cardiff Harbour Authority as part of their Environmental Monitoring programme and later confirmed by Environment Agency Wales at Eglwys Nunydd.

 

Originally from the steppe region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea it is believed to have invaded Western Europe via the Danube / Rhine Canal.  The only other confirmed sighting in the UK is at Grafham Water Reservoir in Cambridgeshire in September this year.  It is not yet known how the species arrived in the waters of south Wales.

 

The Welsh Assembly Government has set up an all Wales group to address the situation, and includes Environment Agency Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales, Cardiff Harbour Authority and the owners of Eglwys Nunydd. The Group is working collaboratively to monitor and contain the species as much as possible.

 

The advice from the Group is that anyone who uses these waters must take steps to prevent the species from spreading. Simple things like cleaning and drying equipment thoroughly after use and checking equipment when leaving the water are vital.

 

Further advice for water users in Cardiff Bay can be found at www.cardiffharbour.com.

 

Chris Mills, Director, Environment Agency Wales, said:

 

“Despite the fearsome name, these are not a threat to people, but the damage they can cause to our environment here in Wales is a very real danger.

 

“Because of what they eat and the rate that they eat it, it can alter the food chain and our ecosystem by increasing the competition for food and the native species that rely on the insects could go elsewhere.

 

“We will continue with our monitoring work across Wales to identify any other water recreation spots where they could be to see how widespread the problem has become.”

 

 

From EA:-

Invasive shrimp found at Grafham Water

The gammarid shrimp, Dikerogammarus villosus, common name ‘killer shrimp’, has been found at Grafham Water, an Anglian Water reservoir in Cambridgeshire.

This is the first time the shrimp, which is classified as an invasive species, has been found in this country.

Two keen-eyed anglers spotted the unusual shrimp, which can be as small as 3mm, on Friday 3 September and sent samples to the Environment Agency for identification. Once the shrimp was identified as possibly being Dikerogammarus villosus, the Environment Agency worked quickly with Anglian Water to put precautionary biosecurity measures in place.

The shrimp has already colonised parts of Western Europe, affecting a range of native species such as freshwater invertebrates, particularly native shrimps and even very young fish, altering the ecology of the habitats it invades. Insects such as damselflies and water boatmen, common sights on British lakes and rivers, could be at risk, with knock-on effects on the species which feed on them.

An expert in Holland conclusively identified the species today (Thursday).

Defra Minister, Richard Benyon: ‘I am extremely concerned to hear that this highly invasive species has been found in Britain.  Anglian Water has acted quickly to put biosecurity measures in place and the Environment Agency is working hard to establish the extent of the problem and what action may need to be taken.  We need to do everything we can to protect our native wildlife and young fish from the potential damage the killer shrimp can cause.’

Dr Geoff Brighty from the Environment Agency said: ‘We are devastated that this shrimp has been found in Britain, and very grateful to the keen-eyed anglers who found it. We are currently establishing the degree of the problem, and whether the shrimp is only in Grafham Water or if it is in nearby lakes and the Great Ouse as well.’

Ciaran Nelson from Anglian Water said: ‘We have put precautionary biosecurity measures in place around Grafham Water as containing the shrimp is of paramount importance. We are also assisting with investigations to establish if it is already more widespread. Subject to these controls, recreational activities on the reservoir can continue.

‘We are asking all water users at Grafham to take the actions asked of them on-site. This includes checking their equipment for shrimp when they leave the water and removing any that they find. They should also ensure their equipment is thoroughly cleaned and dried before it is put into any other water.’ 

Expert biologists are currently testing water entering and leaving Grafham to see if the shrimp can be found in it. The results from this will indicate how widespread the problem might be and what measures need to be taken.

The shrimp could have arrived at Grafham in a variety of ways, including boating, angling, fish-stocking or naturally via birds.

Water users from Grafham wanting more information on the measures they should take can contact Anglian Water on: 08457 91 91 55 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              08457 91 91 55      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or via www.anglianwater.co.uk

If you think you have seen an unusual shrimp, please email a photograph to alert_nonnative@ceh.ac.uk for identification.

Notes for editors

Grafham Water is a storage reservoir for water which is then treated and used as drinking water. The shrimp poses absolutely no risk to drinking water supplies.

Dikerogammarus villosus is an invasive non-native shrimp that has spread from the Ponto-Caspian Region of Eastern Europe. It is believed to have invaded Western Europe via the Danube. It has spread across most of Western Europe over the last 10 years. It is 30mm long, much larger than our native freshwater shrimp. It often has striped or spotted markings

The shrimp is a voracious predator (hence common name of ‘killer shrimp’). It kills a range of native species, such as freshwater invertebrates, particularly native shrimps and even young fish. This alters the ecology of the habitats it invades. It often kills its prey and leaves it uneaten. It tends to dominate the habitats it invades, sometimes causing the extinction of native species.

See also Dikerogammarus villosus