A review on pathways and drivers of use regarding non-native freshwater fish introductions in the Mediterranean region

The Mediterranean region is considered one of the six global invasion hotspots, with non-native freshwater fishes representing more than a quarter of all fish species in drainage basins. Existing literature is reviewed to identify the main pathways and drivers of non-native fish introductions. In the Mediterranean region, non-native fishes were introduced through aquaculture and stocking activities for commercial and angling purposes. Introductions doubled from the 1950s, involving mostly Perciformes and Cypriniformes, with species coming from other parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Some differences between the northern and the south-eastern areas of the Mediterranean region were found, although data from the latter area were scanty. Greater effort should be exerted to improve controls on aquaculture and stocking activities, as well as public awareness of the risks posed by non-native species introductions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.