Over the winter, the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands marine non-native species project has been focused on completing the final remaining outputs and data analysis and interpretation. All the data and information collected over the past 11 months is being pulled together to draw useful conclusions and recommendations for marine biosecurity for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The project has also completed a second experiment to look at the physiological responses of a non-native species in winter sea water temperatures and worked with stakeholders to better understanding the constraints and opportunities for marine biosecurity in the region. Furthermore, the project was presented at the Open Science Conference in Pucón, Chile, organised by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research.
Experiment
In February 2023, the project set up and ran an experiment to look at the survival of a high priority non-native species during a transit over the polar front in summer, simulating the temperature change that would be experienced if attached to the hull of a vessel. In August, we repeated this experiment, but this time simulating the harsher winter conditions to see if this would have any impact on the response of the species. With assistance from Tobias Büring and support from local company Fortuna, the experiment was set up in a refrigerated container in Stanley. The temperature was dropped over five days, from winter sea temperatures in the Falklands to sea temperatures in South Georgia. Over the course of the experiment, the physiological response of the non-native species, the vase tunicate, was measured. Completing the experiment was made even more challenging by the arrival of snowy conditions!
Stakeholder perspectives for marine biosecurity measures
Policy and management measures are much more effective where there is good stakeholder engagement and buy-in. To complement the review of biofouling management policies that had been completed earlier in the project, a workshop was organised to collect stakeholder ideas and perspectives on how feasible different types of measures were for sectors & organisations operating in the region. The workshop was held in person and online, with participants from government, research and tourism sectors. The workshop was well attended, with valuable input and discussions from participants.
A trip to Pucón
Supported by additional funding from the Shackleton Scholarship Fund and the John Cheek Trust, I travelled to Pucón, Chile, to present the findings of the project at the Open Science Conference, organised by the Scientific Committee of Antarctic Research (SCAR). Under the snowcapped Villarica Volcano, researchers from around the globe working in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica gathered to share knowledge, with subjects spanning from the impacts of climate change to the health implications of working in Antarctica.
Thank you
Our thanks go to all stakeholders who have facilitated data collection and took part in the workshop, the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the Shackleton Scholarship Fund, and the John Cheek Trust for their support with the work over the past few months.
