ALIENS IN ALBANIA —WHICH, WHEN, WHERE, WHY?

Ina NASTO, Denada SOTA, Brunilda VASHAJ, Anxhela KAMBERAJ, Kristiana LUSHNJARI, Melisa ISLAMAJ, Kristjan KOÇO, Marjel MAHMUTAJ, Hajdar KIÇAJ

Abstract

The Albanian part of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea covers almost 316K of coasts, about 40% of the Albanian territory. This means that monitoring for changes in marine ecosystems and conserving biodiversity are of great importance. The invasion of the Mediterranean seas by alien species and the extension of the distribution area of some species in other sub-regions forces the need for constant monitoring of the non-indigenous marine fauna of Albania. This paper provides a list of species introduced into Albanian waters in recent years. A total of 54 species were reported from 1978 until 2023 in the waters of the Ionian and Adriatic of Albania. Among these: Foraminifera 2; Algae 7 species; Mollusca 17; Annelid 2; Arthopoda 5; bryozoa 2; Tunicata 3 and Vertebrata 16. Most of these species are thermophilic species with origins from the Suez Canal. The main factors in the transport and distribution of these species are related to sea routes and the presence of aquaculture. The greatest number of species reported is in two of the major ports of Albania: the ports of Durres and Vlora Bay.

Pages: 523 - 534