Guidelines for economic impact assessment of NIS in the Adriatic region
08/06/2026
Protecting our seas is both an environmental priority and an economic necessity. Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) pose a massive threat to our Blue Economy, with global biological invasions costing an estimated $423 billion annually. Because marine impacts are notoriously difficult to detect, they are often dangerously underestimated.
To tackle this challenge, our Guidelines for economic impact assessment of NIS in the Adriatic region introduces a structured assessment for the Adriatic region based on the “One Biosecurity” concept, which bridges environmental, animal, and human health:
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Risk Identification: Utilizing the SEICAT methodology to classify how alien species impact socio-economic activities and human well-being.
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Damage Quantification: Leveraging the InvaCost database to estimate precise monetary losses in critical sectors like fisheries and aquaculture.
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Targeted Local Action: Providing actionable institutional data on high-risk local species, such as the toxic algae Ostreopsis cf. ovata and the sea walnut Mnemiopsis leidyi.
Read the full report available in the Library section.
