Detection of invasive species

Marine invasive species incursions can cause significant ongoing damage to marine environments, aquaculture, biodiversity, infrastructure, and social amenity. They represent a significant and ongoing economic burden. Marine pests can be introduced by several vectors, including aquaculture, aquarium trading, commercial shipping, fishing, floating debris, mining activities, and recreational boating. Despite the inherent risks, there is currently relatively little routine surveillance of marine pest species conducted in the majority of countries worldwide. Accurate and rapid identification of marine pest species is central to early detection and management. Traditional techniques (e.g., physical sampling and sorting) have limitations, which has motivated recent progress towards the development of molecular surveillance tools. This chapter highlights the importance of effective sampling and Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction strategies and describes developments in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based and ecogenomic methods for the detection and surveillance of marine invasive species. Recent advances provide a platform for the development of practical, specific, sensitive, and rapid diagnosis and surveillance tools for marine invasive species for use in effective prevention and control strategies