NNSS: The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain
(2007)
JNCC Consultation 0700
JNCC's completion of the recieved Consultation Response Form also consists of a short summary and general points prior to the filled in form itself.
Summary of key points
As well as responding to the consultation questions, the JNCC
would like to emphasise the following key general points:
1. Funding for
implementing the Strategy and for dealing rapidly with
newly-arrived problem species should be identified as a distinct
funding stream to improve the delivery of the work and
accountability of the budget.
2. In the absence
of a biosecurity agency (that would bring together all aspects of
dealing with non-native species and diseases under the leadership
of one organisation), the membership of the Non-native Species
Programme Board needs to become more representative of the key
sectors concerned, notably the non-governmental organisations and
commercial interests as well as stronger links with those
responsible for dealing with diseases. When much of the
Strategy is to be delivered by partnerships with these bodies
(outside government) it is essential to involve them with the
planning and decision-taking at the highest level (the Programme
Board).
3. A mechanism for
resolving any disputes or conflicts of approach between countries
or regions needs to be established to ensure that the devolved and
delegated way of working has embedded within it a means of ensuring
consistency and joint working at all levels.
The following specific points have also been identified when
preparing the consultation response; these relate more directly to
biodiversity conservation issues that are the special concern of
the JNCC.
1. Non-native
species issues in relation to climate change need to be clarified
so that decisions are informed by an understanding of the effects
of climate change without displacing concerns about addressing the
adverse impacts of non-native species.
2. Economic
impacts and issues (problems of costing the impacts on human
interests and biodiversity) require more work to give a realistic
appreciation of the consequences of the arrival and spread of
non-native species that can be clearly understood by policy makers
and decision takers. While these economic aspects are of much
wider concern than for biodiversity conservation alone, placing
biodiversity within a framework for assessing economic impacts is
important to understanding the full economic costs of non-native
species. This is particularly the case for investigating the
impacts of non-native species on ecosystem services.
3. Biodiversity
impacts of non-native species need to be better understood and
responded to in GB. While the impacts may be known in general
terms, the effects of non-native species upon different ecosystems
and their constituent assemblages need to be quantified and
assessed for at least some case examples.
4. More emphasis
should be given to dealing effectively with non-native species in
freshwater and marine ecosystems. This could be addressed in
the first instance by establishing working groups to report to the
Non-native Species Programme Board that would have responsibility
for developing work programmes in these areas to implement the
Strategy.
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Please cite as: JNCC Consultation 0700, (2007), NNSS: The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain, Submission by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee