Fish Introductions in Europe with Particular Reference to its Central and Eastern Part

Abstract

At least 134 exotic and/or translocated fish species belonging to 34 families which were introduced to 29 of 33 European countries are documented. These include 35 species of Cyprinidae (introduced to 28 countries), 17 Salmonidae (28), 11 Coregonidae (12), 10 Cichlidae (8), six Centrarchidae (23), five Acipenseridae (8), four Ictaluridae (18), four Poeciliidae (11), four Percidae (9), four Mugilidae (1), three Catostomidae (6), three Gasterosteidae (5), two Anguillidae (3), two Atherinidae (2), two Clariidae (4), two Gobiidae (2), two Umbridae (6), two Pleuronectidae (1), two Thymallidae (3) and one species each of Anabantidae (1), Channidae (2), Clupeidae (1), Cobitidae 91), Eleotridae (1), Engraulidae (1), Esocidae (3), Mullidae (1), Osmeridae (1), Percichthyidae (1), Petromyzontidae (1), Polyodontidae (2), Siluridae (5), and Syngnathidae (1). True exotic species amount to 74 species/forms belonging to 21 families, of which 11 families are exotic for Europe. The remaining 60 species (21 families), are native in Europe and were translocated among various watersheds and/or countries. Most species were intentionally released since 1945 to enhance sport, commercial and subsistence fisheries, for fish farming and aquaculture, and for purposes such as mosquito, macrophytes and algal bloom control. Poor success was registered in most cases, along with adverse or unexpected effects on native fishes and their habitat.