Potential Invasiveness of Devil Firefish Pterois miles (Bennett 1828) in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

Abstract

Abstract Devil firefish Pterois miles is an invasive alien species which has severely impacted biodiversity and ecological processes in invaded areas of the Mediterranean. In recent years, its presence has been documented in several countries of the Adriatic Sea. Based on the negative ecological and socio-economic impacts in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the potential invasiveness of devil firefish was analyzed for the coastal areas of the three eastern Adriatic countries (Albania, Croatia and Montenegro) using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit. Generally, based on the average value of the Basic Risk Assessment and the threshold used, the outcomes suggest that this species will be highly invasive in the eastern Adriatic countries. In addition, the results have shown that the most affected sector is represented by the local species populations and relative characteristics, while commercial sectors represent the least affected sector. However, considering that the negative impact of non-native species is not seen directly, the governments of these countries should address this issue as soon as possible.