Pacific Islands Marine Bioinvasions Alert Network (PacMAN)

PacMAN was a three-year project focusing on invasive non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Pacific Island region. According to the IPBES global assessment, one million species are on the verge of extinction, and the introduction of NIS to new environments was one of the five key drivers impacting biodiversity. The Small Island Developing States (SIDS, often ‘large ocean states’) are especially vulnerable under the current expansion of maritime activities. Ship’s ballast water and biofouling, as well as the increasing trend of new marine infrastructures following the development of the blue economy, are a major cause for the acceleration of the spread of invasive species.

The PacMAN project used the latest technologies in genomics and metabarcoding to detect marine invasive species. The scientific knowledge, tools, and services directly support the development and implementation of national strategic action plans for the control and management of ships’ biofouling. PacMAN increased the technical and scientific capacity in Pacific islands, for the early warning and detection of marine invasive species using international standards and best practices, and application of novel technologies. It provided information to implement national and international policies with the purpose of reducing and preventing the introduction of new invasive species into the marine environment.

The project developed the national Bioinvasive monitoring plan for Fiji. The year 2022 marked the completion of most of the protocol for sampling, sample preparation, DNA extraction, and standardization. The protocol for metabarcoding and rapid detection of invasive species had also been refined to increase the monitoring capacity.