Rapid response to non-indigenous species. 2. Case studies of invasive tunicates in Prince Edward Island

The term “rapid response” refers to the steps taken upon the detection of a non-indigenous species and encompasses a range of possible actions ranging from eradication, management of population abundance or dispersal, to a decision against an active response. Rapid response to non-indigenous species in Canadian waters is in its infancy and has been carried out on ad hoc basis in the absence of formal rapid response plans. Even so, many of the essential elements of a rapid response plan were in fact implemented in the management of recent invasions of the non-indigenous tunicates Styela clava, Botryllus schlosseri, Botrylloides violaceus, and Ciona intestinalis in estuaries of Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada. In this second of a three-part series, we examine case studies of the PEI tunicate invasions, as a step in formulating a rapid response framework that can be used in Canadian waters to manage future invasions by nuisance or noxious species.