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Optimizing the impacts of an invasive species on the threatened endemic biota of a remote RAMSAR site: Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea

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Abstract

Sometime between 2010 and 2012, Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) invaded the remote Lake Kutubu, in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, apparently as a result of flooded aquaculture ponds. The subsequent burgeoning population of Tilapia has had apparent impacts on the RAMSAR-listed lakes’ ecology, but paradoxically may be benefiting endemic fish and crustaceans in the lake that have been under severe threat of extinction due to sustenance overfishing. Here, we explore options for eradicating or adaptively managing the invasive Tilapia population, and conclude that it is logistically and socially feasible to use low-risk genetic (chromosomal) technology to establish a non-self-sustaining population in the lake as an alternative protein source for local communities that causes minimal environmental damage while reducing exploitation rates on endemic taxa that have already driven at least three to apparent extinction.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Oil Search for initiating these studies, particularly Megan Christensen, General Manager Stakeholder Engagement and Social Responsibility, the Oil Search personnel who organised and participated in the various meetings and visits, particularly Keron Kilip, Cornelius Soagai, Paul Sapake, James Pambori, Cassander Garong and Max Haro, and the staff of the NFA for assisting with the visits to the hatcheries, particularly Lina Pandihau and Billy Kerowa. We also gratefully acknowledge the active engagement of the stakeholder representatives from CEPA, particularly Fabian Taimbari, the NFA, particularly Gideon Pama and Lina Pandihau, and the most importantly the WMA committee, particularly the chairman Lawrence Kage, at the stakeholder meetings. The study simply would not have been possible without that support and interest from all involved in progressing these concepts for Tilapia management.

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  1. SF Tech, 50 Bramble Street, Ridgeway, TAS, 7053, Australia

    Ronald E. Thresher

  2. Hydrobiology, 27/43 Lang Parade, Milton, QLD, 4066, Australia

    Ross Smith & Justin Cutajar

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  1. Ronald E. Thresher
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Correspondence to Ronald E. Thresher.

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Thresher, R.E., Smith, R. & Cutajar, J. Optimizing the impacts of an invasive species on the threatened endemic biota of a remote RAMSAR site: Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea. Biol Invasions 22, 2661–2670 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-020-02289-3

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