Carpet Sea Squirt in Loch Fyne

Carpet Sea Squirt (Didemnum vesillum, often referred to as Dvex) has been confirmed by Marine Scotland as present in Loch Fyne.

Carpet Sea Squirt is a non-native invasive species which has the potential to cause significant ecological and economic impacts. This species not only poses a serious risk to shellfish and to native species, it also causes significant biofouling of certain structures, vessel hulls, aquaculture and other equipment, docks, moorings and ropes. Dealing with such fouling can be extremely costly to marine industries: monitoring its presence and taking measures to prevent the spread of the species is therefore vital.

Carpet Seas Squirt is a UK Alert Species and as such Marine Scotland and its partners (SEPA and SNH) are responding to findings of the species in Scottish waters.

Please therefore ask people in your organisation, your customers and any visiting vessels to be vigilant and report any findings. Suspected findings can be reported to Scottish Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) on 0845-230 2050, email info@sears.gov.uk.

To help increase awareness and assist in identification, you can use the following links and posters, identification information and biosecurity documents for different marine users which will be relevant to your organisation or to other marine users.

 Invasive sea-squirt poster Didemnum vexillum wanted poster (Scotland)

 Didemnum vexillum identification sheet https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/downloadDocument.cfm?id=364

 Marine Biosecurity Planning Guidance https://www.snh.scot/sites/default/files/2017-06/A1294630.pdf

 Jetties and moorings – Biosecurity guidance for submerged structures

 Recreation water users info – Check Clean Dry

 Recreation water user poster – http://www.nonnativespecies.org/checkcleandry/documents/check-clean-dry-poster.pdf