HAZARD ANALYSIS OF EXOTIC PATHOGENS OF POTENTIAL THREAT TO EUROPEAN FRESHWATER CRAYFISH.

Abstract

Managers, scientists, fishermen and farmers who work with freshwater crayfish understand clearly the severe affects that the introduction of an exotic pathogen can have on freshwater crayfish populations. This acute awareness is due to the severe impact on native European freshwater crayfish of the introduction of crayfish plague fungus Aphanomyces astaci. This issue has been thoroughly covered in previous reviews. The potential impact of other pathogens on European freshwater crayfish has not been addressed. This paper presents a hazard analysis of pathogens of freshwater crayfish exotic to Europe, which is the first step of import risk analysis.