Zebra Mussels Invade Lough Bresk (Feb 2, 2010)
Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency confirmed that the Zebra Mussel, has been found for the first time at Lough Bresk, County Fermanagh. The first sighting in Northern Ireland was in 1994 at Lough Erne and they have since been reported in Lough Neagh. Zebra Mussel’s have significantly altered fish communities in Lough Erne and are a major risk to the future of some freshwater fisheries. Additional information is on the Invasive Alien Species, Most Unwanted site.

What Next for Biodiversity Protection in the EU (European Union)? (Jan 19, 2010)
European Commission.
The European Commission marked the opening of the International Year of Biodiversity with a paper setting out future options for biodiversity policy. Options for an EU vision and Target for Biodiversity Beyond 2010 (PDF | 51 KB), addresses major biodiversity policy gaps, including invasive species. Additional information is on the EU Biodiversity Policy Development site.

Alien Encounters
Herpetological Conservation Trust (United Kingdom). National Amphibian and Reptile Recording Scheme.
Have you seen alien amphibians or reptiles? Alien Encounters is a website for information on and reporting sightings of non-native amphibians and reptiles in the United Kingdom.

University of Leicester Research Paves Way for First Ever Use in Europe of an Insect to Fight Invasive Plant Species (Jul 30, 2009)
University of Leicester.
Researchers have extensively tested the use of the insect, a psyllid species Aphalara itadori, as a control for Japanese Knotweed. The United Kingdom Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Welsh Assembly Government are seeking views on the possible release of the insect at Consultation on the Possible Release of a Biocontrol Agent to Control Japanese Knotweed. The closing date for the consultation is Oct 19, 2009. If approved, this would be the first use of a non-native insect species to control a plant species in the UK and Europe.

Prepare for Invasion: Natural England Publishes New Forecast on the Non-Native Animals Threatening to Take Hold (May 22, 2009)
Natural England.
To mark International Biodiversity Day 2009, Natural England published a major report (Horizon Scanning for New Invasive Non-Native Animal Species in England) identifying the potential for a number of non-native animal species to increase in number in England and become invasive. Non-native species pose one of the biggest threats to England's natural biodiversity and ecosystems. Of 161 species evaluated, 84 were categorised as medium to high risk in terms of the likelihood of their becoming invasive and the disruption they could have on our natural environment and native wildlife.

Invasive Species: Will Europe At Last Unite To Combat Thousands Of Alien Invaders? (Apr 3, 2009)
ScienceDaily.
Recent evidence that Europe may be home to 11,000 alien species has spurred the European Commission to release its first ever Communication on invasive species. The Communication, which is currently open for consultation, proposes the development of a European Strategy on Invasive Species. It outlines three potential ways forward, each representing a different level of legislative cost and complexity.

£25m to Protect Precious Woodland and Landscapes from Disease (Mar 3, 2009)
United Kingdom Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
The fight against a deadly plant disease plaguing historic gardens, woodland and heathlands across England and Wales received a significant boost today as Environment Minister Jane Kennedy announced £25 million to help eradicate the disease. The new funding will support a five-year programme to manage and contain the risks of two plant diseases Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae from spreading further, following a scientific review and stakeholder consultation.

Invasions By Alien Plants Have Been Mapped In European Union (Jan 27, 2009)
ScienceDaily.
Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity and in many cases they have considerable impact on economy and human health. For their effective management it is important to understand which areas and ecosystems are at the highest risk of being invaded. The first map of the level of alien plant invasions in European Union was published in the Wiley-Blackwell journal Diversity and Distributions.

Handbook of Alien Species in Europe / (online version requires subscription) - Published 2009
Springer.com.
The Handbook of Alien Species in Europe summarizes the major findings of this groundbreaking research and addresses the invasion trends, pathways, and both economic as well as ecological impact for eight major taxonomic groups. Published under the auspices of the DAISIE (Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe) project, is the culmination of three years work by almost 200 scientists. It presents for the first time an up to date cross taxonomic assessment of the history, extent and impact of alien species in Europe.

Worm-eating Slug Found in Garden (Jul 10, 2008)
BBC News.
A "ghost" slug found in a garden in Cardiff has been declared a new species by specialists at the National Museum of Wales and Cardiff University. The origin of this slug, and its route into Britain, is completely unknown, and specimens have not been seen in Europe before this was discovered in Cardiff last year.

The Invasive Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for Great Britain: Protecting our Natural Heritage from Invasive Species (May 28, 2008) and Joint Nature Conservation Committee Response to Departmental Consultation (for draft document)
United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
A public consultation of the draft Strategy was launched Feb 28, 2007 through May 23, 2007. The Secretariat has collated and analysed the responses and these are contained in the Summary of Responses (Sep 2007; PDF | 219 KB).

Public Consultation on YOUR VOICE "Invasive Alien Species – A European Concern"
EUROPA. European Commission.
This internet consultation closed May 5, 2008. See the results of the consultation (May 29, 2008; PDF | 2.5 MB).
The consultation seeks the views of all stakeholders on the scale of IAS problems and how to address them most effectively at EU level. We welcome comments from all interested parties, including individual citizens, industry and consumer representatives, interest groups, the NGO community and other organisations. The results of this consultation will be used to inform the development of EU policy in the field of invasive alien species, the options for which will be presented in a Communication from the Commission at the end of 2008.