Invasive non-native species

Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) is a species that has been intentionally or unintentionally introduced to a new environment through human activity and has established itself beyond its original introduction site. INNS are characterised by their ability to spread rapidly and can cause significant ecological damage; they can outcompete, predate on, or introduce disease to native plants and animals, often leading to biodiversity loss.

One such INNS is the Slipper Limpet (Crepidula fornicata). It was accidentally introduced to the UK from North America in the 19th century and is now widespread in the south. They have not been seen in Scotland until a sighting was recorded in the inner Moray Firth by NatureScot in 2024.

We have been working with Moray Ocean Community and their volunteers to create a citizen science monitoring programme to map the distribution. We have developed a survey protocol specifically for the inner Moray Firth, enabling volunteers to record both presence and absence data. The methodology has been developed to ensure compatibility with NatureScot’s database Marine Recorder, allowing data collected by volunteers to contribute directly to Scotland's national marine biodiversity records. Our aspirations are to further develop this project building the capacity to monitor the biodiversity changes in the areas where the slipper limpets are flourishing.