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<p>Invasive alien species are increasingly altering ecosystems, yet their socio-economic and cultural impacts on local communities remain poorly understood, particularly in the Mesopotamian marshes. We conducted structured interviews with 144 local fishers (2024–2025) in the Hour al-Azim marsh, southwest Iran, to examine perceptions of how invasive tilapia species influence native fishing practices and community well-being. Fishers reported that tilapia dominate catches (80–100% per trip), whereas native species compromised less than 20%, causing damage to nets, hand injuries, and predation on eggs and fry of native fishes. As a result, 74% of participants shifted to electric fishing methods, raising ethical concerns and disrupting traditional practices. Nearly all fishers (97.9%) had previously depended solely on fishing, underlining strong socio-economic reliance on wetland fisheries. Our results indicate that invasive species threaten not only biological diversity but also local livelihoods and cultural practices, highlighting the need for integrated management strategies that address the&#xa0;ecological, economic, and cultural dimensions of wetland conservation.</p>

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Socio-economic consequences of invasive tilapia fish in the Mesopotamian marshes

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月29日

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  • Pouria Ghelich Khani,
  • Ali Turk Qashqaei,
  • Mahdieh Pourshad,
  • Mahmood Soofi

摘要

Invasive alien species are increasingly altering ecosystems, yet their socio-economic and cultural impacts on local communities remain poorly understood, particularly in the Mesopotamian marshes. We conducted structured interviews with 144 local fishers (2024–2025) in the Hour al-Azim marsh, southwest Iran, to examine perceptions of how invasive tilapia species influence native fishing practices and community well-being. Fishers reported that tilapia dominate catches (80–100% per trip), whereas native species compromised less than 20%, causing damage to nets, hand injuries, and predation on eggs and fry of native fishes. As a result, 74% of participants shifted to electric fishing methods, raising ethical concerns and disrupting traditional practices. Nearly all fishers (97.9%) had previously depended solely on fishing, underlining strong socio-economic reliance on wetland fisheries. Our results indicate that invasive species threaten not only biological diversity but also local livelihoods and cultural practices, highlighting the need for integrated management strategies that address the ecological, economic, and cultural dimensions of wetland conservation.