Scottish List of Invasive Non-Native Species Priorities - Prevention Priority Species

Published: 2016
To be reviewed in 2026

Purpose

A list of Prevention Priority Species as been adopted by the Scottish Non-Native Species Action Group. 

These are non-native species that are not yet established in Scotland, are known to be invasive in ecosystems similar to those found in Scotland and are therefore high risk, and are likely to arrive, either due to physical proximity or an identified pathway into Scotland.

The purpose of this list is to help prioritise action by government departments, public bodies and key stakeholders across Scotland on INNS prevention and rapid response.  This will help to meet the following objective of the GB Invasive Non-Native Strategy: 

• To minimise the risk of INNS entering and becoming established; and
• To develop and maintain an early detection, surveillance and monitoring mechanism that facilitates management responses, including rapid response.

Actions

The following types of action may be appropriate for Prevention Priority Species, although some of these actions may not be appropriate for all species:

• Pathways of introduction should be identified and preventative measures put in place;
• Sightings should be reported to the relevant body;
• Rapid response planning should be in place;
• Priority is given to research into preventative measures; and
• Effort should be made to raise awareness of risks and appropriate actions.

Prevention is particularly important in the marine environments, where early detection and rapid eradication are challenging.  Prevention is about reducing the risks of introduction to an acceptable level since it rarely possible to reducing the risks to zero. 

Which organisations are responsible?

The Code of Practice on Non-Native Species sets out a framework of responsibilities for bodies with powers relating to non-native species.  Each body is responsible for a particular type of habitat to avoid duplication.  The Prevention Priority Species that occur within terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats are listed below. 

Terrestrial Species
Habitat lead: NatureScot

Terrestrial Species: High risk.

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Raccoon	Procyon lotor	A
Muntjac	Muntiacus reevesi	A
Siberian chipmunk	Tamias sibiricus	A
Ruddy duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	A
Indian house crow	Corvus splendens	A
Asian hornet	Vespa velutina	A
Buff-tailed bumblebee (non-native subspecies)	Bombus terrestris ssp (excluding Bombus terrestris audax)	A
Sea myrtle, Saltbush	Baccharis halimifolia	P

 

Terrestrial Species: Medium risk.

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Raccoon	Procyon lotor	A
Muntjac	Muntiacus reevesi	A
Siberian chipmunk	Tamias sibiricus	A
Ruddy duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	A
Indian house crow	Corvus splendens	A
Asian hornet	Vespa velutina	A
Buff-tailed bumblebee (non-native subspecies)	Bombus terrestris ssp (excluding Bombus terrestris audax)	A
Sea myrtle, Saltbush	Baccharis halimifolia	P
Raccoon dog	Nycteureutes procyonoides	A
African sacred ibis	Threskiornis aethiopicus	A
American bull frog	Rana catesbeiana	A
Argentine ant	Linepithema humile	A
Lizard tail	Houttuynia cordata	P
Japanese stiltgrass	Microstegium vimineum	P
Dwarf serviceberry	Amelanchier spicata	P
Candle-berry tree	Triadica sebifera	P
Grey goldenrod	Solidago nemoralis	P

Freshwater Species
Habitat lead: SEPA

Freshwater Species: High risk.  The asterix indicates species which occur in both freshwater and marine habitats

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Asian / Asiatic clam	Corbicula fluminalis	A
Asian / Asiatic clam	Corbicula fluminea	A
Zebra / Quagga mussel	Dreissena polymorpha	A
Zebra / Quagga mussel	Dreissena bugensis	A
Chinese mitten crab	Eriocheir sinensis*	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Hemimysis anomala	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Dikerogammarus villosus	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Dikerogammarus bispinosus	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Dikerogammarus haemobaphes*	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Echinogammarus ischnus*	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Echinogammarus trichiatus	A
Crayfish	Astacus astacus	A
Crayfish	Orconectes limosus	A
Crayfish	Orconectes virilis	A
Crayfish	Procambarus clarkii	A
Crayfish	Procambarus fallax	A
Crayfish	Orconectes Immunis	A
Crayfish	Orconectes rusticus	A
Black bullhead	Ameiurus melas	A
Topmouth gudgeon	Pseudorasbora parva	A
Pikeperch (Zander)	Sander lucioperca	A
Floating pennywort	Hydrocotyle ranunculoides	P
Parrot's feather	Myriophyllum aquaticum	P
Floating water-primrose	Ludwigia peploides	P
Floating water-primrose	Ludwigia grandiflora	A

 

Freshwater Species: Medium risk. The asterix indicates species which occur in both freshwater and marine habitats

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Neogobius fluviatilis	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Neogobius gymnotrachelus	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Neogobius melanostomus*	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Proterorhinus marmoratus*	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Proterorhinus semilunaris	A
Fathead minnow	Pimepales promelas	A
South American waterweed	Elodea callitrichoides	P
American spongeplant	Limnobium spongia	P
Water chestnut	Trapa natans	P

Marine Species
Habitat lead: Marine Scotland

Marine Species: High risk. The asterix indicates species which occur in both freshwater and marine habitats

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Chinese mitten crab	Eriocheir sinensis        *	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Dikerogammarus haemobaphes        *	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Echinogammarus ischnus      *	A
American lobster	Homarus americanus	A
Slipper limpet	Crepidula fornicate	A
Veined rapa whelk	Rapana venosa	A
Window shell	Theora lubrica	A
Japanese sting winkle	Ocenebra inornata	A
A Bryozoan	Schizoporella errata	A
Rough agar weed	Gracilaria vermiculophylla	P
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Neogobius melanostomus      *	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Proterorhinus marmoratus     *	A

 

Marine Species: Medium risk. The asterix indicates species which occur in both freshwater and marine habitats

Common name	Species	Plant/ Animal
Chinese mitten crab	Eriocheir sinensis*	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Dikerogammarus haemobaphes*	A
Ponto-Caspian shrimps	Echinogammarus ischnus*	A
American lobster	Homarus americanus	A
Slipper limpet	Crepidula fornicate	A
Veined rapa whelk	Rapana venosa	A
Window shell	Theora lubrica	A
Japanese sting winkle	Ocenebra inornata	A
A Bryozoan	Schizoporella errata	A
Rough agar weed	Gracilaria vermiculophylla	P
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Neogobius melanostomus*	A
Ponto-Caspian gobies	Proterorhinus marmoratus*	A