| At the end of the 1980s, the relatively recent Australian aquaculture industry suffered from the blooming of some unknown toxic phytoplanktonic algae. This was followed by some cases of harm to consumers' health and the shutting down of some production areas. Australian scientists quickly identified their origin, Japanese, as well as their introduction vector, the ballast waters of Japanese vessels loading in Australian harbours and deballasting along the coasts or inside the harbours. The introduction of unwanted live species from one side of the world to another can have heavy economical and sanitary consequences: harmful proliferations and epizooties, if not epidemic. Rabbits in Australia, Chinese crabs in Northern Europe, water hyacinths in Louisiana,... |
