The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) presents validated and verified national checklists of introduced (alien) and invasive alien species at the country, territory, and associated island level. GRIIS checklists are based on a published methodology. and supported by the Integrated Publishing Tool that jointly enable ongoing improvements and updates to expand their taxonomic coverage and completeness. The coverage of GRIIS is global including countries that are Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), non-party countries and all overseas territories of countries, e.g. those of the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. Limited numbers of checklists have also been developed for areas of high biodiversity value such as islands and protected areas. All kingdoms of organisms occurring in all environments and systems are covered. Checklists are reviewed by networks of country or species experts. Verified checklists, as well as those under review, are presented on the online GRIIS website in addition to being published through the GBIF Integrated Publishing Tool.
","language":"eng","homepage":"https://griis.org/","citation":{"text":"PAGAD S (2026). Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species - North Sea. Version 1.5. Invasive Species Specialist Group ISSG. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/watzfe accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-10-12.","citationProvidedBySource":false},"contactsCitation":[{"key":7051034,"abbreviatedName":"PAGAD S","firstName":"Shyama","lastName":"PAGAD","roles":["ORIGINATOR","METADATA_AUTHOR"],"userId":[]}],"lockedForAutoUpdate":false,"createdBy":"cdef28b1-db4e-4c58-aa71-3c5238c2d0b5","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T09:57:58.495+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.387+00:00","contacts":[{"key":7051034,"type":"ORIGINATOR","primary":true,"userId":[],"firstName":"Shyama","lastName":"PAGAD","position":[],"email":[],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"organization":"IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group","address":[],"city":"Karioitahi","country":"NZ","postalCode":"2683","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.347+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.347+00:00"},{"key":7051035,"type":"METADATA_AUTHOR","primary":true,"userId":[],"firstName":"Shyama","lastName":"PAGAD","position":[],"email":[],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"organization":"IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group","address":[],"city":"Karioitahi","country":"NZ","postalCode":"2683","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.349+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.349+00:00"},{"key":7051036,"type":"ADMINISTRATIVE_POINT_OF_CONTACT","primary":true,"userId":[],"firstName":"Shyama","lastName":"Pagad","position":["Deputy Chair- Information"],"email":["s.pagad@auckland.ac.nz"],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"organization":"IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)","address":[],"city":"Karioitahi","country":"NZ","postalCode":"2683","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","modifiedBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.351+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.351+00:00"}],"endpoints":[{"key":1297623,"type":"DWC_ARCHIVE","url":"https://cloud.gbif.org/griis/archive.do?r=griisnorthsea","createdBy":"cdef28b1-db4e-4c58-aa71-3c5238c2d0b5","modifiedBy":"cdef28b1-db4e-4c58-aa71-3c5238c2d0b5","created":"2026-06-22T11:13:26.792+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:13:26.792+00:00","machineTags":[]},{"key":1297622,"type":"EML","url":"https://cloud.gbif.org/griis/eml.do?r=griisnorthsea","createdBy":"cdef28b1-db4e-4c58-aa71-3c5238c2d0b5","modifiedBy":"cdef28b1-db4e-4c58-aa71-3c5238c2d0b5","created":"2026-06-22T11:13:26.748+00:00","modified":"2026-06-22T11:13:26.748+00:00","machineTags":[]}],"machineTags":[{"key":33013330,"namespace":"crawler.gbif.org","name":"crawl_attempt","value":"14","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-10-05T01:01:44.262+00:00"}],"tags":[],"identifiers":[{"key":469435,"type":"URL","identifier":"https://cloud.gbif.org/griis/resource?r=griisnorthsea","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T10:40:22.370+00:00","primary":false},{"key":469434,"type":"UUID","identifier":"2f7008d1-a69e-4bed-b947-92b7c006aa4e","createdBy":"crawler.gbif.org","created":"2026-06-22T10:40:22.368+00:00","primary":false},{"key":469433,"type":"CLB_DATASET_KEY","identifier":"315560","createdBy":"clb-bot","created":"2026-06-22T09:59:37.463+00:00","primary":false}],"comments":[],"bibliographicCitations":[{"text":"Arenas, F., Bishop, J. D. D., Carlton, J. T., Dyrynda, P. J., Farnham, W. F., Gonzalez, D. J., ... & Wood, C. A. (2006). Alien species and other notable records from a rapid assessment survey of marinas on the south coast of England. Journal of the marine biological association of the United Kingdom, 86(6), 1329-1337.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Asteman, I. P., & Schönfeld, J. (2016). Recent invasion of the foraminifer Nonionella stella Cushman & Moyer, 1930 in northern European waters: evidence from the Skagerrak and its fjords. Journal of Micropalaeontolgy, 35(1), 20-25.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Gollasch, S., Haydar, D., Minchin, D., Wolff, W. J., & Reise, K. (2009). Introduced aquatic species of the North Sea coasts and adjacent brackish waters. In Biological invasions in marine ecosystems: ecological, management, and geographic perspectives (pp. 507-528). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Maggs, C. A., & Stegenga, H. (1998). Red algal exotics on North Sea coasts. Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen, 52(3), 243-258.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Minchin, D., Cook, E. J., & Clark, P. F. (2013). Alien species in British brackish and marine waters. Aquatic Invasions (2013) Volume 8, Issue 1: 3–19","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Nehring, S. (1998). Non-indigenous phytoplankton species in the North Sea: supposed region of origin and possible transport vector. Archive of Fishery and Marine Research, 46, 181-194.","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"Reise, K., Gollasch, S. & Wolff, W.J. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts. Helgolander Meeresunters 52, 219–234 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02908898","citationProvidedBySource":false},{"text":"VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (2014) Lijst niet-inheemse soorten Belgisch deel Noordzee en aanpalende estuaria","citationProvidedBySource":false}],"curatorialUnits":[],"taxonomicCoverages":[{"description":"Animalia, Bacteria, Chromista, Fungi, Plantae, Protozoa, Viruses","coverages":[{"scientificName":"Animalia","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Bacteria","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Chromista","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Fungi","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Plantae","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Protozoa","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}},{"scientificName":"Viruses","rank":{"verbatim":"kingdom","interpreted":"KINGDOM"}}]}],"geographicCoverages":[{"description":"North Sea","boundingBox":{"minLatitude":52.052,"maxLatitude":58.995,"minLongitude":-5.449,"maxLongitude":17.402,"globalCoverage":false}}],"temporalCoverages":[],"keywordCollections":[{"thesaurus":"GBIF Dataset Type Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_type_2015-07-10.xml","keywords":["Checklist"]},{"thesaurus":"GBIF Dataset Subtype Vocabulary: http://rs.gbif.org/vocabulary/gbif/dataset_subtype.xml","keywords":["Inventorythematic"]},{"thesaurus":"n/a","keywords":["Alien species"]},{"thesaurus":"n/a","keywords":["Invasive species"]}],"project":{"title":"Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species GRIIS","identifier":"GRIIS","contacts":[{"type":"ORIGINATOR","primary":false,"userId":[],"firstName":"Shyama","lastName":"PAGAD","position":[],"email":[],"phone":[],"homepage":[],"address":[]}],"awards":[],"studyAreaDescription":"The geographic focus of this checklist is the North Sea","designDescription":"The draft checklist (inventory) is compiled by collating data and information through a comprehensive literature overview. Additional steps implemented to control the quality of the data are described below.\n\nTaxonomic harmonization and normalization using the GBIF taxonomic backbone\nIn order to harmonize all species names across countries, species lists are subjected to a normalization process in which taxon rank and taxonomic status are identified and assigned. Spelling and other errors in assigning species authorship are also corrected.\n\nData validation\nThe checklist (inventory) compiler team completes a review and validates all the annotations especially those on provenance and 'invasiveness' status of the species based on evidence of impact.\n\nData verification\nThe checklist (inventory) is submitted to a network of country editors for a review of both accuracy of records, annotations and identification of any significant gaps in the data. Data verification is an iterative process and the activity is declared completed on agreement of all relevant country editors.","relatedProjects":[],"abstract":"The Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) presents validated and verified national checklists of introduced (alien) and invasive alien species at the country, territory, and associated island level. GRIIS checklists are based on a published methodology. and supported by the Integrated Publishing Tool that jointly enable ongoing improvements and updates to expand their taxonomic coverage and completeness. The coverage of GRIIS is global including countries that are Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), non-party countries and all overseas territories of countries, e.g. those of the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. Limited numbers of checklists have also been developed for areas of high biodiversity value such as islands and protected areas. All kingdoms of organisms occurring in all environments and systems are covered. Checklists are reviewed by networks of country or species experts. Verified checklists, as well as those under review, are presented on the online GRIIS website in addition to being published through the GBIF Integrated Publishing Tool."},"samplingDescription":{"studyExtent":"The geographic focus of this checklist is the North Sea","sampling":"This annotated checklist is focused on introduced (alien) and invasive species that are known to occur in the North Sea\n\nThe International Union for Conservation of Nature, (IUCN) describes an Introduced/ Alien and Invasive alien species as follows: \nAn Introduced/ Alien species means a species, subspecies, or lower taxon occurring outside of its natural range (past or present) and dispersal potential (i.e. outside the range it occupies naturally or could not occupy without direct or indirect introduction or care by humans) and includes any part, gametes or propagule of such species that might survive and subsequently reproduce. \nAn Invasive alien species means an alien species which becomes established in natural or semi-natural ecosystems or habitat, is an agent of change, and threatens native biological diversity.\n\nQuality control\nThe draft checklist (inventory) is compiled by collating data and information through a comprehensive literature overview. Additional steps implemented to control the quality of the data are described below.\n\nTaxonomic harmonization and normalization using the GBIF taxonomic backbone\nIn order to harmonize all species names across countries, species lists are subjected to a normalization process in which taxon rank and taxonomic status are identified and assigned. Spelling and other errors in assigning species authorship are also corrected.\n\nData validation\nThe checklist (inventory) compiler team completes a review and validates all the annotations especially those on provenance and 'invasiveness' status of the species based on evidence of impact.\n\nData verification\nThe checklist (inventory) is submitted to a network of country editors for a review of both accuracy of records, annotations and identification of any significant gaps in the data. Data verification is an iterative process and the activity is declared completed on agreement of all relevant country editors.","qualityControl":"The draft checklist (inventory) is compiled by collating data and information through a comprehensive literature overview. Additional steps implemented to control the quality of the data are described below.\n\nTaxonomic harmonization and normalization using the GBIF taxonomic backbone\nIn order to harmonize all species names across countries, species lists are subjected to a normalization process in which taxon rank and taxonomic status are identified and assigned. Spelling and other errors in assigning species authorship are also corrected.\n\nData validation\nThe checklist (inventory) compiler team completes a review and validates all the annotations especially those on provenance and 'invasiveness' status of the species based on evidence of impact.\n\nData verification\nThe checklist (inventory) is submitted to a network of country editors for a review of both accuracy of records, annotations and identification of any significant gaps in the data. Data verification is an iterative process and the activity is declared completed on agreement of all relevant country editors.","methodSteps":["Data collation and categorization\nData filtering and categorization/ classification \nTaxonomic harmonization and normalization\nData validation\nData verification"]},"countryCoverage":[],"collections":[],"dataDescriptions":[],"dataLanguage":"eng","purpose":"A “Joint Work Programme to Strengthen Information Services on Invasive Alien Species as a Contribution towards Aichi Biodiversity Target 9” (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/15/INF/14) was developed to improve access to the necessary information during a workshop organized by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2011. The 15th Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice SBSTTA welcomed the Joint Work Programme. Subsequently a workshop held in July 2012 at the Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom with key invasive alien species data providers prepared the “Operational Plan for the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership (GIASI Partnership)” (UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/34).
The Conference of the Parties to the CBD -COP-11 welcomed the development of the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership (GIASI Partnership) and requested the Executive Secretary to facilitate its implementation (paragraph 22 of decision XI/28).
The development of the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) and a Pathway management Resource was identified as one of three priority activities of the Partnership. The IUCN ISSG was recognised to lead this activity with partners such as CABI.
GRIIS continues to support national governments in the achievement of Biodiversity targets set in the Global Biodiversity Framework.Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishment of priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 per cent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling invasive alien species especially in priority sites, such as islands.
The monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides a set of headline, binary, component and complementary indicators for use in national biodiversity strategies and action plans and national reports. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity endorsed the technical updates to the headline and binary indicators at COP 16 (see CBD/COP/DEC/16/31).
The GRIIS checklist datasets are identified as one of the key resources in the development of the headline indicator for Target 6 “Rate of invasive alien species establishment”.
","acknowledgements":"A “Joint Work Programme to Strengthen Information Services on Invasive Alien Species as a Contribution towards Aichi Biodiversity Target 9” (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/15/INF/14) was developed to improve access to the necessary information during a workshop organized by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2011. The 15th Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice SBSTTA welcomed the Joint Work Programme. Subsequently a workshop held in July 2012 at the Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom with key invasive alien species data providers prepared the “Operational Plan for the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership (GIASI Partnership)” (UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/34).
The Conference of the Parties to the CBD -COP-11 welcomed the development of the Global Invasive Alien Species Information Partnership (GIASI Partnership) and requested the Executive Secretary to facilitate its implementation (paragraph 22 of decision XI/28). The development of the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (GRIIS) and a Pathway management Resource was identified as one of three priority activities of the Partnership. The IUCN ISSG was recognised to lead this activity with partners such as CABI.
GRIIS continues to support national governments in the achievement of Biodiversity targets set in the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states Eliminate, minimize, reduce and or mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services by identifying and managing pathways of the introduction of alien species, preventing the introduction and establishment of priority invasive alien species, reducing the rates of introduction and establishment of other known or potential invasive alien species by at least 50 per cent, by 2030, eradicating or controlling invasive alien species especially in priority sites, such as islands.
The monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides a set of headline, binary, component and complementary indicators for use in national biodiversity strategies and action plans and national reports. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity endorsed the technical updates to the headline and binary indicators at COP 16 (see CBD/COP/DEC/16/31).
The GRIIS checklist datasets are identified as one of the key resources in the development of the headline indicator for Target 6 “Rate of invasive alien species establishment”.
","additionalInfo":"Versioning The original versions of each country checklist (v1.0) undergo two potential types of updates: 1. Major updates: These happen when batches of new species or records become available, usually addressing multiple taxonomic groups simultaneously. Each checklist is assigned a new version number after a major update (e.g. from v1.0 to v2.0). 2. Incremental updates: These are smaller ongoing updates involving the addition of new species or records based on new publications as well as taxonomic or other updates. Incremental updates to a checklist are associated with a subversion number, e.g. v1.1. The checklist version number is visible/available on the citation.","pubDate":"2026-06-22T00:00:00.000+00:00","maintenanceUpdateFrequency":"AS_NEEDED","maintenanceDescription":"Major updates are scheduled to be undertaken at least once in 2 years; incremental updates are on-going.","license":"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode","dwca":{"coreType":"http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/Taxon","extensions":["http://rs.gbif.org/terms/1.0/Distribution","http://rs.gbif.org/terms/1.0/SpeciesProfile"],"modified":"2026-06-22T11:14:27.296+00:00"},"approximateCounts":{"occurrenceCount":0,"nameUsageCount":1281}}