At the January meeting of the British Ecological Society, Jaimie T.A. Dick of the Queen's University of Belfast predicted that the shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus, or pink peril, a species from the former Soviet Union that has invaded the Netherlands and other parts of western Europe, will hitchhike in ballast water to the Great Lakes and the British Isles. That's all speculation. Pink peril is feared because it can survive in a wide range of temperature, salt and oxygen levels. Possibly because of its mouth, which is larger than the native European shrimp Gammarus duebeni, it is an effective killer. The shrimp eats almost anything and breeds rapidly.
Ecologists say it can cause local extinctions and reduce biodiversity.
Most of the exotic invading species, including shellfish, insects and plants, come directly from the Caspian or Black seas, said Charles R. O'Neill, a coastal resource specialist with Sea Grant. A more immediate concern, however, is the mussel Limnoperna fortunei, which has traveled from Asia to South America. Mr. O'Neill fears it could travel up the East Coast of North America and invade estuaries, including the lower Hudson River or Chesapeake and Delaware bays. Once they're here, very little can be done. But, he said, few options are available to prevent entry.