Regional Mountain Conference

Together with increasing pollution and the simultaneous effects of climate and land-use change, including the expansion of hydropower infrastructures, the introduction of alien fish in mountain freshwater ecosystems has become an increasing concern over the last decades. Whereas a considerable amount of literature exists on the ecological consequences of these introductions, less is known about how to manage or eradicate introduced fishes and the existing information is scattered. Here, we present the “FishMe Toolbox”, a digital, open access infrastructure for the collection, access, and sharing of technical and non-technical information on needs and options for fish removal in mountain lakes, including details on introduced species and removal techniques. We further place fish introductions in the broader context of invasive alien species in the Alps, as well as in the context of other emerging threats to mountain lakes. Additionally, we discuss the systematic mapping and review effort on which this platform rests, including the specific data available for the European Alps, along with both research needs and options for the collaborative use and development of this online resource.