Bearded fireWORM invaSiOn: UnderwaTer monitoring, biodiversity and social impacts, PotentiaL indUstrial application and mitigation Strategies – WORMSOUT PLUS

The WORMSOUT PLUS project was born from the need to implement the current state of knowledge about the polychaete Hermodice carunculata, known as the fireworm, which causes damage to biodiversity and economic losses to fisheries and tourism in some areas of the Mediterranean. The fireworm is considered a "native invader" that is expanding its distribution mainly due to the water warming, the lack of natural predators in the Mediterranean and its reproductive capacity, which includes both sexual and asexual reproduction. In general, the fireworm is a very voracious predator/scavengers that can eat a variety of prey such as cnidarians, nudibranchs, chitons and sea squirts, including key- or protected species. In addition to the changes in the ecosystem, the invasion of the fireworm also causes economic damage and threatens human health. The worm feeds on fish that get caught in nets, making them unmarketable. The health risks is due to toxins contained in fireworm thin bristles that can cause irritation, itching, oedema and local paraesthesia on contact with humans. Previous studies on the ecology of the species have shown that the highest densities are concentrated in areas of high anthropogenic pressure, characterised by large amounts of organic material. These hotspots are often due to incorrect human behaviour, such as throwing food scraps, waste and bait into the sea, which is often linked to misinformation. WORMSOUT PLUS will be the first European project that aims to bring about transformative change by linking science, society and policy to mitigate the impact of the invasion and provide more resilient ecosystems for people. The project will be carried out in seven Mediterranean countries characterised by different levels of invasion. In this view, WORMSOUT PLUS will provide a holistic view of the problems related to the invasion of the species through an ecological, economic and biotechnological approach. In particular, biological, genetic and isotopic analyses will be carried out in order to gain more precise knowledge on the diet and therefore about the most endangered species. Regeneration field experiments will be carried out to understand the impact of asexual reproduction on the ecosystem. The economic and social costs of the impact of H. carunculata on
biodiversity and local communities will be assessed. In addition, the potential utilisation of fireworm biomass as a resource is
also tested. In conclusion, we believe that WORMSOUT PLUS is necessary to address an emerging ecological challenge and
that the results will be beneficial to society, business and policy makers by providing tools to mitigate the damage caused by
the species in areas where the invasion is already underway and to prevent invasion in areas where the species could enter
due to its invasive potential.