Invasive species cost Spanish irrigation sector 19 million euros annually
Invasive species are imposing significant financial burdens on the Spanish irrigation sector. Research published in the journal NeoBiota by Professor Elena Angulo of the University of Paris-Saclay indicates that in 2021, the annual cost of managing these species exceeded 19 million euros.
Much of this expenditure is borne by regional administrations and water confederations. The study notes that 66% of these funds are directed toward management actions after an invasion has already occurred, rather than the prevention-focused investment recommended by international guidelines.
In the Guadiana river basin, specifically in the areas of Badajoz and Mérida, farmers have struggled with the Asian clam for over a decade. Paco Sánchez, president of the local irrigation community, stated that irrigators in Mérida have spent between 800,000 and 850,000 euros of their own money over the last ten years to keep water conduits and pipe filters clear of the invasive shells.
The Federation of Irrigation Communities of Spain (Fenacore) has noted that while the exact economic impact of pests like the Asian clam or the zebra mussel—first detected in the Ebro river around 1997—is difficult to quantify, the effects on the agricultural sector's narrow margins are severe.
Entities
Ebro River · Fenacore · Guadiana River · Paco Sánchez · University of Paris-Saclay
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Regional administrations and water confederations spent 66% of funds on management actions after invasion occurred. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Asian clam is an invasive species affecting the Lobón and Montijo canals in the Guadiana river basin. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] The economic cost of pests like the Asian clam or zebra mussel is difficult to quantify exactly. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] In 2021, the cost of invasive species in Spanish irrigation exceeded 19 million euros annually. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.laopinioncoruna.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] Irrigators in Mérida have spent between 800,000 and 850,000 euros over the last decade to maintain clean conduits. www.lacronicabadajoz.com · www.informacion.es · www.laopinioncoruna.es