Publication Abstract

 Mnemiopsis leidyi [A. Agassiz, 1865]  is a planktivorous comb jelly native to the coastal western Atlantic. It is tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions, which in conjunction with its generalist diet and fast feeding, growth, and reproductive rates make it a successful invader. It already has a fearsome reputation due to its rapid expansion in the Black sea in the 1980s and detrimental impacts on the fish stocks. Recent records (since 2005) in the North sea are therefore a cause for concern due to the importance of this sea as a fishing ground and the presence of spawning and nursery areas. This study assesses the risk of M. leidyi blooms in the North sea, using data from the GETM-ERSEM model.