Invasive alien species in the Lower Mekong Basin : current state of play

Currently there is a deficit of information on the impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) within the community, key sector groups and governments of these countries. Most often, the problem is not recognised until the invasion becomes noticeable nor has ecological, economic or social consequences. While the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) nations have made some progress in addressing IAS, much remains to be done in terms of, implementing successful management strategies and awareness and capacity building. The Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme (MWBP) will devise a regional strategy to address the existing and potential impacts of IAS in the LMB. This preliminary report is the first step in moving towards developing a strategy to manage IAS issues in the LMB.