Marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea is increasingly threatened by climate change, biological invasions and cumulative human pressures. One emblematic example is the rapid spread of the invasive fireworm (Hermodice carunculata), a thermophilic polychaete whose expansion is closely linked to sea warming. The species negatively affects benthic ecosystems, preys on key habitat-forming organisms, alters food webs, and represents a direct risk for human health due to its venomous bristles, with increasing reports of painful injuries to swimmers, fishers and divers. Reports of conflicts with small-scale fisheries have become increasingly frequent, as H. carunculata feeds on fish caught in nets, rendering them unsellable and causing a substantial loss of income for artisanal fishers. Despite its growing ecological, economic, and social impacts, information on the fireworm’s distribution, abundance, ecological effects, and socio-economic consequences remains fragmented across countries. Moreover, the lack of harmonised monitoring approaches and limited integration between science, citizens and decision-makers hampers the development of effective management and policy responses.
WORMSOUT PLUS addresses these gaps by adopting a transnational and transdisciplinary approach, aligned with the BiodivTransform objectives of fostering transformative change for biodiversity through co-produced knowledge, and stakeholder and policymakers engagement.
