WORMSOUT PLUS

Context

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.

Main objectives

• Assess the level of fireworm invasion and identify the ecological and human-related drivers influencing its spread across the target countries (Italy, Tunisia, Turkey, Slovenia, Spain and France).
• Evaluate the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the species under current and future scenarios.
• Develop and test effective mitigation strategies, tailored to different stages of invasion and local contexts.
• Support evidence-based decision-making and promote coordinated management and policy responses at national and EU/Mediterranean levels.

Main activities

• Monitor fireworm abundance and distribution in target areas by combining stakeholder-based observations (e.g., dive centres and fishermen) with scientific surveys, including visual censuses and physicochemical characterisation of seawater and surface sediments.
• Adopt a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular and biochemical analyses, stakeholder surveys and predictive modelling to assess the species’ effects on ecosystems and human activities.
• Develop containment plans and best practices, while exploring sustainable uses of fireworm biomass, including biomolecule extraction and applications in food, cosmetics and biotechnology.
• Disseminate project results, enhance public engagement, and support the integration of scientific evidence into environmental policy and management frameworks.