Brussels, 14/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 11 June, EU fisheries ministers adopted without debate the regulation establishing control and authorisation procedures for alien aquaculture species (EUROPE 9279 on the European Parliament's report No9170 on the initial proposal). The regulation aims to prevent loss of biological diversity, and to prevent genetic modifications between the locally absent species imported into the EU (so-called “exotic” species) to be placed in fish farms and the native fish populations (still present in the aquatic environment). Several alien species introduced into the EU a long while ago are now widespread on the market and do not come under the scope of the regulation. These species are: rainbow trout, brook trout, common carp, grass carp, silver carp, big head carp, Pacific cupped oyster, Japanese or Manila clam, large-mouth bass and Arctic char. (lc)