Consideration of other activities informally introduced at the meeting
United States
12 The United Staies experts distributed the "USA Ballast Book 1998-1999" summarizing research activities that is being carried out in their country, involving more than 50 scientists from state and federal institutions, colleges and universities. This publication included the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act (NANPCA) 1990) as amended by the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (NISA 1996), and provided guidance on information needed to complete the reporting form of resolution A.868(20). A number of national committees were introduced, together with the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). The United States presented a videotape intended to raise the awareness not only of the public, but in particular of the crew onboard ships, on risks related to the transfer of organisms and the settlement of non-indigenous species in new areas.
13 The United States submitted proposed revisions to the draft regulations on ballast water control and management developed so far by the: Working Group, together with a code intended to assist in implementing the rules. Detailed discussions are reflected in paragraphs 19 to 22 below.
The Netherlands
14 The Working Group was informed of a study carried out by the Netherlands' government examining, the amounts and origin of ballast water in ships entering and leaving its ports, with a view to evaluating the risks related to the introduction of new species to the environment.
Based on estimates of the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the amount of ballast water discharged in harbours in the Netherlands is estimated at about 7.5 million tonnes per year:, the amount of water loaded for ballasting was estimated at about 70 million tonnes per year.
It has further been estimated that at least 41 species living in the Netherlands' coastal water are non-native. Based on these results it was recommended that monitoring of non-native species in ballast water and sediments of incoming ships should be carried out.
The authors further advised that the origin of ballast waters, i.e., information on the exact route of ships and all locations of ballast water uptake, should be documented by the Master of a ship and provided upon request to the port authorities. Additional copies of the study could be made available upon request1.
Germany
15 The German expert informed the Working Group of the results of two workshops convened so far under its Concerted Action Programme "Testing Monitoring Systems for Risk Assessment of Harmful Introduction by Ships to European Waters "(MAS3-CT97-0111). The workshop held in the Hague from 20 to 22 March 1998 focused on the preparation of case studies of species introduced in European Waters, sampling methods and the possibility of their intercalibration and standardization, and the planning of oceangoing workshops, as well as the preparation of public awareness material.
1 Ms. Saskia van Gool
Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
North Sea Directorate
P.O. Box 5807
2280 HV Rijswijk
The Netherlands
New Zealand
16 A report presenting the findings of a two-year research programme funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) and conducted by Cawthron2, was briefly introduced. About 80% of all tanks that have been sampled contained living phyto- and zooplankton.
It was further noted that the identification of animals from ballast tanks was complicated by the fact that many were in larval form and difficult to distinguish at a specific level.
The authors emphasized that the presence of coastal marine life in many tanks suggested that almost any vessel constituted a significant risk in terms of delivering foreign species.
For evaluating relative risks at individual ports, shipping and cargo statistics have to be used highlighting a need for information on the ballast activity of foreign ships at all New Zealand ports.
ICES-IM0-IOC Study Group on Ballast Water and Sediments
17 The Study Group met under its chairman, Mr. J. Carlton (United States) in The Hague, Netherlands, on 23 and 24 March 1998, to review current ballast water research and management.
The meeting was attended by forty-three experts from sixteen countries.
Major findings and conclusions were introduced in an oral report by the Study Group's chairman. Highlights of his presentation included the following:
.1 it is important to obtain data on both imported and exported ballast water, to estimate a port system as both a receiver and a donor area;
.2 biotic categories and habitats in ballast tanks may include viruses, bacteria, phyto- and zooplankton, larger mobile organisms (e.g., fish, shrimp, crabs), benthic biota in sediments and fouling organisms on tank walls. Each of these represents a different potential sampling challenge, drawing attention to the need for developing global intercalibration and sanxpling techniques;
.3 ballast tank environments are very complex dependent upon vessel types and changing physical and chemical parameters over seasons and geography. Many research questions have emerged, e.g., why do some populations of organisms increase and others decrease in ballast systems?
.4 a number of studies are underway examining the various ballast water management techniques, including filtration, heat UV, ozone, vortex separation, etc. Some of these seem to hold considerable promise, but much work remains to be done; and
.5 continued international co-operation, through joint multinational research projects fundamental to assess the global scale of ballast-mediated movement of non-indigen species.
2 The publication (combining Cawthron reports Nos. 417 and 418) can be obtained for NS$ 60.00 from:
Cawthron Instirute
98 Halifax Street East
Private Bag 2
Nelson
New Zealand
