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Stemming the Tide: Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ships' Ballast Water (1996)

Chapter: E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993

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Suggested Citation:"E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993." National Research Council. 1996. Stemming the Tide: Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ships' Ballast Water. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5294.
×

APPENDIX E Great Lakes Maritime Industry Voluntary Ballast Water Management Plan for the Control of Ruffe in Lake Superior Ports, 1993

GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS 1993

Owners and operators of vessels in the domestic and international trade on the Great Lakes recognize their role in assisting the governments of the United States and Canada in controlling the introduction and spread of non-indigenous fish species. We recognize that control must be on many fronts, including ballast water management, chemical control, predatory fish control, and other mechanisms. Vessels must use ballast water for safety purposes to provide adequate stability, trim, propulsion, maneuverability, and hull stress control. Recognizing these constraints, the marine industry will do everything within its power, consistent with safety and stability, to decrease the spread of known unwanted non-indigenous species. The introduction of new species from outside the system is under the control of the U. S. and Canadian Coast Guards through ballast water exchange regulations prior to entry into the system. This plan deals with the control of the spread of the European Ruffe from Western Lake Superior ports, in particular, Duluth/Superior or other harbors where Ruffe colonies are documented.

FOR VESSELS DEPARTING LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS WEST OF BALLAST DEMARCATION LINE:

  1. Operators of vessels pumping ballast water onboard in the above harbors, with ballast line intakes equipped with screens fitted with holes larger than 1/2" in diameter, are restricted at all times of the year in their pumping out of ballast water from these harbors into the Great Lakes or their Connecting Channels or harbors. This ballast water should be pumped out west of a ballast demarcation line between Ontonagon, Michigan and Grand Portage, Minnesota. Ballast water from these harbors must not be pumped out within 5 miles of the south shore of Lake Superior while west of the ballast demarcation line. Ballast exchange should take place in water at least 20 fathoms (120 feet) deep.

  2. Operators of vessels pumping ballast water onboard in the above harbors, with ballast line intakes equipped with screens fitted with holes 1/2" in diameter or less, are restricted only during the period between May 15 and September 15 in their pumping out of ballast water from these harbors into the Great Lakes or their Connecting Channels or harbors. During this 4-month period, these vessels should pump out the harbor ballast water west of a ballast demarcation line between Ontonagon, Michigan and Grand Portage, Minnesota. Harbor ballast water must not be pumped out within 5 miles of the south shore of Lake Superior while west of the ballast demarcation line. Ballast exchange should take place in water at least 20 fathoms (120 feet) deep.

  3. If ballast exchange is not completed at the time the vessel reaches the demarcation line, exchange may continue in Lake Superior, but only in waters at least 40 fathoms (240 feet deep) and 15 miles from shore. In all cases, exchange must stop before proceeding east of 86° west.

FOR VESSELS DEPARTING LAKE SUPERIOR PORTSEAST OF BALLAST DEMARCATION LINE:

  1. Vessels departing Thunder Bay should limit pumping ballast onboard as in paragraphs 1) and 2) above. These vessels may exchange ballast in Lake Superior, but only in waters at least 40 fathoms (240 feet deep) and 15 miles from shore. In all cases, exchange must stop before proceeding east of 86° west.

Suggested Citation:"E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993." National Research Council. 1996. Stemming the Tide: Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ships' Ballast Water. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5294.
×

FORALL VESSELS DEPARTING LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS:

  1. Operators of vessels pumping in ballast water from the above harbors and leaving the harbor with that water will maintain a record showing the amount of ballast water taken, the means of control, if any, and the location where the treated or untreated harbor ballast water was pumped out.

  2. The ballast water records will be available for review by U.S. or Canadian Coast Guard personnel.

  3. The above requirements will be waived for vessels which attest by means of a log entry that the harbor ballast water from the above harbors will not be pumped out within the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System (at least until reaching salt water). Masters of these vessels recognize that ballast water from the above harbors must not be pumped out in any other fresh or brackish water port and thus should exchange ballast with salt water.

VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN CO-SPONSORED BY:

• Canadian Shipowners Association

• The Thunder Commission

• Shipping Federation of Canada

• Lake Carriers' Association 04/02/93

• Seaway Port Authority of Duluth

• U.S. Great Lakes Shipping Association

Suggested Citation:"E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993." National Research Council. 1996. Stemming the Tide: Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ships' Ballast Water. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5294.
×
Page 109
Suggested Citation:"E GREAT LAKES MARITIME INDUSTRY VOLUNTARY BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CONTROL OF RUFFE IN LAKE SUPERIOR PORTS, 1993." National Research Council. 1996. Stemming the Tide: Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ships' Ballast Water. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5294.
×
Page 110
Next: F CANDIDATE SHIPBOARD TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION »
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The European zebra mussel in the Great Lakes, a toxic Japanese dinoflagellate transferred to Australia—such biologically and economically harmful stowaways have made it imperative to achieve better management of ballast water in ocean-going vessels.

Stemming the Tide examines the introduction of non-indigenous species through ballast water discharge. Ballast is any solid or liquid that is taken aboard ship to achieve more controlled and safer operation. This expert volume:

  • Assesses current national and international approaches to the problem and makes recommendations for U.S. government agencies, the U.S. maritime industry, and the member states of the International Maritime Organization.
  • Appraises technologies for controlling the transfer of organisms—biocides, filtration, heat treatment, and others—with a view toward developing the most promising methods for shipboard demonstration.
  • Evaluates methods for monitoring the effectiveness of ballast water management in removing unwanted organisms.

The book addresses the constraints inherent in ballast water management, notably shipboard ballast treatment and monitoring. Also, the committee outlines efforts to set an acceptable level of risk for species introduction using the techniques of risk analysis.

Stemming the Tide will be important to all stakeholders in the issue of unwanted species introduction through ballast discharge: policymakers, port authorities, shippers, ship operators, suppliers to the maritime industry, marine biologists, marine engineers, and environmentalists.

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