scholarly journals EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BALLAST WATER EXCHANGE POLICY IN THE GREAT LAKES

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1321-1323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Ricciardi ◽  
Hugh J. MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Exchange Policy

EVALUATING AN INVASIVE SPECIES POLICY: BALLAST WATER EXCHANGE IN THE GREAT LAKES

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 655-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Costello ◽  
John M. Drake ◽  
David M. Lodge
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Invasive Species Policy

Options for Nonindigenous Species Control and Their Economic Impact on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway: A Survey

2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (01) ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Anastassios N. Perakis ◽  
Zhiyong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Compliance Rate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nonindigenous Species ◽  
Decision Problems ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Adverse Side Effects ◽  
Ecological Problems

Nonindigenous species (NIS) cause substantial economic and ecological problems in the United States and other countries with marine trade. Current legislation and regulations require mandatory ballast water exchange for those ships entering the Great Lakes. Due to the low compliance rate, and some inherent defects of legislation, the current status of NIS control is not very encouraging. Several technical and legislative options have been proposed to improve the efficiency of NIS control. The most promising methods include filtration with ultraviolet, heat, and ballast water exchange. No one method, however, can 100% effectively solve the NIS problem. Moreover, the mandatory requirements may induce modal shifts from marine to rail or truck mode on the Great Lakes, which may cause several adverse side effects on the economy and the environment. The decision problems for the cargo owners and the legislative body are also formulated.

Invertebrate resting stages in residual ballast sediment of transoceanic ships

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1090-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A Bailey ◽  
Ian C Duggan ◽  
Philip T Jenkins ◽  
Hugh J MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Invasion Risk ◽  
Resting Stages ◽  
The Past ◽  
Predictive Variables ◽  
Primary Vector

Ballast water has been the primary vector of nonindigenous species (NIS) to the Laurentian Great Lakes over the past 45 years. Although ballast water exchange regulations were implemented in 1993 to reduce propagule loads, new NIS continue to be discovered. A possible explanation for this trend is the importance of alternative vectors, such as residual ballast of ships claiming "no ballast on board". We investigate resting stages of invertebrates in residual ballast sediments of transoceanic ships as a possible vector of NIS to the Great Lakes. To model the introduction effort potentially associated with this vector, we collected sediment samples from 39 ships entering the Great Lakes and measured the density, viability, and species richness of resting stages contained therein. Viable resting stages of NIS were found in 32% of ships, at a mean density of 3.0 × 105·ship–1. Temperature, salinity, and removal of eggs from sediment during incubation had a significant impact on total abundance and species richness of hatched taxa. A total of 21 NIS were identified, consisting exclusively of rotifers and cladocerans. Salinity of residual ballast water and geographic region of ballast uptake were predictive variables for profiling invasion risk due to ships, although explained variability was low.

Diapausing zooplankton eggs remain viable despite exposure to open-ocean ballast water exchange: evidence from in situ exposure experiments

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek K. Gray ◽  
Hugh J. MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Cold Storage ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Egg Viability ◽  
Ocean Water ◽  
Diapausing Eggs ◽  
Species Introductions ◽  
Ballast Tanks

To reduce the transfer of nonindigenous species, regulations require transoceanic ships to exchange ballast with ocean water before discharging into the Great Lakes. Although ballast water exchange (BWE) is effective for live freshwater animals, laboratory experiments provide mixed results with regards to its impact on diapausing zooplankton eggs. We conducted an in situ test of the effectiveness of BWE for treating diapausing eggs in ballast sediments. Incubation chambers containing ballast sediment were placed in ballast tanks of cargo vessels transiting from North America to Europe. Each vessel had paired ballast tanks, one of which remained filled with Great Lakes water (control), while the second was exchanged with mid-ocean water. Laboratory viability tests were then conducted to compare viability of eggs recovered from sediments placed in both treatments, as well as identical sediments that remained at the laboratory in cold storage. No significant differences in egg viability were detected between treatments, but more species hatched from sediment that remained in cold storage. Results indicate that physical conditions in ballast tanks may affect egg viability, but saltwater exposure does not eliminate the risk of species introductions via diapausing eggs. Strategies that minimize sediment accumulation in ballast tanks can reduce the risk of species introductions via diapausing eggs.

Invertebrates associated with residual ballast water and sediments of cargo-carrying ships entering the Great Lakes

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 2463-2474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C Duggan ◽  
Colin DA van Overdijk ◽  
Sarah A Bailey ◽  
Philip T Jenkins ◽  
Helene Limén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Open Ocean ◽  
Nonindigenous Species ◽  
Residual Water ◽  
Ocean Water ◽  
Water Fraction

Most ships entering the Great Lakes carry cargo and declare “no-ballast-on board” (NOBOB) status. Approximately 250 of these vessels annually load Great Lakes’ ballast water when they offload inbound cargo and then discharge this water (which has now mixed with residual water previously present in the tanks) when they load outbound cargo. This procedure potentially allows nonindigenous species present in ballast residuals to invade the Great Lakes. We collected residual sediment, water, and associated organisms from 38 NOBOB ships entering the Great Lakes. We recorded seven established Great Lakes’ nonindigenous species, including some discovered since ballast water exchange was implemented. Occurrences of species not yet invaded indicate that this vector provides further opportunity for invasion. Collectively, NOBOB vessels appear to constitute a greater risk than ballasted vessels, as they make up a greater proportion of the traffic entering the lakes (~90%), and they do not undergo ballast exchange. Invertebrates in residual water appear to have a greater opportunity for discharge than those in sediments, although most in the water fraction have already invaded this system. Invertebrate numbers in residual freshwater ballast could be dramatically lowered if these vessels flushed with open-ocean water prior to entering the Great Lakes.

Considerations in the Design of the Primary Treatment for Ballast Systems

2003 ◽  
Vol 40 (01) ◽  
pp. 49-60
Author(s):  
Michael G. Parsons
Keyword(s):  
Water Treatment ◽  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Secondary Treatment ◽  
Bulk Carrier ◽  
Ballast Water Treatment ◽  
Mechanical Separation ◽  
Hierarchy Process

Investigations are currently underway to establish effective primary and secondary ballast water treatment methods to minimize the potential for the introduction of additional nonindigenous aquatic species into the Great Lakes and other U.S. coastal waters. This treatment could be used in place of mid-ocean ballast exchange currently required by the U.S. Coast Guard for all vessels entering the Great Lakes in ballast from beyond the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Primary and secondary treatment could provide environmental protection for both Ballast On Board (BOB) vessels, which are required to perform mid-ocean ballast exchange before entering the Great Lakes, and No Ballast On Board (NOBOB) vessels, which are currently exempt from any ballast exchange requirements. Primary treatment using some form of mechanical separation to 100 urn or 50 um followed by secondary treatment using 254 nm UV irradiation or some form of chemical treatment are currently leading candidates. Over the past six years, the Great Lakes Ballast Technology Demonstration Project (GLBTDP) has undertaken the full-scale evaluation of 340 m3/h (1500 U.S. gpm) ballast water mechanical separation using an automatic backwashing screen filter, hydrocyclone, and automatic backwashing disk filter. This experience provides the basis for the investigation of various ballast system design issues that must be considered in the selection and design of the primary ballast water treatment. This investigation is based upon the ballast system of a typical Seaway size bulk carrier using port and starboard 2000 m3/h (8800 U.S. gpm) main ballast pumps. A discrete multicriterion optimization tradeoff study using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is also presented to illustrate a rational method for determining the best choice for primary ballast water treatment for such a Seaway size bulk carrier.

Thalassiosira baltica (Grunow) Ostenfeld (Bacillariophyta), a new exotic species in the Great Lakes

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 610-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
M B Edlund ◽  
C M Taylor ◽  
C L Schelske ◽  
E F Stoermer
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Sediment Cores ◽  
Laurentian Great Lakes ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Brackish Waters ◽  
Predominant Component ◽  
Successful Establishment

Microfossil analysis of sediment cores collected in 1994 and phytoplankton collected in 1998 from Lake Ontario indicated that the diatom Thalassiosira baltica (Grunow) Ostenfeld was introduced and became established ca. 1988 according to 210Pb date estimates and has remained a predominant component of the phytoplankton since its establishment. Thalassiosira baltica is an exotic species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and is more commonly found in coastal brackish waters in western and northern Europe and only rarely reported from North American coastal waters. The probable vector for introduction of T. baltica was ballast water exchange and the successful establishment attributed to this taxon's euryhalinity tolerance.

Dynamics and short-term survival of toxic cyanobacteria species in ballast water from NOBOB vessels transiting the Great Lakes—implications for HAB invasions

Harmful Algae ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina A. Doblin ◽  
Kathryn J. Coyne ◽  
Johanna M. Rinta-Kanto ◽  
Steven W. Wilhelm ◽  
Fred C. Dobbs
Keyword(s):  
Great Lakes ◽  
Ballast Water ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Toxic Cyanobacteria ◽  
Short Term Survival
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