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Stowaways threaten fisheries in the Arctic

The stowaways can arrive either as biofouling or via water in the ballast tanks An international team of researchers led by PhD candidate Chris Ware from the University of Tromsø in Norway has for the first time been able to calculate the risk of new species establishing themselves in Arctic waters. Specifically, the researchers have investigated the maritime traffic to Svalbard. Chris Ware explains:The survey shows that up to one third of the 155 ships that entered the ports of Svalbard during 2011 came from ports that will in the future have an environmental match with Svalbard, thereby increasing the risk that harmful species, which may be brought in as stowaways on ships, will be able to establish themselves.The stowaways can arrive either as biofouling on the outside of the ships or via water in the ballast tanks.In 2011 ships that called at Svalbard emptied their ballast tanks 31 times, producing a total volume of 653,000 cubic meters, equivalent to more than 261 Olympic-size swimming pools. Considering each cubic metre of ballast water may contain hundreds of thousands of organisms, billions of organisms can be introduced by ships every year. Slightly more than half of the vessels had replaced the ...

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Key Resources for the New VGP

Effective from December 19, 2013 The second Vessel General Permit was finalized on March 28, 2013 and it will replace the 2008 VGP when it expires on December 19, 2013.The 2013 Final VGP:regulates 26 specific discharge categories that were contained in the 2008 VGPprovides coverage for fish hold effluent in the event that a permitting moratorium currently in effect expires in December 2014.contains numeric ballast water discharge limits for most vessels.aligns with requirements contained within the 2012 U.S. Coast Guard ballast water rulemaking.contains requirements to ensure ballast water treatment systems are functioning correctly.provides additional environmental protection for certain vessels. i.e.certain high-risk vessels entering the Great Lakes must conduct additional management measures to reduce the risk of introducing new invasive species to our waters.contains more stringent effluent limits for oil to sea interfaces and exhaust gas scrubber washwaterallows electronic recordkeepingrequirs an annual report in lieu of the one-time report and annual noncompliance reportallows combined annual reports for some vessel operatorsallows a reduced inspection frequency for vessels in a prolonged idle status,requires small vessel owners and/or operators to obtain coverage under the VGP by completing and agreeing to the terms of a Permit Authorization and Record of Inspection form.Key ResourcesA. Vessel General ...

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Updated AMS for Ballast Water Treatment

BWTS accepted by USCG for use in US waters as AMS The U.S. Coast Guard has updated the list of the Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) accepted for use in US water as Alternate Management Systems (AMS)AMS acceptance by the Coast Guard is a temporary designation given to a ballast water treatment system approved by a foreign administration. Vessel operators may use an AMS to manage their ballast water discharges in lieu of ballast water exchange, while the treatment system undergoes approval testing to Coast Guard standards.An AMS may be used to meet the Coast Guard ballast water treatment requirements for up to five years after the ship's ballast water discharge standard compliance date specified in the final rule. This five-year timeframe allows for the completion of required land-based and shipboard testing.The ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) listed in the table below have been accepted for use in U.S. waters as Alternate Management Systems (AMS). Use of a BWTS as an AMS is subject to the general and specific conditions and requirements listed in the AMS acceptance letter issued to the system's manufacturerPlease click image below to englargeTheBallast Water Management (BWM) Convention requires:A ship-specific Ballast Water Management Plan approved by ...

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