Tag: invasive species

IMO announced that Saudi Arabia has become the latest State to become a Party to the Ballast Water Management Convention. The number of contracting Parties to the BWM Convention now stands at 55, representing 53.67% of world merchant shipping tonnage.

The environmental NGO, MEDASSET has launched a new online game in an effort to work towards the protection of sea turtles and their marine and coastal habitats in the Mediterranean Sea.

On April 19th, the California State Lands Commission issued a letter to inform about its new rules on ballast water management that will take effect in the State of California on 1 July 2017.

The final meeting of the GloBallast Global Project Task Force (GPTF), held in Panama City, on 16-17 March, highlighted the legacy elements of the GloBallast project, which are expected to be sustained by its main stakeholders, following the formal closure of the project, in June 2017. Specific examples include GloBallast training packages, to support the capacity-building needs of countries implementing the BWM Convention.

The California State Lands Commission has unanimously opposed federal legislation that would dramatically increase the likelihood of marine invasive species introductions and water pollution in California by revoking the long-standing right of states to regulate their waters under the Clean Water Act and the National Invasive Species Act.

A research begun by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) looks at how floating wind farms could provide a new route for invasive species to spread across the oceans.

California State Lands Commission (SLC) recently published its 2017 Biennial Report on its marine invasive species program, discussing both ballast water and biofouling and aiming to prevent the introduction of nonindigenous species into State waters from vessels 300 gross registered tons and above that are capable of carrying ballast water.

The California State Lands Commission (SLC) issued a letter reminding stakeholders of various reporting requirements related to marine invasive species. The letter addresses issues regarding Ballast Water Treatment Technology Annual Reporting Form; Ballast Water Treatment Supplemental Reporting Form; Hull Husbandry Reporting Form; Ballast Water Management Report requirements.

California State Lands Commission announced proposed amendments to regulations regarding Marine Invasive Species Control Fund Fee and Definitions. The amendments would increase the fee from $850 per qualifying voyage to $1,000 per qualifying voyage.

Accession by Finland has triggered the entry into force of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) that aims to stop the spread of potentially invasive aquatic species in ships’ ballast water.