Marine Environmental Awareness Course Introduction of invasive species

Marine Environmental Awareness Course Introduction of invasive species Name • Date

Invasive species Contents 1. Introduction 2. Sources of marine invasive species 3. Impacts 4. Role of shipping – general 5. Ballast Water 6. Biofouling Photo credits: unknown/Green Award Foundation

1. Introduction Alien species may become invasive species • Not as many natural ‘brakes’ in their new environment - pathogens - grazers - predators - parasites • They can breed and spread quickly, taking over an area. Photo credits: IMO Globallast

2. Sources of marine invasive species Ø Shipping most important (69%) Other sources: Ø Aquaculture (41%) Ø Canals (17%) Ø Aquarium trade (6%) Ø Life seafood trade (2%) Ø Floating marine litter Source: Molnar et al. 2008 Photo credits: North Sea Foundation/Eleanor Partridge – Marine Photobank

3. Impacts - scale of the problem Ø 84 % of the all the world’s marine ecosystems have been affected by invasive species ØAll continents are impacted Ø 57% of the invasive species that have been examined are very harmful to their new ecosystems Illustration credits: UNEP/GRID-Arendal

3. Impacts - scale of the problem Most heavily impacted areas include Northern California, the North Sea, the Hawaiian islands and the Eastern Mediterranean Ecoregion Northern California Number of invasive species Number of harmful species (and % of all invasive species) 85 56 (66%) Hawaiian Islands 74 31 (42%) North Sea 73 47 (64%) Levantine Sea (Eastern Mediterrenean) 72 36 (50%) Western Mediterranean 65 43 (66%) Oregon, Wasgington, Vancouver 63 41 (65%) Aegean Sea 58 31 (53%) Puget Sound/Georgia Basin 55 35 (64%) Celtic Seas 50 33 (66%) Southern California Bight 43 31 (72%) Source: Molnar et al. 2008

3. Ecological impacts Direct impacts • Preying on native species • Competing with native species for food • Competing with native species for space • Altering habitats Indirect impacts • Changing food webs • Decreasing biodiversity Photo credits: Steven G. Johnson/US Fish and Wildlife Service

3. Economic impacts Global economic losses: € 7 billion every year Examples: § Decrease in anchovy landings in Black Sea and Caspian Sea due to invasion of comb jelly (€ 500 million a year); § Clearing Zebra mussels from industrial facilities in the USA - € 750 million to 1 billion between 1989 -2000; § Invasion of Chinese mitten crab in Germany - € 80 million total. Photo credits: JT Carlton / West coast ballast outreach project

3. Human health impacts Examples: § Increase of paralytic shellfish poisoning due to transport of red tides § Transport of cholera Photo credits: Ecomare

4. Role of shipping - general Shipping is considered to be the most important source of marine invasive species worldwide (69%), of which: Ø 39% introduced by biofouling Ø 31% introduced by ballast water Ø 30% via both Photo credits: Unknown / Propulsion Dynamics Inc. – Marine Photobank

5. Ballast water International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments - 2004 § Will enter into force 12 months after at least 30 countries, representing at least 35 % of world tonnage, have ratified the convention § Ratification status 35 states and 27, 95% (30 June 2012) Photo credits: IMO

International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments - 2004 Requirements: q Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan q Ballast Water Record Book q Ballast Water Management • Ballast Water Exchange Standard (D-1) • Ballast Water Performance Standard (D-2) Photo credits: IMO

Ballast Water Exchange (D-1) Conduct Ballast Water Exchange (BWE) with 95% efficiency BWE technologies: • Sequential or empty-refill • Flow through • Dilution Shortcomings: • Safety-issues - weather and sea surface conditions • Not 100% effective In the BWM convention, BWE is an interim measure Photo credits: K. Bell / US Fish and Wildlife Service

14 Illustration credits: Lloyds Register

Ballast Water Treatment (D-2) Many ballast water treatment systems use a combination of treatment options. Primary treatment often uses physical methods such as filtration and hydro cyclons. Secondary treatment: Ø Mechanical methods: ultraviolet radiation (UV), thermal, ultrasound, magnetic, electrical treatment Ø Chemical methods: use of biocides, chlorine, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chorine dioxide etc. (‘active substances’) 15 Photo credits: unknown

Ballast Water Treatment (D-2) 25 BWT methods approved, 23 systems on the market (Lloyd’s Register, March 2012) 16 Photo credits: unknown

Remaining issues Ø Availability of systems suitable for ships with ballast water capacity larger than 5. 000 m 3 Ø Role of ports? Ø Challenge of (retro)fitting all ships in time (20 ships per day if we start now) Ø Doubts exist if ships are assured to be complient worldwide when they choose an approved system 17 Photo credits: North Sea Ballast Water Opportunity

6. Biofouling Ø Historically prominent vector Ø Efficient anti-fouling paints, faster ships – perception in the 1980’s was that biofouling was no longer a threat Ø NOW - increasing evidence that hull fouling is a significant source of invasive species Photo credits: Pro. Sea

6. Biofouling Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling to Minimize the Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species - 2011 § Provides a globally consistent approach § Recommendations on general measures to minimize the risks § Biofouling management practices

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