Controlling Ballast Water: Limiting the Invasion Jerry Joyce Seattle Audubon All materials copyrighted © 2005, Seattle Audubon Society

Why does Seattle Audubon care about ballast water? Seattle Audubon cultivates and leads a community that values and protects birds and the natural environment. Seattle Audubon cultivates and leads a community that values and protects birds and the natural environment. There are documented instances in which birds have been directly harmed by the effects of ballast water discharge, as well as many cases of indirect harm. There are documented instances in which birds have been directly harmed by the effects of ballast water discharge, as well as many cases of indirect harm. The release of ballast water that contains invasive or pathogenic species, or other contaminants, into our waters neither values nor protects our natural environment. The release of ballast water that contains invasive or pathogenic species, or other contaminants, into our waters neither values nor protects our natural environment.

The Invasion 7,633 ship-visits in ,633 ship-visits in 2004 Discharge introduces exotic species Discharge introduces exotic species Some exotic species are invasive, others are direct health threats through disease or contamination Some exotic species are invasive, others are direct health threats through disease or contamination

The Plan Reduce/eliminate introduction of exotics now through mid-ocean exchange and/or treatment Reduce/eliminate introduction of exotics now through mid-ocean exchange and/or treatment Eliminate introductions of all exotics through treatment when feasible Eliminate introductions of all exotics through treatment when feasible

Why Washington? Why Now? There are gaps in all current rules There are gaps in all current rules There are inspection problems There are inspection problems There are insufficient data collected There are insufficient data collected Invasive species threaten WA economy and environment Invasive species threaten WA economy and environment

The New Law If you haven't exchanged or treated ballast water, you can't discharge it in our waters

Shippers' Choices Do open-ocean exchange Do open-ocean exchange Hold the ballast water Hold the ballast water Install approved treatment Install approved treatment Install approved experimental treatment Install approved experimental treatment Plan to install approved treatment (if dry docking is required) Plan to install approved treatment (if dry docking is required) Pay a fine Pay a fine

How Bad Can It Get? Look to SF Bay More than 234 non-native plant and animal species are now established in the Bay More than 234 non-native plant and animal species are now established in the Bay Up to 99% of the biomass and 97% of the organisms in the Bay are now non-native Up to 99% of the biomass and 97% of the organisms in the Bay are now non-native

Some Exotic Species Currently Observed in Washington Cnidaria (jelly fish, coral, etc.) Cnidaria (jelly fish, coral, etc.) –Cordylophora caspia Black/Caspian Seas Annelida: Polychaeta (pile worms, sea worms) Annelida: Polychaeta (pile worms, sea worms) –Polydora cornuta N Atlantic –Pseudopolydora bassarginensis NW Pacific –Pseudopolydora kempi japonica NW Pacific –Streblospio benedicti N Atlantic Arthropoda: Crustacea: Ostracoda ("seed shrimp") Arthropoda: Crustacea: Ostracoda ("seed shrimp") –Eusarsiella zostericola NW Atlantic Arthropoda: Crustacea: Cumacea Arthropoda: Crustacea: Cumacea –Nippoleucon hinumensis NW Pacific Arthropoda: Crustacea: Tanaidacea Arthropoda: Crustacea: Tanaidacea –Sinelobus stanfordi not known Arthropoda: Crustacea: Amphipoda Arthropoda: Crustacea: Amphipoda –Ampithoe valida NW Atlantic –Caprella mutica NW Pacific –Grandidierella japonica NW Pacific –Jassa marmorata NW Atlantic –Melita nitida NW Atlantic Urochordata (sea squirts) Urochordata (sea squirts) –Molgula manhattensis NW Atlantic 1998 & 2000 surveys in the shallow waters of Elliott Bay, Totten and Eld Inlets, and Willapa Bay reporting species that were probably introduced through ballast water

What's the Cost? Examples of National Annual Cost 3-5 Billion dollars—Zebra mussel 3-5 Billion dollars—Zebra mussel 1 Billion dollars—Asian clams 1 Billion dollars—Asian clams 200 Million dollars—Shipworm 200 Million dollars—Shipworm 44 Million dollars—European green crab 44 Million dollars—European green crab

WA Dangers: Infrastructure Examples Utilities: uptake and discharge piping, screening, water quality Utilities: uptake and discharge piping, screening, water quality Ports and cities: pilings, cabling, subsurface equipment, sea walls, liability Ports and cities: pilings, cabling, subsurface equipment, sea walls, liability Agriculture: irrigation, dikes, transportation Agriculture: irrigation, dikes, transportation

WA Dangers: Aquatic Industries Examples Shellfish: predation, viral and bacterial contamination, competition for resources Shellfish: predation, viral and bacterial contamination, competition for resources Fisheries: predation on juvenile fish, reduced prey fish and zooplankton, contamination, disruption of food web, fewer fish to catch Fisheries: predation on juvenile fish, reduced prey fish and zooplankton, contamination, disruption of food web, fewer fish to catch

It's Happened Before: Shellfish The European green crab in New England has destroyed commercial shellfish beds and preys on large numbers of native oysters and crabs More than 400 people in Galveston Bay were sickened in 1998 by shellfish that had been contaminated by bacterium never before detected in the U.S. but common in Asia. USDA believes it arrived via ballast water discharge.

It's Happened Before: Fisheries Decline in catch (tonnes) from 1984 to 1993 due to the introduction of a comb jelly into the Black and Azov Seas

Waiting is Not an Option In SF Bay a new species is established every 14 weeks, up from one every 55 weeks in 1960 In SF Bay a new species is established every 14 weeks, up from one every 55 weeks in 1960 Ballast water in 14 of the 15 vessels sampled entering the Chesapeake Bay contained a strain of cholera never before identified in the U.S. Ballast water in 14 of the 15 vessels sampled entering the Chesapeake Bay contained a strain of cholera never before identified in the U.S.

Bottom Line: When Do We Deal with the Invasion? 2016—US (under S363)—possibly later 2016—US (under S363)—possibly later 2016—IMO—probably later 2016—IMO—probably later 2007—Washington State program 2007—Washington State program

Questions? me: PowerPoint presentation: click on Invasive Species for a link to this PowerPoint presentation