1. Marine Environmental Awareness Course
Introduction of invasive species
Name • Date

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

3. 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

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

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

6. 3. Impacts - scale of the problem
Most heavily impacted areas include Northern California, the North Sea, the Hawaiian islands and the Eastern Mediterranean
Ecoregion
Number of invasive species
Number of harmful species (and % of all invasive species)
Northern California 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

7. 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

8. 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 ;
Invasion of Chinese mitten crab in Germany - € 80 million total.
Photo credits: JT Carlton / West coast ballast outreach project

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

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

11. 5. Ballast water
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments
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 11

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

13. 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

15. 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:
Mechanical methods: ultraviolet radiation (UV), thermal, ultrasound, magnetic, electrical treatment
Chemical methods: use of biocides, chlorine, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, chorine dioxide etc. (‘active substances’)
Photo credits: unknown

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

17. Remaining issues
Availability of systems suitable for ships with ballast water capacity larger than m3
Role of ports?
Challenge of (retro)fitting all ships in time (20 ships per day if we start now)
Doubts exist if ships are assured to be complient worldwide when they choose an approved system
Photo credits: North Sea Ballast Water Opportunity

18. 6. Biofouling Historically prominent vector
Efficient anti-fouling paints, faster ships – perception in the 1980’s was that biofouling was no longer a threat
NOW - increasing evidence that hull fouling is a significant source of invasive species
Photo credits: ProSea 18

19. 6. Biofouling
Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling to Minimize the Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species
Provides a globally consistent approach
Recommendations on general measures to minimize the risks
Biofouling management practices 19

20. Questions