invasive species

Tackling Invasive Species In The Great Lakes

The Invasive Species

Travelling recently to the Great Lakes, it’s hard not to be struck by the amazing processes that have shaped them. As glaciers advanced and retreated over thousands of years, ice sheets eroded the land, exposing the basins carved into its surface.

The ice melted, filling the empty pockets and what remains today of a process that began 14,000 years ago is a lake system which accounts for over twenty per cent of the globe’s available surface freshwater. With over 100 ports, it’s no wonder that the...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/tackling-invasive-species-in-the-great-lakes/

Untreated ballast water: 5 invasive species causing marine disruption

The untreated ballast water has a negative impact on the marine species and marine environment, often resulting to the increase of the non-native organisms, disrupting the food chain, interfering with infrastructure by incapacitating power plants, disrupting water supply, and spreading deadly diseases.

Ballast water often leads to marine species being transferred to different marine environments, posing great risks in oceans. Specifically, five invasive species that have been seen disrupting...

https://safety4sea.com/untreated-ballast-water-5-invasive-species-causing-marine-disruption/

BWM Convention: D-2 standard enters into force

Amendments to an international treaty aiming to prevent the spread of potentially invasive species in ships’ ballast water entered into force on 13 October 2019. The amendments set out an implementation schedule to make sure that ships manage their ballast water to meet a specified standard (D-2 standard). They also make mandatory the Code for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems, which establishes how ballast water management systems used to achieve the D-2 standard have to be assessed...

https://safety4sea.com/bwm-convention-d-2-standard-enters-into-force/

Researchers catch invasive species in UK with DNA tests

A team of scientists from the University of Southampton, Bangor University and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have found out that several artificially introduced species in the coastal waters of southern England, using a genetic technique that could detect early non-native species if adopted more widely.

Among the species identified is a worm originating from the North West Pacific Ocean which includes neurotoxins that are potentially fatal if they enter the human body.

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https://safety4sea.com/researchers-catch-invasive-species-in-uk-with-dna-tests/

How the invasive species threaten the British biosecurity

In April 2019 the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) in the UK launched a new research to understand the impact and threat to biosecurity from invasive species where the UK is witnessing a rise in the introduction of non-native species, with damaging effects from invasive species estimated to cost almost £1.8 billion a year.

In light of the above, the IMarEST has provided input to the study, focusing on the impact and management of non-native species, that are severely affecting the UK’s native...

https://safety4sea.com/how-the-invasive-species-threaten-the-british-biosecurity/

Rising maritime traffic could lead to surge in invasive species

Rising global maritime traffic could lead to sharp increases in invasive species around the world over the next 30 years, according to a recent study by McGill University researchers. The findings suggest that shipping growth will far outweigh climate change in the spread of non-indigenous pests to new environments in coming decades.

Biological invasions are believed to be a major driver of biodiversity change, and cause billions of dollars in economic damages annually. Our models show that the...

https://safety4sea.com/rising-maritime-traffic-could-lead-to-surge-in-invasive-species/

Hull Biofouling – old problem, new challenges

During his presentation at the last GREEN4SEA Conference, Mr. David Nichol, Senior Loss Prevention Executive, UK P&I Club, provided a brief overview of old and new challenges surrounding biofouling and what is in store for the future. Some invasive species have proven very destructive to native aquatic organisms as well causing serious damage to property and marine resources. Biofouling as a vector for the transfer of aquatic invasive is developing a higher profile with both legislators and the...

https://safety4sea.com/cm-hull-biofouling-old-problem-new-challenges/

California: AFS Certificate not enough to comply with biofouling regs

California recently shared its experience from the first year of enforcing the Marine Invasive Species Program (MISP) and the Biofouling Management Regulations, that apply to vessels arriving at California ports from 1 October 2017. The California State Lands Commission emphasised that the International Anti-Fouling System (AFS) Certificate issued by a vessel’s flag state is not enough to document effectiveness of a vessel’s antifouling coating in terms of preventing the transfer of marine...

https://safety4sea.com/california-afs-certificate-not-enough-to-comply-with-biofouling-regs/

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