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2002 October Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Appendix C—"Time To Act" Says the International Joint Commission
In its 11th Biennial Report, the International Joint Commission admonished Canada and the United States to act on the problem of invasive species. Below is an excerpt.
Chapter 3—Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Conclusion
The introduction and spread of alien invasive species are continuing to impair the biological integrity and threaten the many water-dependent economic sectors of the Great Lakes basin. The costs for treatment and control are massive, rising, and largely borne by local communities, utilities and industry rather than those who create the problem.
Current regulations, guidelines, and practices in place are not sufficient to prevent further alien invasive species introduction and spread. Specifically, current regulations exempting ships declaring no ballast on board (NOBOB) do nothing to minimize the threat they pose. The Great Lake region's sense of the biological and economic urgency of the problem drives the call for more federal leadership and immediate steps to prevent further introduction and spread of alien invasive species.
Immediate federal action to make mandatory ballast water management practices, including the requirement for NOBOB participation in the program, can reduce the biologic and economic threat from the introduction and spread of alien invasive species. The time to act is now.
Recommendations
The Governments need to take more aggressive steps to end the invasion of alien species and we urge the following:
1. Immediately make existing voluntary guidelines for ballast water management practices mandatory and provide for measures of enforcement and compliance for all ships capable of carrying ballast water, including those currently not carrying ballast water.
2. Develop uniform protocols for performance testing of ballast water:
a) Develop best practices and any improvements for ballast management operations.
b) By the end of 2003 (date certain) establish enforceable interim biological standards.
c) Concurrently, establish biological standards for ballast water discharges from all ships and for new technologies for ballast water treatment.
3. Ensure all ships built after a certain date have a treatment technology incorporated in their construction to be allowed entry into the Great Lakes.
4. Design and implement economic incentives to encourage shippers to continuously improve (ISO 14000) Ballast Management Practices.
5. Fund research recommended by expert regional, national and binational panels, task forces and committees, especially focused on:
a) research (including research for biological standards, criteria and indicators) for ballast water treatment necessary to drive technology, product development, and ship design;
b) research for developing alternative technologies including biocides to achieve new standards and criteria for the elimination of Alien Invasive Species in ballast water;
c) research and technology development to reduce entrained and accumulated sediment in ship ballast water and tanks; and,
d) research to develop analytical tools and procedures to permit the identification of new invasive species and to link these species to their possible points of origin and vessels of introduction.
6. Issue the Commission a reference to coordinate and harmonize binational efforts for action to stop this ongoing threat to the economy and the biological integrity of the Great Lakes.