Study: Nonnative Species Carried in Lakers' Ballast Water
A recent study on nonindigenous species of plankton in ballast discharges from U.S. and Canadian lakers to western Lake Superior documented five species of nonindigenous zooplankton not yet established in western Lake Superior, including Hemimysis anomala (“bloody red shrimp”), in ballast water discharged there. It also detected, in uptake water, a species of zooplankton (Paraleptastacus wilsoni) that had not previously been recorded in the Great Lakes.Some of the species, including this one, live in harbor sediment and may have escaped routine surveillance to date.
Allegra Cangelosi Retires as President, NEMWI
The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) is advertising the position of President and seeks highly qualified and motivated candidates to replace Allegra Cangelosi in that role. Ms. Cangelosi announced her interest in returning to project management and research work as the activities within the Great Ships Initiative pick up speed, and the NEMWI reaches solid financial footing with a robust staff and Board of Directors. Ms. Cangelosi noted "The organization grew much stronger under my executive leadership, and is now well poised to support a 'full-time' President. I thank the amazing staff and Board of the organization for making the dual role I have filled possible and helping the organization reach its current robust condition within the context of it. Ms.
Ballast Water Treatment Systems Lab USCG Recognized
NSF International gains United States Coast Guard acceptance as Independent laboratory for ballast water management system testing. NSF International (NSF), an independent public health organization, has become the first Independent Laboratory (IL) accepted by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to evaluate and test technologies designed to treat ballast water on ships in order to prevent the spread of non-native aquatic species in lakes, rivers and coastal waters. NSF is leading a partnership between Retlif Testing Laboratories (Retlif), the Great Ships Initiative (GSI) and the Maritime Environmental Resource Center (MERC) to test and evaluate systems to the Coast Guard requirements.
Ballast Water Management Hearing Held
On March 25, the Subcommittees on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation and on Water Resources & Environment of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure conducted a joint hearing on Ballast Water Management. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the international ballast water standards recently agreed to by the IMO and to review reauthorization of the National Invasive Species Act (NISA). RADM Thomas Gilmour, USCG, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection, testified that the new international convention sets reasonable standards, while allowing individual port states to establish more stringent requirements. Joseph J. Cox, Shipping Industry Ballast Water Coalition, testified in support of international regime adopted at IMO.
Effective Means Of Combating Invasive Aquatic Species Urged
Witnesses representing the shipping industry, ports, and an environmental organization met on May 15 to urge the development of mandatory federal ballast water management regulations and alternative management options to more effectively address the problem of aquatic invasive species in the United States. The joint hearing of the U.S. House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee focused on the implementation of the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (NISA), which addresses aquatic invasive species and required the Transportation Secretary to issue voluntary guidelines to prevent the introduction of invasive species by vessels equipped with ballast water tanks.
