Terms of Reference

Science advice on ballast water exchange plus treatment

National Peer Review - National Capital Region

February 27-28, 2018
Burlington, ON

Chairperson: Gilles Olivier

Context

Transport Canada regulates the ballast water of ships to address the risk that they will introduce and/or spread aquatic invasive species into Canada’s waters. Since 2006, TC has required ships to manage their ballast water through exchange (and flushing of residual ballast water), treatment, disposal to a reception facility or retention onboard. In 2010, Canada acceded to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (the Convention) which will require ships to transition from ballast water exchange to ballast water treatment to a defined standard (Regulation D-2).

Between 2010 and 2012, in response to requirements in some U.S. jurisdictions for greater protection than offered by Regulation D-2, TC officials and DFO scientists suggested that combining exchange/flushing with ballast water treatment could theoretically increase protection for the environment using existing approved ballast water management systems (BWMS). In a 2012 discussion paper on bringing the Convention into force in Canada, TC referred to this approach as exchange plus treatment (E+T), and proposed applying it to freshwater regions of Canada.

Since then, a number of Great Lakes states have adopted the requirement, as has the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for ships voyaging to the Great Lakes. In addition, a number of scientific studies have been undertaken to consider any implications of E+T and whether it is effective in practice. TC requires science advice from DFO in the short term to inform a policy recommendation and draft regulations on whether to include E+T in Canadian regulations as TC brings the Convention into force in Canada.

Objective

The science advice objective is to provide an answer to the specific questions posed by the client, Transport Canada, i.e.:

1. What is the recommended protocol for ships to undertake E+T and what is its mechanism of action?
2. When compared with the use of a BWMS, to what extent would E+T reduce the risk that non-indigenous species will arrive and survive in Canada, and what would be the expected reduction in the rate of new establishments?
3. Which Canadian ports would benefit most from a requirement for E+T considering the key factors related to efficacy of E+T (i.e. salinity and temperature)?
4. When compared to the use of treatment alone, how would E+T affect the expected rate of new establishments in the case of ballast water that does not meet the standards in Regulation D-2, for example due to a BWMS failure?
5. What circumstances would justify revisiting this advice in the future?

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report

Expected Participation

• A maximum of number 19 participants had been established for taking part to the peer-review meeting. Participants will be affiliated with the following institutions:
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Transport Canada (client)
• Academics
• Shipping industry
• Other institutional representatives:
• U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
• NOAA
• U.S. Coast Gard