Proceedings 2009/054

Proceedings of the National peer review on Alternate Ballast Water Exchange Zones for vessel traffic to Newfoundland and the Arctic; January 13-14, 2009

Chairperson: Patrice Simon

Summary

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) held a National Science Peer Review meeting on January 13-14, 2009 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The purpose of the meeting was to review three working papers on Alternate Ballast Water Exchange Zones (ABWEZ) in the Newfoundland and Labrador Region, the Beaufort Sea and in Hudson Strait. Ballast water exchange is undertaken to minimize the ecological risk of non-indigenous species introductions. Current regulations under the Canada Shipping Act require all transoceanic ships entering Canadian waters are required to exchange ballast water outside the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). If offshore exchange is not feasible for safety reasons such as heavy seas or storms, current regulations, following Transport Canada’s Minister approval, could allow for exchange in a designated alternate exchange zone. The regulations for ballast water exchange do not apply to domestic or coastal traffic. ABWEZs are located off the East and West Coasts, and seasonally in the Laurentian Channel of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Transport Canada (TC) has requested scientifically defensible advice as the basis for national ballast water regulations for ships in ballast heading for ports in Newfoundland, traveling west via Hudson Strait to the Hudson Bay and the Eastern Canadian Arctic and the Canadian waters of the Beaufort Sea. Participants at the peer review included DFO Science and Oceans sectors, Transport Canada, academia and consultants.

This proceedings report summarizes the relevant discussions and presents the key conclusions reached at the peer review meeting. Each of the three working papers will be published as Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Research Documents and advice from the meeting will be published as a Science Advisory Report.

Complete document (PDF, 149 KB)

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