Report: U.S., Canada need similar Great Lakes ballast water rules

A National Academy of Sciences study said the United States should follow Canada's lead and adopt standards identical to those proposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to prevent invasive species from entering the Great Lakes.

Transport Canada and the U.S. Coast Guard should ensure that all vessels entering the Great Lakes after operating in coastal areas of eastern North America take protective measures similar to those required for transoceanic vessels, notably ballast water exchange for ballasted vessels and saltwater flushing for vessels declaring no ballast on board, the report recommends.

Both nations should ensure that only vessels adhering to these standards gain access to the lakes, and binational surveillance measures should be in place to monitor the presence of aquatic invasive species, the report says.

Because there are so many ways that an invasive species can enter the lakes, even closing the St. Lawrence Seaway altogether would not stop future invasions, and closure of the seaway would not enhance regional trade, the study said.

The study was praised by the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. (SLSDC), the federal agency responsible for the passage of vessels into the Great Lakes.

The National Academy of Sciences has confirmed that the idea of closing the seaway is legally unfeasible, politically unrealistic, and economically disastrous for the U.S. and Canada, said Administrator Terry Johnson, who heads the SLSDC. Closure would damage trade, increase surface congestion, provoke negative environmental impacts, and still fail to prevent future non-native species from entering the Great Lakes.

Source: American Shipper