Fednav
MEDIA
Press Release
May 7, 2008
Feedback: Crackdown on invasive species in Great Lakes & Seaway
Invasive species like zebra mussels and gobies often hitch rides on ocean freighters.
Sometimes the organisms end up being discharged into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System.
That's why Canadian and American Seaway officials are turning to new standards and technologies to help control and the non-native species invasion.
"What we want to do is we want to take the steps that are practical for addressing the invasive species problem not the impractical, ridiculous ones that really don't produce any results," said Seaway Development Corporation Administrator Collister "Terry" Johnson.
The Federal Kivalina and its cargo of synthetic sand began its sea journey in China.
Upon its arrival at St. Lambert Lock in Montreal, seaway inspectors check its ballast tanks before allowing it to continue on its Great Lakes voyage.
"From the smaller ship operators who may or may not have been doing this in the past now it forces every operator to do this, flush their tanks and it gives the public, I think, some sense of what's being done and hopefully some rest that things are being done to curb the spread of invasive species and the ballast water is being treated to some degree," said Fednav Shipping Vice President Paul Pathy.
Stringent inspections and tests measure the salt content of water inside the ship's ballast tanks, which are used to help balance freighters without full cargo loads.
"The only recognized thing right now is deep ocean salt water flushing for these ships to do, to maintain good clean salt water prior to them getting into the fresh water of the Great Lakes and discharging their ballast water," said seaway marine specialist Terry Jordan.
Research has shown that the amount of salt content in ocean water can kill invasive organisms that could survive in freshwater.
The problem is that some freighters who have flushed as much water as possible in the ocean could still carry invasive species in the small amount of water and mud at the bottom of the ballast tank.
"It's like trying to get soda out of the bottom of a cup with a straw. If you put that straw all the way on the bottom, you can't get any suction so you have to lift the straw up a little bit and it means you will always leave a residue," said aquatic researcher Dr. David Reid.
Eventually ships may be able to use new technologies such as filtering systems or biocides now under research that would kill the invasive species before any ballast water is discharged.
Seaway officials hope combining tough regulations with technology will lessen the vulnerability of local waterways to unwanted invasive species.
Ship owners who violate the ballast water regulations could face fines up to $36,000 and the ship's captain could also be charged.
