Assessing Ballast Water (BW) Management and Invasions in the Great Lakes: Site Selection and Draft Protocol for Shipboard Plankton Sampling at BW Sentinel Sites
Abstract
Commercial shipping is a major unintentional transport mechanism for aquatic organisms worldwide. Management measures, specifically for ballast water (BW), aim to remove or inactivate organisms prior to discharge in a new environment. This study identifies a BW sentinel site within the Great Lakes and aims to establish measurement methods to assess the concentration and diversity of BW biota prior to discharge. The team reviewed data from the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse and identified Duluth/Superior harbor as the initial Great Lakes BW sentinel site due to it being a location with high vessel traffic and BW discharge activity. In addition, the team established a working group with local collaborators to formulate effective sampling strategies, which use established laboratory protocols with modifications to address the working conditions on Laker vessels. Vessels transiting the Great Lakes carry unmanaged, exchanged and treated BW, and as such this study will assess all management levels. This study will sample vessels to obtain vital baseline information on the biota present in BW at a major port system within the Great Lakes. The team will continue to build on this study in outyears by increasing sample size at the sentinel site, with the potential to expand efforts to other sentinel sites.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1172255
Entities
People
- Brenda Soler Figueroa
- Darrick Sparks
- Gail Roderick
- Gregory Ruiz
- Jenny Zollars
- Luz Quinones
- Tim Mullady
Organizations
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center