Elsevier

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume 139, February 2019, Pages 74-90
Marine Pollution Bulletin

Where else? Assessing zones of alternate ballast water exchange in the Canadian eastern Arctic

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.11.062Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • Managing ballast water needs a precautionary approach to limit species introductions.

  • Alternative ballast water exchange zones in the Canadian Arctic are poorly situated.

  • Model particle tracking is useful for evaluating exchange risks along shipping routes.

  • Current alternative zones in Lancaster Sound and Hudson Strait are high-risk areas.

  • Deep offshore areas of Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay are lowest risk exchange locations.

Abstract

Mid-ocean ballast water exchange (BWE) is recommended for international vessels to minimize the transfer of nonindigenous species (NIS). When this cannot be accomplished due to safety concerns, alternate ballast water exchange zones (ABWEZ) may be used. A coupled-ice-ocean model with meteorological forcing and particle tracking was used to evaluate the relative risks from BWE along primary shipping routes into Canada's eastern Arctic. Relative risk to receiving habitats from BWE was calculated from the product of likelihood of exposure, likelihood of establishment, and habitat sensitivity to potential NIS. Modelling results indicate that existing ABWEZs in and around Lancaster Sound and Hudson Strait are among the areas of highest relative risk for introductions of NIS via ballast water. The deeper offshore regions of Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay should be considered as alternatives. However, further research is recommended to assess the risks of NIS associated with BWE in the Canadian Arctic.

Keywords

Nonindigenous species
Ecological assessment
Impact
Risk of introduction
Ballast water exchange
Shipping

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