Same Risk Area Concept An area based approach to exemptions Can ships operating solely in a specified area be exempted from the discharge criteria of the BWMC? Is the area based approach for risk assessment and exemption a feasible way forward for short sea shipping? Presented by Denmark Dr. Frank Stuer-Lauridsen, LITEHAUZ JTG-Ballast, Bruxelles 29-30 November 2016 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 1
The Same Risk Area concept Country A Country B Country C 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 2
The Same Risk Area concept Country A Country B Country C 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 3
The Same Risk Area concept Same Risk Area Country A Country B Country C 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 4
The Same Risk Area concept Same Risk Area Country A Country B Country C 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 5
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The BWMC option of exemption Exemptions for vessels operating exclusively in a limited area Regional short sea shipping Ferry lines A to B and back >2 port Ro-Ro/PAX Feeder traffic North Sea OSV Wind farm vessels Ro-Ro/PAX 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 7
BWMC: A-4 Exemption from D-2; valid 5 years SPECIFIED LOCATIONS Ship operates between specified ports or locations RISK ASSESSMENT Three types of RA, but must show low risk for invasive species (in SRA species-to-species) NO MIXING Vessel may only discharge untreated BW from/to the specified ports or location 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 8
The SRA procedure In summary, the key elements of the SRA concept are: 1. exemption procedure under the Convention regulation A-4; 2. based on a risk assessment related to identified target species; 3. defines an area that exhibits acceptable risk regarding transfer with ballast water of target species compared to the estimates of natural dispersal over time (connectivity); and 4. exemptions can be granted to vessels operating exclusively in this area and not mixing water and sediments if travelling outside the area. States identify possible SRA and target species Risk assessment conducted with SRA objective Extent of SRA is agreed among SRA states based on risk assessment Vessels apply for exemption in one state with cc to other SRA states MEPC is informed of SRA and vessels granted exemption 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 9
The Same Risk Area Scientific basis Dispersal distances Pelagic Life Duration Hydrodynamics/flow regimes Biophysical modeling (Genetic metrics) Agent-based modeling Natural dispersal and connectivity Target species characteristics e.g. the occurrence and duration of egg or larval stages, foraging and mobility, spawning characteristics, settling rate, mortality, and behavioural aspects Hydrodynamic, environmental and meteorological features e.g. the historic and seasonal pattern of currents, tidal regime, salinities, temperature, and wind patterns Habitat occurrence and preference, e.g. the occurrence of soft or hard bottom environs, corals, river banks, littoral and high energy zones 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 10
The Same Risk Area Scientific basis Natural dispersal and connectivity Availability of key data on target species History of hydrodynamic base data (10 y 95% fractile, annual average, seasonal extreme?) Run time for dispersal (5, 10, >10 years?) Target species characteristics e.g. the occurrence and duration of egg or larval stages, foraging and mobility, spawning characteristics, settling rate, mortality, and behavioural aspects Hydrodynamic, environmental and meteorological features e.g. the historic and seasonal pattern of currents, tidal regime, salinities, temperature, and wind patterns Habitat occurrence and preference, e.g. the occurrence of soft or hard bottom environs, corals, river banks, littoral and high energy zones 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 11
The Same Risk Area tool Connectivity model: Agent based model: Larvae traits; Kattegat- Skagerrak (N. Europe) Pelagic larvae; Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Coral reef fish, islands (Indo- Pacific) Used in assessing marine parks network 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 12
The Same Risk Area tools Hydrodynamic provinces in the Tyrrhenian Sea / Adriatic Sea (Vincent et al 2014) Pelagic Larval Duration 30 and 60 days 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 13
The Same Risk Area tools Hydrodynamic and biological regimes in the Kattegat Sea (Jacobi et al 2012) 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 14
The Same Risk Area tools Connectivity in the Kattegat (Hansen et al 2014) 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 15
Same Risk Area Risk assessment Risk Assessment steps (G7 species-specific) Identify area, i.e. ports and locations Target species and characteristics Identify hydrodynamic and environmental conditions Assess natural dispersal in respect of species biology and hydrodynamic regime (connectivity) Reduce area to include only ports with connectivity the SRA Compare natural dispersal to ballast water mediated transfer In the final area include only ports and locations with acceptable low risk 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 16
Conclusions The SRA is aimed at providing a risk-based approach to area based exemptions founded on G7 The key new component of SRA is the assessment of the natural dispersal of target species by way of hydrography or other natural mechanisms The SRA can be a valuable tool for reducing complexity, costs and administrative burden in short sea shipping 29/11/16 OSPAR HELCOM TG Ballast 17