Managing the impacts of marine pests
Victoria is working with the Australian Government and other States and the Northern Territory to develop a nationally consistent approach to marine pest management in Australian waters.
The national marine pest program aims to:
- Prevent the continued spread of marine pests, including the Northern Pacific sea star, in Australian waters
- Eradicate new marine pests wherever possible
- Minimise the impact of established marine pests
- Improve knowledge of the impacts of marine pests
- Effectively co-ordinate control activities
The Victorian arrangements act on recommendations of a 1997 inquiry into marine pests by the Victorian Parliament Environment and Natural Resources Committee - Report on Ballast Water and Hull Fouling in Victoria.
Online resources are now available to assist in the management of marine pests. The national website contains information for specific industry sectors, such as recreational fishers, the petroleum industry and aquaculture and provides contact information for reporting pests to local marine authorities.
Arrangements to manage the impacts caused by marine pests include:
Identifying distributions
Preventing the spread of marine pests
Emergency response to new pests
Ongoing control
Improving management through research
Identifying distributions
Baseline port surveys are an important step in identifying the type and number of exotic marine species introduced to Australian waters. Surveys help efforts to reduce the chances of spreading pests from areas where they are known to be present. Many other ports, including private ports and marinas, will continue to be surveyed in stages.
Baseline surveys of the Ports of Portland, Geelong, Melbourne and Hastings have been completed as part of an Australia-wide program. The surveys are based on nationally agreed standards developed by CSIRO who conducted the surveys with the assistance and support of port operators. These surveys are to be repeated on a regular basis.
Baseline survey reports include:
- Reviews of existing information.
- Detailed maps of the ports and the locations sampled.
- Results of the surveys listing both naturally occurring and exotic marine species.
- Lists of exotic species that have major social, economic and environmental impacts.
- An analysis of the possible means of introduction and the implications for port management.
Preventing the spread of marine pests
Various human activities can lead to the introduction of marine pests to new areas. These include the discharge of ships' ballast water and the dislocation of fouling on the hulls of ships, small vessels or aquaculture equipment. Arrangements to control marine pests therefore focus on the ‘vectors’ that can transport species.
Shipping
Ships can act as vectors for marine pests in two main ways:
- In ballast water, used to provide vessel stability. Microscopic individuals and eggs or larvae are able to survive and grow in this water until released into new locations.
- As fouling organisms that attach to the ship hull, grills, grates, pipes, rudders and other surfaces.
Victoria is the only state in Australia with legislated and regulated ballast water management. The national introduced marine pest program is working to enact similar legislation in other ports around the country.
Aquaculture
The movement of aquaculture stock, cages, settlement lines and associated equipment can potentially transport marine species to new locations. The National Policy for the Translocation of Live Aquatic Organisms helps manage this risk. These guidelines outline the different types of translocations that occur, their associated risks, and provide a national policy framework and risk assessment process against which translocation proposals may be assessed.
The Victorian Translocation Policy of Live Aquatic Organisms is consistent with the national approach and provides practical solutions for avoiding the spread of pests through aquaculture activity in Victoria. Best practices for the sterilisation of aquaculture farming equipment show how these guidelines can be practically applied.
Small boats
Commercial and recreational boating for fishing, sailing, skiing, kayaking, cruising, canoeing and scuba diving can also introduce and spread marine species from one area to another.
For example, a single yacht introduced the black-striped mussel into Darwin harbour in 1999, resulting in clean up costs of $3 million and closure of the marina to all vessels for four weeks.
Boat owners can help to prevent the spread of marine pests and stop this from happening again by keeping their boat and gear clean.
Emergency response to a pest outbreak
The feasibility of eradicating a pest outbreak depends on a number of factors, including how early it is detected, the size and distribution of the population and whether the outbreak has started to reproduce.
The Consultative Committee on Introduced Marine Pest Emergencies (CCIMPE) provides national oversight in managing marine pest outbreaks in Australia.
The response and coordination of efforts is managed by the state affected. Victoria's arrangements are outlined in the Interim Victorian Protocol for Managing Exotic Marine Organisms Incursions report below.
Interim Victorian Protocol for Managing Exotic Marine Organism Incursions (PDF - 82 KB) Appendix A- Reporting Form (PDF - 17 KB) Appendix B- Site Inspection Form (PDF - 17 KB)How you can help to stop marine pests spreading
All boat owners can help to stop the spread of aquatic pests by following six simple steps to keep their boat and gear clean. The following brochure outlines the 6 D's to deter marine pests and how marine pests can hide in or on your boat.
Aquatic Pests Treat em mean keep your boat clean (PDF - 310 KB) Northern Pacific Seastar fact sheet (PDF - 347 KB)For more information about how you can help minimise the spread of marine pests visit the Boating Industry Association website
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