Roles of shipping and other transfer mechanisms in species dispersal

An unintentional consequence of trade is the movement of “hitchhiking” organisms. As globalization and the transportation of goods around the world increases, the numbers of species transported to new areas through human mediated activities also increases (Vitousek et al., 1997; Mack et al., 2000; Ruiz et al., 2000). Non-native species introductions may be accidental or intentional and occur as a result of shipping, aquaculture, fisheries, biological control and human release. Approximately 50,000 nonindigenous species have been introduced into the United States (Pimentel et al., 2005). Impacts of these introductions are varied – not all of them have negative or detrimental socio-economic and/or environmental effects; some were intentionally introduced for human benefit or profit (Mack et al., 2000; Pimentel et al., 2005).  A subset of these introduced species, freed of the natural controls in their native range, proliferate and invade natural systems, displace native species, and degrade ecosystem services important to human economies and health (Vitousek et al., 1996; Mack and Lonsdale, 2001; Vitousek et al., 1997; Wilcove et al., 1998; Mack et al., 2000).

Ballast water and vessel fouling are considered the principal vectors for the introduction and spread of ANS (Carlton, 1985; Ruiz et al., 1997, Fofonoff et al., 2003; Drake et al., 2005; Verling et al., 2005). The rate of aquatic invasions attributed solely to shipping has increased over the past 200 years. Shipping accounts for up to 62% of initial invasions in the past 30 years (Ruiz et al., 2000).  In 1999, there were over 45,000 cargo vessels traversing the world’s seas (Lloyds Register of Shipping 1999; Phillips, 2005). On a daily basis, these vessels are estimated to carry over 7,000 species of aquatic plants and animals in their ballast (Carlton, 1999). In addition, a study conducted in the North Sea found that 96% of the species attached to ships’ hulls were ANS (Gollasch, 2002).

Coordination of Ballast Water Reporting Between Federal and State Programs: A Pilot Program

The aim of the pilot project is to implement a joint electronic reporting system to harmonize the ballast water reporting efforts of the National Ballast Water Clearinghouse (NBIC) with those of the State of Oregon , thereby reducing duplicative data entry and processing and increasing the quality of data gathered at both the state and federal levels. In order to reduce duplicative data entry we first need to verify that the NBIC and the State of Oregon are receiving reports from all of the vessels arriving, and if not, quantify the discrepancy between the two programs. More

Assessing Hull Fouling as a Vector of Invasive Species: A Case Study in the Lower Columbia River

Shipping has been identified as the major vector of organism transfers on a global scale. Of the two sub-vectors associated with shipping, there has been huge bias in ecological research toward ballast-mediated transfers of organisms, perhaps at the expense of hull fouling. Hull fouling transfers of organisms are historically and contemporaneously important in aquatic nonindigenous species ( NIS) introductions, yet very little quantitative data exist to rigorously examine the current rates, extent and composition of organism transfers via vessel hulls. More