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The National System for the Prevention and management of Marine Pest Incursions
Introduction
Background
Coordination of the National System
The National System
Supporting Activities for the National System
Introduction
Marine pests may be brought into Australian waters by a range of vectors, including commercial shipping, recreational and fishing vessels, apprehended illegal vessels, aquaculture food and product imports and the aquarium trade. These vectors can also spread, or translocate, pests around Australia. Prevention measures are being developed to minimise marine pest incursions and translocations. Prevention measures will include regulations, guidelines or codes of conduct for all marine sectors.
The National System will have three major components:
- Prevention: systems to reduce the risk of introduction and translocation of marine pests (including management arrangements for ballast water and biofouling)
- Emergency response: a coordinated emergency response to new incursions and translocations, and
- Ongoing control and management: managing introduced marine pests already in Australia, where eradication is not feasible.
It will also have several supporting components that are currently being developed. These include strategies for:
Background
Development of the National System is based on the recommendations of the National Taskforce on the Prevention and Management of Marine Pests and the High Level Officials Working Group.
An Intergovernmental Agreement outlines a framework for a coordinated approach to developing, implementing and continually improving the National System. The Agreement was signed by the Australian Government and the governments of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Coordination of the National System
The Invasive Marine Pests Program within DAFF is primarily responsible for coordinating the development of the National System. It also coordinates Australian Government marine pest activities among relevant agencies. The Invasive Marine Pests Program chairs the National Introduced Marine Pests Coordination Group (NIMPCG). The Coordination Group comprises representatives from the Northern Territory and state government agencies, marine industries, researchers and conservation groups.
DAFF and DEWHA work closely on research and development matters, with DEWHA taking a lead role in the ongoing management and control of any introduced marine pests that have established populations within Australia. DITRDLG is actively involved in the development of measures that affect the shipping industry.
Other Australian Government agencies are also engaged on specific issues, including the:
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Attorney-General's Department
- Royal Australian Navy
- Defence Science and Technology Organisation
- Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources
- Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
- Australian Fisheries Management Authority
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority
At an international level, Australia recently signed the International Maritime Organization Ballast Water Convention and is actively involved in finalising guidelines for the Convention. The Invasive Marine Species Program leads the Australian delegation in negotiations on the Convention. The Invasive Marine Pests Program is also working with several other international organisations such as the South Pacific Regional Environment Program and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation to develop partnerships and solutions to marine pest issues.
The National System
1. Prevention: keeping marine pests out of Australia
The prevention element of the National System has two main aspects:
- minimising the risk of international incursions of marine pests to Australia
- minimising the risk of marine pest translocations within Australia
Ballast Water Biofouling
Prevention systems to reduce the risk of introduction and translocation of marine pests also includes management of ballast water and biofouling of vessels used for commercial shipping, recreational and commercial fishing, marine aquaculture operations, the aquarium trade, as well as port, harbour and marina facilities.
Ballast Water
Since July 2001, the Australian Government has had in place requirements for the management of internationally sourced ballast water that apply to all ships arriving from overseas. These requirements are implemented through the Quarantine Act 1908 and are administered by the Seaports Program within AQIS.
The Victorian Government has had ballast water arrangements in place since July 2004 to manage domestically sourced ballast water. Under the policy, high risk domestic ballast water must not be discharged into Victorian state waters.
International Ballast Water ConventionOn 27 May 2005, Australia signed the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. This Convention, developed through the International Maritime Organization, aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms by ship's ballast water and sediments. Australia is considering ratification of the Convention (bringing the Convention into force within Australia) as part of the process of developing National Ballast Water Management arrangements.
Further information on the Convention is available on the International Maritime Organization website.
National Ballast Water Management ArrangementsThrough the National System for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pests, the Australian, Northern Territory and state governments are developing nationally consistent ballast water management arrangements. These requirements will be consistent with the Convention and allow Australia to manage the risk from marine pest introductions from both internationally and domestically sourced ballast water and sediments.
The new national ballast water arrangements will provide for a single set of requirements and single coordinating contact centre. The requirements will be implemented under Australian Government legislation for international ballast water and state/territory legislation for domestic ballast water. The national ballast water requirements are currently being developed.
Final Regulation Impact Statement: Ballast Water Management
This document is a final RIS approved by the Office of Best Practice Regulation. It examines the impact of implementing consistent national ballast water management requirements and was prepared with public consultation. The requirements will facilitate the Australian implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, and extend existing ballast water management to domestic ballast water Australia-wide, therefore providing one consistent national ballast water management system.
The expected benefits are reductions in exotic marine pest incursions, and the avoidance of potential economic, environmental and amenity damage. Costs take the form of potential delays in shipping times, higher ship capital and running costs, enforcement costs and flow-on costs to the rest of the economy.
Download the Final RIS 
PDF [702kb]
Biofouling
Biofouling is the accumulation of marine organisms (plants or animals) that attach to objects immersed in salt water (such as vessels' hulls, ropes, anchors and other equipment). Guidelines, voluntary protocols or regulations for managing the marine pest risks from biofouling will be developed for all marine sectors including:
- Aquaculture
- Aquarium trade
- Commercial and recreational fishing
- Commercial shipping
- Ports, marinas, slipways, shipyards and dry docks
- Non trading commercial vessels
- Petroleum industry
- Recreational vessels
Projects are underway to investigate treatment options for biofouling of vessels' internal water systems.
Standards for assessing and approving the effectiveness and application of antifouling systems are also being developed.
A protocol to minimise the risks of pests being brought to Australia as biofouling on small international vessels is being implemented by AQIS. Voluntary implementation of the protocol commenced in October 2005. The protocol applies to internationally travelling vessels less than 25 metres in length such as yachts, as well as apprehended vessels such as suspected illegal fishing vessels.
2. Emergency Response
An emergency response framework has been developed under an Intergovernmental Agreement comprising a Consultative Committee on Introduced Marine Pest Emergencies (CCIMPE) and a National Management Group (NMG), which has the capability to oversee the response to a marine pest outbreak under the Australian Emergency Marine Pest Plan (EMPPlan) PDF [2mb].
The decision to activate the EMPPlan is based upon a trigger list of target species (the CCIMPE Trigger List) PDF [35kb]; however, the contingency is available to consider other marine pests that also meet relevant criteria to warrant an emergency response.
3. Ongoing management and control
The ongoing management and control element of the National System is coordinated by DEWHA. It aims to contain and control any introduced marine pests that have established populations within Australia and National Control Plans will be developed for responding to each species of concern.
Supporting Activities for the National System
The National System includes the following components which support the development of the system's three main elements.
1. Research and Development
Targeted research and development activities are being undertaken to underpin marine pest policy and management. A research and development strategy, with input from marine managers, industries, conservationists and researchers, is being developed to guide research efforts and expenditure.
2. Communications
A national communications and awareness strategy has been developed to increase awareness of the marine pest problem. The strategy outlines methods to communicate best practice guidelines to marine industries. A national marine pest website is being developed and will provide all marine sectors and the general public with access to information on marine pests and how to keep them out of Australian waters.
3. Monitoring
Australia is developing a national ongoing monitoring strategy that will target particular species in high-risk locations. Australia is working with New Zealand to develop a monitoring manual that will be used to design and implement each of the monitoring programs.
4. Evaluation and Review
An evaluation and review strategy is being developed to provide a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of the National System for the Prevention and Management of Marine Pests. Regular evaluation of the National System will enable continual improvement and promote a high level of accountability. This will aid progress towards achieving the key objectives of the National System.
