Limit, cease or prohibit ballast water exchange in specific areas

Overall effectiveness category No evidence found (no assessment)
Number of studies: 0
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

not assessed
Certainty

not assessed
Harms

not assessed

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Non-native, invasive and other problematic species can impact on native subtidal benthic invertebrate species through predation, competition for resources (food & space), contamination (for pathogens and diseases), or hybridization (through reproduction) (Molnar et al. 2008; Bishop et al. 2010). Ballasting is the process by which sea water (ballast water) is taken in and out of the ship when the ship is at port or at sea. Ballast water can therefore contain species from one location taken-up during water intake, which are then accidentally released in a new environment during de-ballasting (water release). Ballast water is one of the major processes of introduction of non-native, invasive and problematic species (Barry et al. 2008; Hewitt 2003; Hewitt et al. 2004; Molnar et al. 2008). Limiting, ceasing, or prohibiting ballast water exchange in specific areas may potentially help prevent the introduction, the establishment and the spread of non-native species and potentially invasive species. Limiting introduction, establishment and spread of such species could be achieved by setting new zone boundaries where ballasting is allowed, setting timing where risk is reduced, or setting limits on the number of ships allowed to ballast at any given time.

Related evidence is summarised under “Threat: Invasive and other problematic species, genes and diseases – Treat ballast water before exchange”.

_{Barry S.C., Hayes K.R., Hewitt C.L., Behrens H.L., Dragsund E. & Bakke S.M. (2008) Ballast water risk assessment: principles, processes and methods. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65, 121–131.}

_{Bishop M.J., Krassoi F.R., McPherson R.G., Brown K.R., Summerhayes S.A., Wilkie E.M. & O’Connor W.A. (2010) Change in wild-oyster assemblages of Port Stephens, NSW, Australia, since commencement of non-native Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) aquaculture. Marine and Freshwater Research, 61, 714–723.}

_{Hewitt C.L. (2003). Marine biosecurity issues in the world oceans: global activities and Australian directions. Ocean Yearbook, 17, 193–212.}

_{Hewitt C.L., Campbell M.L., Thresher R.E., Martin R.B., Boyd S., Cohen B.F., Currie D.R., Gomon M.F., Keough M.J., Lewis J.A., Lockett M.M., Mays N., McArthur M.A., O’Hara T.D., Poore G.C.B., Ross D.J., Storey M., Watson J.E. & Wilson R.S. (2004) Introduced and cryptogenic species in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia. Marine Biology, 144, 183–202. Molnar J.L., Gamboa R.L., Revenga C. & Spalding M.D. (2008) Assessing the global threat of invasive species to marine biodiversity. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 6, 485–492.}

Key messages

We found no studies that evaluated the effects of limiting, ceasing or prohibiting ballast water exchange in specific areas on subtidal benthic invertebrate populations.

‘We found no studies’ means that we have not yet found any studies that have directly evaluated this intervention during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore, we have no evidence to indicate whether or not the intervention has any desirable or harmful effects.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Please cite as:

Lemasson, A.J., Pettit, L.R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation. Pages 635-732 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Category
Limit, cease or prohibit ballast water exchange in specific areas Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link
Clean the hull, anchor and chain of commercial and recreational vessels Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link
Treat ballast water before exchange Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link