Australia's Proposed Biofouling Management Requirements Australia ...

Photo courtesy of CRIMP, CSIRO, Hobart
Australia’s Proposed Biofouling
Management Requirements
Cawthron Institute
Ashley Coutts 1 & Sarah Gowland 2
1
Seaports Program, AQIS
2
Invasive Marine Species Program, DAFF
MarineSafe Forum and DrillSafe Forum Woodside Auditorium, Perth 5 -6 March 2008

Marine pests – the problem

Inter-Governmental Agreement
• Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on a National
System for the Prevention and Management of
Marine Pest Incursions
1). Prevention
2). Emergency Response
3). On-going Management and Control

Intergovernmental Agreement
• The IGA provides that the Australian Government,
through legislation:
“will ensure that vessels entering Australia are
subject to agreed measures to minimise the risk of
introducing marine pests through biofouling”

Vessel visits - 2007
Vessel type/category
Number of visits
Commercial vessels (Merchant vessels) 11,670
Yachts (< 25 metres in length) 704
Non-trading vessels (e.g., dredges, tug boats, barges,
petroleum industry infrastructure, research vessels, etc) 346
Cruise vessels 140
Royal Australian Navy 116
Apprehended foreign fishing vessels 109
Foreign Navy 66
Commercial fishing vessels 32
Super yachts 28
Total 13,211
Source: AQIS Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)

Translocation process & risk factors
Donor region
1. COLONISATION
2. TRANSLOCATION
• Presence/absence of anti-fouling coatings
• Age of anti-fouling coatings
• Type of anti-fouling coating
• Hull location
• Residency period (inshore waters)
• Type of anti-fouling coating
• Voyage speed
• Voyage duration
• Voyage route
• Hull location
Recipient region
3. TRANSFER
4. COLONISATION
5. ESTABLISHMENT
• Residency period (inshore waters)
• Hull location
• Defouling activity (e.g., in-water cleaning)
• Availability of suitable substrate
• Biotic resistance
• Water currents, etc
• Environmental conditions
• Availability of suitable substrate
• Further inoculations
• Predation, etc

Hazard analysis – vessel classes
Vessel Category
Scientific
evidence
Anti-fouling
coating
Residency
period
Transit
speed
Hazard
rating
Apprehended IFFVs
and abandoned vessels
High High High High High
Yachts Moderate High High High High
Non-trading vessels High High High High High
Petroleum production
and exploration
industry
Commercial fishing
vessels
Moderate High Moderate High Moderate
Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
Commercial vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low
Naval vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low

Non-trading vessels
• Barges and Lighters
• Coastal patrol vessels
• Dredges
• Heavy-lift vessels
• Oil recovery vessels
• Pipe laying vessels
• Patrol boats
• Research vessels
• Semi-submersible
heavy-lift vessels
• Super yachts (> 25 m)
• Tall ships
• Tugs and Line handling
vessels

Hazard analysis – vessel classes
Vessel Category
Scientific
evidence
Anti-fouling
coating
Residency
period
Transit
speed
Hazard
rating
Apprehended IFFVs
and abandoned vessels
High High High High High
Yachts Moderate High High High High
Non-trading vessels High High High High High
Petroleum production
and exploration
industry
Commercial fishing
vessels
Moderate High Moderate High Moderate
Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
Commercial vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low
Naval vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low

Petroleum Production and
Exploratory Industry Vessels
• Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODUs) including: Drillships/vessels,
Jack-up rigs, Submersible and Semisubmersible
rigs
• Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessels
(FSO, FPSO)
• Seismic survey vessels
• Offshore Support Vessels (OSV) including: Utility
Support Vessels (USV); Platform Supply Vessels (PSV);
Anchor Handing Tug Supply Vessels (AHTSV); Crew
Transfer Vessels (CTV); Diving Support Vessels (DSV);
Accommodation Vessels.

Hazard analysis – vessel classes
Vessel Category
Scientific
evidence
Anti-fouling
coating
Residency
period
Transit
speed
Hazard
rating
Apprehended IFFVs
and abandoned vessels
High High High High High
Yachts Moderate High High High High
Non-trading vessels High High High High High
Petroleum production
and exploration
industry
Commercial fishing
vessels
Moderate High Moderate High Moderate
Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate Moderate
Commercial vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low
Naval vessels Moderate Low Low Low Low

Biofouling Management Approach
Hazard Analysis of Vessel Classes
Low risk Moderate/ High risk
Biofouling Management Requirements
Risk
Assessment
National Best Practice
Biofouling Management
Guidelines
Potential high risk
vessel reported to AQIS
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
In-water
inspection
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
Pratique granted
Treatment
Pratique declined

Quarantine Powers
• Quarantine Act 1908
• Quarantine Regulations 2000
• Quarantine Proclamation 1998
• Section 78A
– Section 78A provides for the giving of a treatment
direction where a quarantine officer believes, on
reasonable grounds, that the vessel or
installation is in an ‘insanitary condition’, or is
‘likely’ to be carrying diseases or pests of
quarantinable concern.

Biofouling Management Requirements
• Proclaimed quarantinable pests
– Consultative Committee on Introduced Marine Pest
Emergencies (CCIMPE) marine pest ‘trigger list’
• Selection criteria
– Capable of being translocated as a biofouling
organism
– Detectable on a vessel during inspection
– Recognisable in the field by a quarantine officer
– Non-indigenous (non-established) species

Proclaimed species
No. Genus/species
Common name
1 Eriocheir sinensis Chinese mitten crab
2 Hemigrapsus sanguineus Japanese/Asian shore crab
3 Crepidula fornicata American slipper limpet
4 Mytilopsis sallei Black striped mussel
5 Perna viridis Asian green mussel
6 Perna perna Brown mussel
7 Corbula (Potamocorbula) amurensis Asian clam
8 Rapana venosa Rapa Whelk
9 Didemnum vexillum Colonial sea squirt
10 Sargassum muticum Asian seaweed
11 Mya arenaria Soft shell clam
12 Ensis directus Jack-knife clam
13 Hemigrapsus takanoi/penicillatus Pacific crab
14 Charybdis japonica Lady crab

Biofouling Management Approach
Hazard Analysis of Vessel Classes
Low risk Moderate/ High risk
Biofouling Management Requirements
Risk
Assessment
National Best Practice
Biofouling Management
Guidelines
Potential high risk
vessel reported to AQIS
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
In-water
inspection
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
Pratique granted
Treatment
Pratique declined

On-arrival biofouling risk assessment
1). Does the vessel possess a new or current antifouling
coating?
2). Has the vessel’s hull been inspected and cleaned
(out of water or in-water), including all niche areas
immediately prior to arrival to Australia?
3). Has the vessel remained in overseas inshore waters
for less than 31 consecutive days after being
inspected and cleaned?
4). Is there authentic documentation available to
support the above?

Biofouling Management Approach
Hazard Analysis of Vessel Classes
Low risk Moderate/ High risk
Biofouling Management Requirements
Risk
Assessment
National Best Practice
Biofouling Management
Guidelines
Potential high risk
vessel reported to AQIS
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
In-water
inspection
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
Pratique granted
Treatment
Pratique declined

Biofouling succession process
Primary Secondary Tertiary
Vessel’s immersion
(e.g., release from dry-dock)
- Slime
- Microalgae
- Filamentous algae
- Acorn barnacles
- Gooseneck
barnacles
- Bryozoans
-Hydroids
- Serpulids
- Spirorbids
- Algal tuffs
- Coralline algae
- Amphipods
- Sponges
- Ascidians
- Mussels
- Oysters
-Clams
- Gastropods
-Crabs, shrimps
-Starfish
- Sabellid worms
- Sea anemones
- Large macroalgae
Vessel’s removal
(e.g., dry-docking)

Primary biofouling

Secondary biofouling

Tertiary biofouling

Inspections will target niche areas
Super-structure
Propellers &
Rope Guards
Bilge keels
Anodes
Rudders
Bulbous bows
Bow thrusters
Dry docking support strips
Sea-chests/internal
seawater systems

Biofouling Management Approach
Hazard Analysis of Vessel Classes
Low risk Moderate/ High risk
Biofouling Management Requirements
Risk
Assessment
National Best Practice
Biofouling Management
Guidelines
Potential high risk
vessel reported to AQIS
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
In-water
inspection
Low risk
Moderate/
High risk
Pratique granted
Treatment
Pratique declined

Proposed Area of Operation in Australian Waters
Consider AQIS’ On-arrival Biofouling Risk
Pre-arrival biofouling risk assessment
Assessment Criteria
1). Does the vessel possess a new or current anti-fouling coating? 1
Offshore Waters
Inshore Waters
2). Has the vessel’s hull been inspected and cleaned (out of the water or in-
(Only)
(Anytime)
water), including all niche areas immediately prior to arrival to Australia?
(Greater than 12 nm
(Less than 12 nm from
from land and greater
land)
3). Has the vessel remained in overseas inshore Inshore
waters for more than 31
than 50 m depth of
consecutive days after being inspected and cleaned?
water)
4). Is there authentic documentation available to support the above?
Pre-arrival Biofouling Mitigation Options
Option 1: Remove vessel
from the water with an
AQIS approved service
provider present
• Clean the entire submerged
area of the vessel, including
all niche areas
• If necessary, renew antifouling
coating
• Collect and retain authentic
supporting documentation
• Depart for Australia as soon
as possible, but no greater
than 31 days after being
released back into the water
• Travel directly to Australia
Option 2: In-water
inspection with an AQIS
approved service provider
present
• Inspect and clean (if
necessary) the entire
submerged area of the
vessel, including all niche
areas
• Collect and retain authentic
supporting documentation
• Depart for Australia as soon
as possible, but no greater
than 31 days after being
inspected and cleaned
• Travel directly to Australia
Option 3: Remove vessel
from the water without an
AQIS approved service
provider present
• Clean the entire submerged
area of the vessel, including
all niche areas
• If necessary, renew antifouling
coating
• Collect and retain authentic
supporting documentation
• Depart for Australia as soon
as possible, but no greater
than 31 days after being
released back into the water
• Travel directly to Australia
Option 4: In-water
inspection without an
AQIS approved service
provider present
• Inspect and clean (if
necessary) the entire
submerged area of the
vessel, including all niche
areas
• Collect and retain authentic
supporting documentation
• Depart for Australia as soon
as possible, but no greater
than 31 days after being
inspected and cleaned
• Travel directly to Australia
Option 5:
No pre-arrival
biofouling
mitigation
undertaken
AQIS On-arrival Biofouling Risk Assessment
Unlikely
Likelihood of an in-water inspection
Possible
Likely

State and Territory Regulations
Western Australia
• Department of Fisheries
– Fish Resources Management Act 1994
– Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995
• Department of Environment and Conservation
– Ministerial Conditions
– Environment Protection Act 1986
• Port Authorities
– Port Authorities Act 1999
– Port Authority Regulations 2001

Further information
• Communications – proposed late
March 2008
• Implementation – proposed 1 July
2008
• International Maritime Organization

International Maritime Organisation
• IMO Paper (April 2007):
– Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) (56/19/3)
– “Development of international measures for minimising the
translocation of invasive aquatic species through biofouling of ships”
– New Zealand, Australia, UK, Friend of the Earth International, and
the World Conservation Union
• Outcome (July 2007):
– Committee approved the inclusion of a new high priority item in the
Sub-committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG)
• 12th Session of the sub-committee on BLG (February 2008)
– BLG 12/11 paper (Australia and New Zealand)
– BLG 12/11/2 paper (New Zealand and UK) implementation options
– Sub-committee agreed to establish a Correspondence Group

Other countries
• United States: State of California
− Assembly Bill No. 740
− Vessels > 300 GWT
− Mandatory reporting – 1 January 2008
− Biofouling Requirements 1 January 2012
• New Zealand
− In the process

Any Questions…….