Hawaii FEP - Western Pacific Fishery Council

maximum extent possible. Sampling design should be developed with input from stateand federal resource agencies.2. To the extent practicable, water intakes should be designed to avoid entrainment andimpingement of native fauna.3. Water discharge should be treated to avoid contamination of the receiving water andshould be located only in areas having good mixing characteristics.4. Where cage mariculture operations are undertaken, water depths and circulation patternsshould be investigated and should be adequate to preclude the buildup of wasteproducts, excess feed, and chemical agents.5. Non-native, ecologically undesirable species that are reared may pose a risk of escape oraccidental release, which could adversely affect the ecological balance of an area. Athorough scientific review and risk assessment should be undertaken before any nonnativespecies are allowed to be introduced.6. Any net pen structure should have small enough webbing to prevent entanglement byprey species.7. Mitigation should be provided for the EFH areas impacted by the facility.Introduction of Exotic SpeciesImpacts• Habitat alteration• Trophic alteration• Gene pool alteration• Spatial alteration• Introduction of diseaseConservation Measures1. Vessels should discharge ballast water far enough out to sea to prevent introduction ofnonnative species to bays and estuaries.2. Vessels should conduct routine inspections for presence of exotic species in crewquarters and hull of the vessel prior to embarking to remote islands (PRIA, NWHI, andnorthern islands of the CNMI).3. Exotic species should not be introduced for aquaculture purposes unless a thoroughscientific evaluation and risk assessment are performed (see section on aquaculture).4. Effluent from public aquaria display laboratories and educational institutes using exoticspecies should be treated prior to discharge.212