- Joined
- Dec 25, 2006
- RO Number
- 24665
- Messages
- 137
http://www.nmma.org/lib/docs/nmma/gr/policy/NMMA_Ballast_Water_Policy_Brief_03-01-07.pdf
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new regulations
- Thread starter engdockter
- Start date
Any application of ballast/bilge water restrictions/permitting on recreational boats would be of limited value and nearly impossible to enforce. Release of ballast in US waters by commercial shipping is already prohibited.
Regulation for recreational boats will raise revenue for someone, possibly for remediation of invasive pelagic species issues. These species are a serious threat to US ecosystems, but recreational boaters are not responsible for the problem, for the large part. The problem lies with discharge of effluent containing live invasive species into ecosystems that are vulnerable to invasion. Often, these ecosystems have been weakened by previous pollution or excessive water diversions and have no natural ability to fend off invasion.
There are a few potential problems with recreational boats. Boats traveling long distances may transport invasive species in bilge water. Boats equipped with ballasts: like wakeboard boats, can transport invasive species from one closed body of water to another if ballasts are not drained properly before traveling to another area.
Regulation for recreational boats will raise revenue for someone, possibly for remediation of invasive pelagic species issues. These species are a serious threat to US ecosystems, but recreational boaters are not responsible for the problem, for the large part. The problem lies with discharge of effluent containing live invasive species into ecosystems that are vulnerable to invasion. Often, these ecosystems have been weakened by previous pollution or excessive water diversions and have no natural ability to fend off invasion.
There are a few potential problems with recreational boats. Boats traveling long distances may transport invasive species in bilge water. Boats equipped with ballasts: like wakeboard boats, can transport invasive species from one closed body of water to another if ballasts are not drained properly before traveling to another area.