USCG issues onboard ballast water treatment regulations to stop invasive species
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Associated Press] By John Flesher - November 14, 2014 -
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Oceangoing cargo ships will be required to zap their ballast water with ultraviolet light, chemicals or other treatments before dumping it in U.S. waters under a regulation the Coast Guard announced Friday to prevent species invasions that damage the environment and cause billions in economic losses.
The long-awaited rule comes more than two decades after environmental groups began pushing for a crackdown on ballast water, which provides stability in rough seas but often harbors stowaway species from abroad.
“It’s a major milestone and a starting point, but it’s not nearly as strong as it should be,” said Jennifer Nalbone of Great Lakes United, a U.S.-Canadian advocacy group.
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