Spread of invasive species via biofouling of marine vessels: A brief assessment

Summary

Recently the IMO Marine Environmental Pollution Committee (MEPC) adopted Resolution MEPC.378(80) with the aim to establish guidelines that can minimize the transfer of marine invasive species through biofouling of ships. The primary objectives of this brief study included i) to assess and identifying the key marine invasive species whose global spread has been documented to occur via fouling of maritime vessels; ii) to assess and summarising the impacts related to the spread of marine invasive species; and iii) to assess whether the measures set out in MEPC.378(80) can be effective in preventing the further spread of marine invasive species if the Guidelines are made binding. The study indicated that the measures in the MEPC Guidelines have a strong potential for preventing the further global spread of marine invasive species by maritime vessel movements. However, adherence to the Guidelines is presently voluntary, and this potential is unlikely to be reached without some level of regulation implemented by a meaningful proportion of maritime nations and marine environments.