WHAT IS BALLAST WATER ???
Its a type of water that used to stabilise vessels at sea.
It is essential for safe and efficient modern shipping operations.
THEN WHY IT BECOMES A THREAT????
Ballast water carry multitude of marine species….such as bacteria,microbes etc
They pose serious ecological,economic and health problems as they become invasive in the host enviroment and multiply into pest proportions.
TIMELINE OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
# 1903 : Scientists first recognised the sign of alien species in North Sea
# 1980s : Marine Environment Protection Committee(MEPC) of Intrnational Maritime Organisation(IMO) reviewed the case
# 1991 : MEPC adopted the guidelines for prevention of invasive species
# 1992 : UNConvention for Environment and Development(UNCED) recognised the issue as a major international concern
# 2002 : World Summit on Sustaible Development called to accelerate the process
# 2004 : Adopted the Intergovernmental convention for the control and management of ships Ballast water sediments
# 2017 : convention entered into force
IMPORTANT
The convention is a legally binding agreement
It requires all ships to implement Ballast water management plan
For advanced learners
GLoBALLAST PROGRAMME
-Initiative of GEF,UNDP and IMO
-AIM :Foster an unprecedented international and public private cooperation in the area of Ballast Water Management
-started 2000
CONCLUTION
Introduction of harmfull acquatic organisms and pathogens to new environment had been identified as one of the four greatest threats to the world ocean ( other three includes – 1.land sourced marine pollution, 2.over expliotation of marine resources, 3. destruction of habitat ).