CHAPTER EIGHT CURRENT MANAGEMENT OF BALLAST WATER IN VICTORIA

In Term of Reference (a) the Committee is asked to make recommendations on the management of ballast water in Victoria. Term of Reference (e) requires that the Committee discuss the effectiveness of State based measure to minimise the environmental impact of ballast water management. In this Chapter the Committee therefore describes how ballast water is currently managed in Victoria.

A large number of regulatory, research and advisory, industry and conservation bodies are involved in the management of ballast water at the international, national and state levels. The Committee has identified key groups and organisations involved in ballast water issues from a Victorian perspective (Table 18). Although the Table is not exhaustive and lists only some of those involved in ballast water management and research, it is nevertheless a useful tool for emphasising the number and diversity of participants.

The relatively recent recognition of the problem of marine organism transfer via ships' ballast as a major environmental concern is reflected in the institutional framework which has developed through attempts to manage the issue. The interactions and responsibilities of the groups involved are complex. In an attempt to place Victorian ballast water management into a national and international context, as well as provide an overview of how the current management infrastructure evolved, the Committee has constructed a history of ballast water activities. The history commences in the 1970s and is current up to the date of this report (Table 19).