76 



Lake Carriers' Associadon 



U.S. House of Representatives Hearing on Ballast Exchange Control Act 



Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries October 27, 1993 



demarcation line. Exchanges of ballast water must be performed at least 5 miles off the south shore of 

 Lake Superior in water at least 120 feet deep. If for some reason the ballast water exchange has not 

 been completed by the time the vessel reaches the demarcation line, it can continue only if the ship is at 

 least 15 miles off shore and in waters at least 240 feet deep. Ballast exchange in extremely deep and 

 cold water is acceptable to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the Ruffe does not appear to colonize 

 in this environment. 



I should note that the United States Coast Guard has also instituted a mandatory Ballast Water 

 Management Program designed to stop the introduction of other non-indigenous species to the Great 

 Lakes. Starting in 1993, the U.S. Coast Guard has been testing the ballast water on ocean-going vessels 

 as they enter the system at Massena, New York. If the water does not meet certain salinity standards, 

 the ship can be ordered back to the ocean to exchange the fresh water it took on wherever it loaded. 

 There has been at least one instance of the U.S. Coast Guard refusing an ocean-going ship entry to the 

 system because its ballast water did not meet the standards. That vessel was delayed until its tanks were 

 treated with salt. 



This U.S. Coast Guard strategy is, and should be, the first line of defense. We must do our best to keep 

 nuisance non-indigenous species out of our waters. Fish, zebra mussels, sea lamprey ... all are blind to 

 national flags. They can thrive in U.S., Canadian, or Mexican waters and migrate at will into inland 

 waters. Once in our waters, we are severely limited in controlling spread. As mentioned above, 

 Duluth/Superior is ideal to control the Ruffe through ballast management. If the Ruffe were in Lake 

 Michigan or Lake Erie, locations where ballast water must be pumped on a vessel, ballast water 

 management would not work. 



