Great Lakes Regulatory Forum in Detroit

On September 24, 2009, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and the International Joint Commission co-hosted an information-sharing forum on ballast water issues in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. The forum was held in Detroit, Michigan, facilitated by representatives from the Minnesota Sea Grant and Great Lakes Commission and attended by representatives from State and Provincial Governments (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New York, and Ontario); U.S. and Canadian Regulatory agencies (U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. National Park Service, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, Transport Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada); senior executives from the U.S.-flag laker, Canadian-flag laker, and international fleets; and the leading academic ballast water researchers from Canada and the United States.

The goals of the meeting were to share relevant information among the participants, increase dialogue among the key stakeholders involved in this issue, and to discuss ways of further reducing the risk of introduction and spread of invasive species through ballast water. These goals were met successfully, and at the end of the meeting participants felt that they had begun the process of breaking down barriers by exchanging pertinent information. One main point on which participants established consensus was the fact that uncertainty in the area of ballast water management has been bad for technology, bad for business and bad for policy. The parties present expressed a willingness to collaborate and improve communications moving forward.