A new report studying Great Lakes invasive species has been released by the National Research Council of the National Academies. Contributing researcher Professor Hugh MacIssac of the University of Windsor says the US needs to adopt more rigorous standards, uniform with Canada, to prevent aquatic invaders.
Two months ago, the US Seaway Authority mandated all ships coming from overseas ports to flush their ballast tanks in the ocean to expel harmful organisms. However, MacIssac says federal law does not require ships coming from eastern North American ports, north of Cape Cod, to flush their ballasts.
He believes mandatory flushing for all ships is politically viable because the shipping industry would support the move.
MacIssac says shipping boats account for 55 to 75 percent of all aquatic invasive species.
