{"id":4239,"date":"2018-01-11T09:23:56","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T15:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/for-wisconsin\/?post_type=campus_story&p=4239"},"modified":"2018-09-06T12:34:14","modified_gmt":"2018-09-06T17:34:14","slug":"lake-superior-research-institute-launches-new-major-project-to-prevent-spread-of-invasive-species","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/lake-superior-research-institute-launches-new-major-project-to-prevent-spread-of-invasive-species\/","title":{"rendered":"UW-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute launches new major project to prevent spread of invasive species"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"Photo<\/a>
The Lake Superior Research Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Superior has launched the Great Waters Research Collaborative. Research will focus on preventing introductions and spread of invasive species by ships.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
The UW-Superior\u00a0Lake Superior Research Institute<\/a>\u00a0(LSRI) announced the launch of its Great Waters Research Collaborative (GWRC), a major project devoted to assessing effectiveness of tools for sustainable industrial, commercial and public use of the nation\u2019s Great Waters, especially green shipping. The project\u2019s immediate focus is assessing the effectiveness of ballast water management systems (BWMS) at preventing introductions of aquatic invasive species (AIS) by commercial cargo ships. Specifically, the GWRC conducts type approval tests of candidate BWMS for US Coast Guard and International Maritime Organization certification review. The project is also developing and testing methods for determining changes in AIS introduction risk in the Great Lakes. All GWRC work is well coordinated with and helps inform current state, federal and international policy activity.<\/div>\n
\"Photo<\/a>
Packing and preserving samples<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Collaborative Team<\/h3>\n
\n

The GWRC comprises experienced researchers with diverse expertise from the LSRI, the University of Minnesota Duluth\u2019s Natural Resources Research Institute, and AMI Consulting Engineers to deliver a comprehensive research capacity for maritime-related environmental research services. The GWRC team bring more than 15 years of experience working together on ballast water research within the Great Ships Initiative, created by the Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI). The GWRC team, including Ms. Allegra Cangelosi as PI, is building on its experiences now under the auspices of the LSRI.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe LSRI is pleased to be part of GWRC, a truly collaborative project, which conducts research that can be applied to solve problems and improve health, quality of life, the environment for all citizens within the Great Lakes region and beyond,\u201d said\u00a0Dr. Matthew TenEyck<\/a>, Director of the LSRI. \u201cThis applied research approach directed at green shipping is consistent with LSRI\u2019s mission, and a great fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe GWRC will also provide non-traditional learning and applied research opportunities for undergraduate students,\u201d said UW-Superior Chancellor\u00a0Ren\u00e9e Wachter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are excited to continue our objective performance evaluations of technologies and policies designed to protect Great Waters such as the Great Lakes,\u201d\u00a0Allegra Cangelosi, GWRC PI, said. \u201cWe focus our evaluations not only on prospective BWMS, but also the type approval protocols used for approving BWMS, and the ballast water discharge standards, themselves, to help improve understanding of their capacity to protect the Great Lakes and other Great Waters. Our findings are critical to the continuous improvement of those policies and technologies, and to helps the regional, national and international stakeholders of healthy Great Waters resources to have confidence in green shipping innovations, like BWMS, as an environmental protection tool.\u201d<\/p>\n

Current GWRC projects include USCG shipboard certification testing of a promising BWMS via the Control Union Corporation (CUC) and NSF International. The GWRC also is constructing a Great Lakes-relevant global database of ballast-water uptake characteristics to improve understanding of the challenge conditions in which BWMS must operate; assessing movements of organisms by laker ships through a Great Lakes Ship Discharge Monitoring Project; and bench-testing of prototype BWMS, all with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, via the Maritime Administration.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Identifying zoo plankton in the taxonomy lab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stakeholder Involvement<\/h3>\n

Regional stakeholders in clean maritime commerce help guide the GWRC project through participation in a GWRC Advisory Committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe GWRC Advisory Committee offers a meeting ground for stakeholders and regulators within the Great Lakes region to identify and vet effective and efficient solutions to difficult aquatic ecosystem protection problems,\u201d said Allegra Cangelosi, GWRC PI.<\/p>\n

The GWRC Advisory Committee includes ship owners (salty and US and Canadian laker), ports, environmental stakeholder groups, Great Lakes states, Great Lakes cities, federal agencies, the Great Lakes Commission, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe maritime industry needs high quality, objective, third-party research to help guide industry decisions on, and give stakeholders confidence in, best practices to prevent new introductions and spread of aquatic invasive species by ships,\u201d said Michael Carter of the Maritime Administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Great Lakes have been under assault by aquatic invasive species for decades,\u201d said Molly Flanagan of the Alliance for the Great Lakes. \u201cWe need effective ballast treatment systems and other prevention measures that are \u2018tried and proven\u2019 to work for the Great Lakes. The GWRC is our go-to source for this critical information.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve Fisher of the American Great Lakes Ports Association emphasized the ports\u2019 stake in the quality of information around preventing ship-mediated AIS. \u201cRecall ports are fixed places of industry within the Great Lakes region; they are fully invested in effective prevention measures to protect the Great Lakes,\u201d Mr. Fisher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFednav, a world leader in efforts to develop effective onboard ballast water treatment systems, welcomes its continuing collaboration with fellow Great Lakes stakeholders in addressing issues associated with the introduction and spread of AIS through the discharge of vessels\u2019 ballast water,\u201d said George Robichon, of Fednav Ltd, which owns most saltwater ships that trade to the lakes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile lakers did not bring AIS to the Great Lakes region, we are working with GWRC to better understand their movement throughout the system where we trade,\u201d said Tom Rayburn of the Lake Carriers\u2019 Association. \u201cWe believe this will give all the vessel operators on the lakes the tools to refine prevention opportunities and further develop other practical and effective preparedness actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA healthy Great Lake ecosystem is a major \u2018at-risk\u2019 asset to Great Lakes states like Minnesota,\u201d said Jeff Stollenwerk of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. \u201cWe need reliable information about tools to atop AIS introduction and the spread in the Great Lakes and we need it yesterday. The GWRC team has a long and fine track record for delivering this solid policy-relevant scientific information.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Counting E. coli using Quanti-Tray System<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GWRC Output<\/h3>\n

GWRC research output is largely publically available immediately upon completion or after a set period-of-time (to protect commercial proprietary interests in the development of new ballast treatment products). Any output generated under the auspices of a USCG BWMS Certification Tests, however, are subject to the confidentiality requirements of the Independent Laboratory. Much of that information will be accessible from the USCG via Freedom of Information Act processes. The University of Wisconsin – Superior\u00a0Lake Superior Research Institute<\/a>\u00a0is creating a publically accessible website for the GWRC as part of its commitment to deliver the latest project updates in one convenient location.<\/p>\n

Founded in 1967, the University of Wisconsin – Superior\u00a0Lake Superior Research Institute<\/a>is a leader in applied environmental research. LSRI offers a wide range of research products and services designed to directly benefit the people, industries, and natural resources of the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes Region, and beyond.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UW-Superior\u00a0Lake Superior Research Institute\u00a0(LSRI) announced the launch of its Great Waters Research Collaborative (GWRC), a major project devoted to assessing effectiveness of tools for sustainable industrial, commercial and public use of the nation\u2019s Great Waters, especially green shipping. The project\u2019s immediate focus is assessing the effectiveness of ballast water management systems (BWMS) at preventing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":4244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[110],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-4239","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-superior"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/4239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4239"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=4239"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=4239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}