1 April 2021
COMPLETE project will be followed by an extension stage project COMPLETE PLUS “Practical implementation of the COMPLETE project outputs and tools”, receiving co-financing from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. The project starts in April 2021 and ends in December 2021, and will be implemented by 11 COMPLETE project partners. The project aims to ensure that COMPLETE project outputs will be operationalized to ensure their sustainable use by all relevant actors and stakeholders. The publications and other project outputs have been made available at the project website.
March 2021
The COMPLETE project has successfully tackled several knowledge gaps regarding introduction and spread of non-indigenous and potential invasive species by shipping. Since 2017 various project activities focused, in co-operation with different stakeholder groups, on identification and development of management, monitoring, and early warning options, methods, and tools for minimizing the introduction risk via ballast water and biofouling.
9-10 February 2021
The Final Conference of the COMPLETE project “Completing management options in the Baltic Sea Region to reduce the risk of invasive species introduction by shipping” was held on 9-10 February 2021 as an online conference. Over 160 participants from 18 countries attended this event, representing policy makers, authorities, shipping companies, ports/port authorities, boating associations, companies providing hull cleaning services and antifouling systems, scientists and non-governmental organizations, among others. The first day was dedicated to the work that has been carried out in the COMPLETE project to support the harmonized implementation of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). On the second day, the presentations focused on the biofouling management issues in the BSR, and showcased the results on harmonized monitoring of non-indigenous species in the region.
The recorded conference presentations can be viewed, and the presentations as PDFs can be downloaded at the conference web page: https://balticcomplete.com/news/final-conference.
2 February 2021
An online workshop organized in the framework of an INTERREG Baltic Sea Region programme project COMPLETE (www.balticcomplete.com) to present an Early Warning System (EWS) on findings of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP) in the Baltic Sea and its implementation in the AquaNIS information system was held on January 19, 2021. The event was organized by the Marine Research Institute, Klaipėda University and attended by 39 participants from 13 countries and intergovernmental organization HELCOM. The participants were introduced to a model agreement that defines the roles and responsibilities of those who send and receive the alert. The “Fast Track” was introduced, which aims to simplify the entry of the data required to send an alert. During the discussion, the participants were asked to answer questions (“Do you know what to do when you receive a warning signal?” and “Do you know which institutions in your country will you send a warning signal to?”). Finally, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire to summarize their views on how the EWS can help implement the Ballast Water Management Convention.
26 January 2021
The proposal for a Regional Baltic Biofouling Management Roadmap, compiled by the COMPLETE project, has been presented at the 20th Meeting of the HELCOM Maritime Working Group on 5-8 October 2020 (MARITIME 20-2020), and the 11th Meeting of the Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Task Group on Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) and Biofouling on 26-27 November 2020 (TG BALLAST 11-2020). The Meetings supported the Roadmap as a good example for regional cooperation.
Furthermore, an extract of the Roadmap will be submitted to the next meeting of IMO Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR8) to directly support the work of the IMO Correspondence Group on the Review of the Biofouling Guidelines as an input from the COMPLETE project as it provides useful input for this IMO process.
9 October 2020
The proposal for a Regional Baltic Biofouling Management Roadmap, compiled by the COMPLETE project, was presented at the 20th Meeting of the HELCOM Maritime Working Group on 5-8 October 2020. The Meeting supported the Roadmap as a good example for regional cooperation. It will now be considered by the HELCOM/OSPAR TG BALLAST to further elaborate, finalize and agree to it, followed by direct submission to HOD 59-2020 for approval and subsequent adoption by HELCOM 42-2021.
Furthermore, Maritime invited interested Contracting Parties to submit the draft Roadmap for consideration to the IMO Correspondence Group on the Review of the Biofouling Guidelines as an input from the COMPLETE Project as it provides useful input for this IMO process.
October 2020
Correct identification of target species, i. e. species, which “may impair or damage the environment, human health, property or resources and are defined for a specific port, State or biogeographic region” (IMO, 2007. Guidelines for Risk Assessment Under Regulation A-4 of the BWM Convention) is of critical importance for the management of biological invasions, resulting both from ships’ ballast water and biofouling. Traditional species identification methods that are based on the morphology of organisms can be time consuming and require taxonomic expertise which is often lacking, moreover such methods may fail to identify species at early life stages. That’s why the COMPLETE project focused on the further development of molecular methods that allow quick and accurate identification of target species at any stage of life.
October 2020
COMPLETE project applied for a prolongation of six months for adjusting the project activities with the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. All planned activities are expected to be finalized by the end of the prolongation period, March 2021.
COMPLETE project will be followed by an extension stage project COMPLETE PLUS “Practical implementation of the COMPLETE project outputs and tools”, receiving co-financing from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. The project will start in April 2021 and end in December 2021, and it will be implemented by 11 COMPLETE project partners. The project aims to ensure that COMPLETE project outputs will be operationalized to ensure their sustainable use by all relevant actors and stakeholders. Further information about the COMPLETE PLUS will be shared at the COMPLETE web page in due time (www.balticcomplete.com).
September 2020
Introduction of nonindigenous species (NIS) into a new environments is now identified as a major threat to the world`s seas and oceans biodiversity. These species are transported out of their native habitats mainly by ships, either in ballast tanks or on the hulls to which they attach. Hull`s biofouling is considered to be primary vector responsible for introduction of NIS. In the environments they are introduced to, in addition to threatening biodiversity, NIS can also have a negative impact on economic stability of the industries that depend on the coastal and marine environment. Due to this information about ship traffic and the size of hull surface that can be potentially biofouled, can be used by stakeholders and authorities for developing management strategies to minimize the NIS introduction risk. Furthermore, obtained data might be highly relevant for the waste management of hull cleaning services in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Thus, it is important to estimate the biofouling potential of ships entering and operating in the Baltic Sea.
September 2020
Due to increasing commercial shipping and boaters activity the risk of arrival of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Baltic Sea also increases. Hull fouling is considered to be one of a main vectors of NIS introduction beyond their natural range. Thus nonindigenous species are observed first in port areas. However not only ports and marinas are vulnerable to invasions but also other places which offer favorable settlement surfaces for these species, ranging from quays and piers in ports to offshore hard surfaces of drilling units or wind farms. Sensitive areas, e.g. marine protective areas (MPAs), but also industrial seawater discharge sites or nuclear plant sites where water is warmer than nearby are prone to be invaded by NIS as well.
