There are many acronyms and terms used in the world of AIS and ballast water without an explanation. This page lists terms associated with these two issues - but if any are missing, or need clarification, please let us know at adahlstrom@gmail.com.
AIS - Aquatic invasive species (also called ANS - aquatic nuisance species; or NIS - nonindigenous species) - a nonindigenous species that threatens the diversity or abundance of native species or the ecological stability of infested waters, or commercial, agricultural, aquacultural or recreational activities dependent on such waters
Ballast Tank - Any tank or hold on a vessel used for carrying ballast water, whether or not the tank or hold is designed for that purpose.
Ballast Water - any water and suspended matter taken on board a vessel to control or maintain trim, draft, stability, or stress of the vessel, regardless of how it is carried.
BWD - Ballast Water Discharge
BWE - Ballast Water Exchange
BWM - Ballast Water Management
BWT - Ballast Water Treatment
Coastwise Traffic - vessels operating in estuarine and/or ocean water within 200 nautical miles of land or less than 2,000 meters deep including rivers, lakes or other water bodies navigably connected to the ocean.
CSLC - California State Lands Commission
EEZ - Exclusive Economic Zone - The area of ocean from the outside edge of the territorial sea (which covers inland water, harbors and the area out to 12 nautical miles from the coast) out to 200 nautical miles from the coast.
Efficacy - the effectiveness of the BWT system kill, or remove,
organisms and bacteria.
Equivalency Period - the period, beginning on the applicability date of USCG regulations governing ballast management, where ballast water discharged from the vessel is granted an equivalency to BWM regulations.
ETV - Environmental Technology Verification, a program by EPA to help implement ballast water treatment technology
Exchange - to replace the water in a ballast tank using one of the following methods:
- Flow through exchange - to flush out ballast water by
pumping in mid-ocean water at the bottom of the tank and
continuously overflowing the tank from the top until three full
volumes of water has been changed--to minimize the number of
original organisms remaining in the tank. - Empty/refill exchange - to pump out the ballast water
taken on in ports, estuarine, or territorial waters until the tank is empty, then refilling it with mid-ocean water; masters/operators should pump out as close to 100 percent of the ballast water as is safe to do so.
G-MSO-4 - The Environmental Standards Division in the Office of Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Protection at Coast Guard Headquarters. This office is the program manager for the STEP.
IMO - International Maritime Organization
IMO guidelines - the Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water to Minimize the Transfer of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (IMO Resolution A.868 (20), adopted November 1997).
Mid-ocean waters - waters that are more than 200 nautical miles from land and at least 2,000 meters (6,560 feet or 1,093 fathoms) deep
NANPCA - The Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990.
NBIC - the National Ballast Water Information Clearinghouse operated by the Coast Guard and the
Near-coastal waters – Waters more than 50 nautical miles from land and at least 200 meters deep.
NEPA - National Environmental Policy Act
NISA – The National Invasive Species Act of 1996, which reauthorized and amended NANPCA.
NOBOB - No Ballast On Board
NPRM - Notice of Proposed Rule Making
Pacific Coast Region - all coastal waters east of 154 degrees W longitude and north of 25 degrees N latitude, exclusive of the Gulf of California
Qualifying vessels - all vessels over 300 gross register tons,
SERC - Smithsonian Environmental
STEP - Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program; also see this powerpoint
USCG - the
WCBOP - the West Coast Ballast Outreach Project