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Pacific Ballast Water Group (PBWG)
Pacific Ballast Water Group (PBWG)

The mission of the Pacific Ballast Water Group (PBWG) is to promote development and implementation of safe, economical, effective management of aquatic nuisance species associated with West Coast shipping.

Formed in 1998 following a series of informal meetings of West Coast state/provincial and federal agency and shipping industry representatives from the US and Canada concerned about the introduction of aquatic nuisance species through ballast water discharge. The PBWG serves as a coordinating body to share information and formulate consensus solutions on ballast water management and research issues of common concern to regulators, managers, scientists and the shipping industry on the West Coast (Canada, California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska).

Activities & Achievements

In 2002, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) began to serve as the administrative entity and provide staff support to the PBWG. Stephen Phillips, PSMFC Senior Program Manager, currently serves as chair of the PBWG.

The PBWG meets annually and sponsors periodic technical workshops on issues of mutual concern to the region, examples include:

• Alternate Ballast Water Exchange Areas: Physical And Biological Oceanographic Considerations (2006)
• Testing of Ballast Water Treatment Systems: General Guidelines and Step-wise Strategy Toward Shipboard Testing (2005)

Detailed information on past and future meetings of the PBWG can be viewed on the PBWG website.

Additional Information

Visit the Pacific Ballast Water Group (PBWG) program website at: www.westernais.org/ballast-water.

For further information contact Stephen Phillips, PBWG Coordinator and PSMFC Senior Program Manager, by email to sphillips@psmfc.org, or call 503.595.3100.

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