A Global Solution to Global Shipping A transboundary nomination for the Salish Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) Photo credit: Chris Teren Stephanie Buffum, MPA/MURP Executive Director, Friends of the San Juans Washington, DC Briefing, March 2016
Particularly Sensitive Sea Area Nomination for the The Salish Sea is a trans- Salish Sea boundary inland sea INTRODUCTION shared Outline: between British Terms Columbia, Risk to our waters Canada and PSSA Criteria, comparison Washington State Protective Measures
• PSSA - Particularly Sensitive Sea Area: “ an area that Terms needs special protection through action by IMO because of its significance for recognized ecological or socio- economic or scientific reasons and which may be vulnerable to damage by international maritime activities.” • IMO - International Maritime Organization: a “specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.” Membership: 171 member states; 77 NGOs; 65 IGOs • MEPC - Maritime Environment Protection Committee: (Subsidiary IMO body) MEPC, which consists of all Member States, is empowered to consider any matter within the scope of the Organization concerned with prevention and control of pollution from ships. • • APM - Associated Protective Measures are specific protective measures that define the ways and the extent to which a PSSA is protected against listed environmental threats. Examples include: no anchor zones, separation schemes, areas to avoid, pilotage, vessel traffic system, special areas, and installation of Vessel Traffic Services. •
First Nations and Tribes in the Salish Sea
Increase in commercial shipping Traffic above 2013 levels = 43% - 48% Predates Dec 2015 Crude Export Ban
Salish Sea Vessel Traffic Increase in commercial shipping Traffic 2013 = 30% in 2015 = 43% - 48% 2013 30 % increase w/o bunkering (refuel) 2015 43 % increase w/o bunkering 2015 48 % increase w bunkering + Grays Harbor
• Social/Cultural Risk of and oil spill Urgent and critical need First Nations: Food, medicine, and cultural practices Non tribal people: recreational fishing and boating, aesthetic Recognition of these cultural and social values: Obama designated the San Juan Islands National Monument in 2012.
Economic Risk of an Oil Spill Fishing Tourism Urgent and critical need Property value “A major spill would have a significant impact on Washington state’s maritime economy worth $30 billion and supports 148,000 jobs. – US Senator Maria Cantwell April 9, 2014
Environmental Risk of an Oil Spill in the Salish Sea Urgent and critical need Urgent and critical need 37 species of mammals 172 birds 300 fish 3000 invertebrates 113 endangered, threatened or species of concern 7 million people
Traffic The Rotary
Accident and Oil Spill Risk Accident frequency could Urgent and critical need increase by 18% Potential oil spill loss could increase by 68% Potential oil spill loss in Haro Strait increases by 375% Source: 2014 VTRA
Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas Designation Bold new venture “A PSSA is…an area that needs special protection through INTRODUCTION action by the International Maritime Organization because of significance for recognized ecological, socio-economic or scientific reasons and because it may be vulnerable to being damaged by international shipping activities.” Based on best international practice. Notice to mariners that a designated area is of global importance and additional protective measures are required.
14 PSSAs globally, 2 in USA
PSSA Criteria for Feasibility: PART I: Ecological, Social and/or Cultural Threat ( One must be met, ideally, throughout the entire SensitivityG area...The Salish Sea meets all three!) PART II: Vulnerability to Impacts from International Shipping PART III: Associated Protective Measures (APMs)
Sensitivity: IMO Criteria for Feasibility PART I: Ecological, Social and/or Cultural Threat Ecological Criteria • Uniqueness or rarity, critical habitat, spawning or breeding • Highly dependent on systems (kelp forests, seagrass beds) • Productivity (oceanic fronts, upwelling areas, gyres) • Naturalness – a relative lack of human-induced disturbance • Rare biological, chemical, physical, or geological features Social, cultural and economic criteria • Livelihood - people depend fishing, recreation, tourism • Human dependency - food / cultural / tourism • Cultural heritage (historical and archaeological sites) Scientific and educational criteria will include: • Research – high scientific interest • Baseline for monitoring studies – suitable • Education – exceptional particular natural phenomena
Types of maritime activities Part II Criteria: Vulnerability to Shipping • Vessel types, traffic, concentration and interaction • Traffic distance offshore or other dangers to nav • Harmful substances carried Natural factors which increase the risk of collision • Hydrographical – water depth, bottom and coastline • Meteorological – weather, wind, visibility • Oceanographic – tidal streams, currents, ice • Significance and degree of risk: History of groundings, collisions, or spill Adverse impacts • Stresses from other environmental sources • Any measures in effect and their actual or anticipated beneficial impact
Types of Associated Protective Measures Part III Criteria - Associated Protective • Adoption of ships’ routing and reporting systems • No anchor and/or Limited anchorage, bunkering • Areas to avoid (ecological, cultural, social aesthetic) • Pilotage Routing requirements (voluntary or regulatory) • Traffic separation schemes (voluntary or regulatory) • Inshore traffic zones (voluntary or regulatory) • Prohibition of discharge (voluntary or regulatory) • Potential for the area to be listed on the World Heritage List, declared a Biosphere Reserve, or included on a list of areas of Measures (APM) international, regional, or national importance.
Value of PSSA: • Highest early warning Draft PSSA Boundary (in evaluation) system for mariners entering these waters • Acknowledgment of Voluntary standards of care for pilotage, vessel traffic, etc. • May expand / harmonize oversight of incidents • May reduce vessel traffic speed • May increase pilotage “No go areas” or limited areas for bunkering, anchorage
PSSA Feasibility Criteria: Salish Sea Global Comparison
How does the Salish Sea Compare to the other 14 PSSA? Criteria PSSA Salish Sea Ecological World Heritage 7/14 Olympic National Park Fraser River 1982, 17 state Ramsar 2/14 recognized Important Bird Areas and 9 globally recognized IBAs Special Areas 1-3/14 Annex VI Emissions Control Area. Biosphere 4/14 Olympic National Park, Mount Reserves Arrowsmith Scientific Educational present Best International Standard Social Cultural & present 1. Indigenous culture Economic 2. Tourism 3. Marine resource extraction 2 law review articles on the Salish Sea PSSA under review in 2 separate international law journals.
PSSA Timeline May 2014 1. PSSA Feasibility Report completed 2. PSSA criteria synthesis & draft nomination completed Aug-Jan 2016 3. Write Law Review articles completed Aug-Jan 2016 4. Solicit feedback and endorsements for Nomination Feb-Oct 2016 5. Salish Sea Conf – Share Draft PSSA Nomination April 2016 6. Associative Protective Measures Workshop June 2016 7. Final Draft Salish Sea PSSA Nomination Paper July 2016 8. Governmental endorsements for nomination, cont. Aug-Dec 2016 9. Coast Salish Celebration, San Juan National Park Mid Aug 2016 10 US and CAN submit Joint PSSA nomination to IMO Nov 2016 IMO Review (2017), IMO Assembly decision (2018) 2017-2018
What you can do… Support the preparation and nomination of the Salish Sea PSSA 1. Participate in June APM workshop 2. Solicit letters of support for PSSA from Tribal, federal, provincial, state and business leaders. 3. Sign the petition sanjuans.org/safeshipping Photo: Vancouver Sun. April 8, 2015. 3500 gallons of crude spilled from the grain ship the M/V Marathassa English Bay, British Columbia, causing the closure of beaches to swimming and fishing.
A transboundary nomination for the Salish Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) Thank you Photo credit: Chris Teren For more information, please contact: Friends of the San Juans Executive Director, Stephanie Buffum, MPA/MURP Stephanie@sanjuans.org 360.378.2319 tel PO Box 1344 Friday Harbor, WA 98250
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