Let’s protect Adriatic marine ecosystems: BALMAS project for the management of ship’s ballast waters

One of the key elements of impact on the Adriatic marine environment, as on most of the Mediterranean one is the introduction of harmful species through ship’s ballast waters. This waters charged to stable the ships and discharged later into the sea, transfer microorganisms, often alien to the environments that can represent a serious concern and a risk for ecosystem and human health. The United Nations recognized the transfer of harmful organisms and pathogens, as one of the four greatest pressures to the world’s oceans and seas, causing environmental changes posing a threat even to human health. In 2004, in response to this issue, member states of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted the International Convention for the Control and management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments, with the aim of providing a globally uniform ballast water management approach. The adoption of the Convention is particularly important for the Adriatic sea to preserve the uniqueness of its biodiversity. The economic development and social existence of the coastal states of the region, strongly depend on the state and the conservation of the Adriatic Sea which is also the seaway mainly used by international shipping transporting goods to or from Europe as hinterland and by an intense local shipping. In Piran (Slovenia), at the National Institute for Biology, has recently been launched the BALMAS Project (Ballast Water Management System for Adriatic Sea Protection), one of the strategic projects of IPA Adriatic, The Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013, aiming at strengthening the sustainable development capacity of the Region through a coordinated, cross-border action strategy among partners of eligible territories. The new project is coordinated by the National Institute for Water of Slovenia, the beneficiary countries are Italy, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Slovenia and Montenegro and it will end in 2016. The general objective of BALMAS project is to provide a shared cross-border system for the control and management of ship’s ballast waters and sediments through the cooperation among institutions in the Adriatic region. A long-term, effective and safe management of the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in the Adriatic sea through the maritime transport, oriented to prevention, minimization and ultimate elimination will avoid risks for the environment and human health.