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Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment

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Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment Appendix E. Best Management Practices Recommended BMPs for Ecosystem Protection and to Minimize Marine Invasive Species Introductions These Best Management Practices (BMPs) are provided to Monument visitors to minimize potential introductions of marine invasive species in the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Portions of the recommended BMPs provided below, currently being used and considered effective, are taken from the CRED Programmatic Environmental Assessment for conducting research activities in the central and western Pacific Ocean, and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Management Plan. 1. Marine Invasive Species Prevention Measures for Vessels Shipboard Operations The following ship maintenance protocols are applied to the NOAA ships1 whereas similar procedures are recommended to be applied to other ships and small boats that are to access the Monument waters: Ships should be dry docked every two years and the bottom and sides cleaned using a high pressure water system to remove dirt and growth on the hull. The bottom will be repainted with an EPA- approved, anti-fouling paint that retards marine growth and preserves the bottom surface. The hull is to be painted with a marine paint for protection in the salt water environment. Vessels will have a USCG type II approved Marine Sanitation Device aboard and a holding tank capable of holding and treating sewage, gray water and other waste generated aboard the ship. Ships will be capable of holding wastewater for approximately two days before the holding tank reaches capacity and grey water must be discharged. For operations within the Monument, all sewage would be treated and the grey water retained until the ship is outside of all Monument boundaries. Small Boats Small boats that have been deployed from the main ship are to be cleaned and inspected daily for organic material, including any algal fragments or other organisms. Organic material, if found, is physically removed and disposed of according to the ship’s solid-waste disposal protocol or in approved secure holding systems. The internal and external surfaces of vessels are rinsed daily with freshwater and always rinsed between islands before transits. Vessels are allowed to dry before redeployment the following day. Equipment and Gear The following actions are routinely required while conducting work to minimize the spread of diseases to coral reef organisms and spreading invasive species on equipment and vessels. Equipment (e.g., gloves, forceps, shears) in direct contact with potential invasive species, diseased coral tissues, or diseased organisms are soaked in a freshwater 1:32 dilution with commercial bleach for at least 10 minutes and only a disinfected set of equipment is used at each dive site. 1 The PIFSC and CRED primarily use two NOAA Ships for its cruises: Hi‘ialakai and Oscar Elton Sette. Appendix E. Best Management Practices E-1 Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment All samples of potentially invasive species, diseased coral tissues, or diseased organisms are collected and sealed in at least 2 of a combination of bags or jars underwater on-site and secured into a holding container until processing. Dive Gear Dive gear (e.g., wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, BC, regulator, weight belt, booties) is disinfected by one of the following ways: a 1:52 dilution of commercial bleach in freshwater, a 3% free chlorine solution, or a manufacturer’s recommended disinfectant-strength dilution of a quaternary ammonium compound in “soft” (low concentration of calcium or magnesium ions) freshwater. Used dive gear is disinfected daily by performing the following steps: (1) physical removal of any organic matter and (2) submersion for a minimum of 10 min in an acceptable disinfection solution, followed by a thorough freshwater rinse and hanging to air dry. All gear in close proximity to the face or skin, such as masks, regulators, and gloves, are additionally rinsed thoroughly with potable water following disinfection. Ballast Water Vessels must have a US Coast Guard and/or International Maritime Organization ballast water management plan on board. The records of ballast water operations for the previous month with source locations must be made available at the time of inspection. If inspectors have concerns, access to salt water ballast tanks must be provided to allow water sampling. If any salt water ballast on board is deemed unacceptable the vessels master must employ ballast water management practices described in 33 CFR § 151.1510 prior to entry in the Monument. No ballast water discharge is allowed within the boundaries of the Monument except in the case of emergencies as defined by the US Coast Guard: (33 CFR § 151.1512) Biofouling All submerged and waterline surfaces must be free of macro-scale biofouling consisting of marine plants and animals. Surfaces must be free of any Chlorophyta (green-algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae), and Rhodophyta (red-algae) macro-algal species. Additionally, surfaces must be free of macro-invertebrate biofouling communities consisting of cnidarians (anemones and hydroids), arthropods (barnacles and macro-crustaceans), annelids (mobile and tube-dwelling worms), bryozoans, mollusks (clams, mussels and snails) and tunicates (sea squirts). Live Organism Transport There can be no transport of live or recently alive marine organisms associated with food stores, aquaculture/aquarium broodstock, or research activities aboard vessels departing for operations within the Monument. Ballast Metals Submersible operators should survey their surroundings visually and have access to detailed maps to avoid sensitive areas such as hydrothermal vents, coral colonies, and unique geologic features of scientific interest. All ballast would be dropped in the aphotic zone. E-2 Appendix E. Best Management Practices Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment 2. MIS Prevention for Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents Research Education and Awareness ROV operators should be educated about the potential for invasive species transport in order to make sound decisions regarding the deployment and decontamination of their ROVs. Visual Inspection Prior to any deployment, ROVs should be inspected to determine whether any visibly observable biological material is present on the vehicle. Users should pay extra attention to the o-ring seals (where tiny grains can become lodged); around the thrusters where sea grass and other filamentous organic matter can become entangled; and inside motor bells where any material is hard to detect. After each dive, users should perform the same visual inspection, returning any organic matter to its place of origin to prevent secondary uptake (secondary uptake occurs when material that has been removed from the ROV is subsequently attached to other objects, such as clothing, shoes, or equipment). Users should also inspect their shoes, clothing, and any gear to confirm that no organic material will be transmitted between sites. Freshwater Soak and Rinse Good ROV maintenance already includes a freshwater soak prior to beginning an expedition and rinsing ROVs in clean, freshwater following each dive. This will help remove salt and minimize corrosion of critical components. A freshwater rinse can also help remove any organic matter and dislodge potential invasive vectors. Freshwater is also lethal to many marine species, including microscopic organisms that cannot be detected during visual inspection. As transportation of rinse- water can serve as a potential source of secondary uptake, water for rinses should be prepared as close to the dive site as possible and disposed of at the same location. Following a successful series of dives at a discrete site, and after examining submersible elements and providing a sterile rinse, ROVs should be thoroughly washed using a weak bleach solution (7.75 mL household bleach per liter of water) or other readily available sanitizing agent. This will kill many microbial and viral vectors that could be transported between sites. This step is particularly important when ROVs will be deployed in different biomes or in different geographic regions. 3. Procedures for Ecosystem and Protected Species Threat Reduction Researchers should follow these guidelines while conducting deep-sea exploration and research: • Avoid activities that will have deleterious impacts on the sustainability of populations of hydrothermal vent organisms. • Avoid activities that lead to long lasting and significant alteration and/or visual degradation of vent sites. • Avoid collections that are not essential to the conduct of scientific research. • Avoid transplanting biota or geological material between sites. • Be aware of the status of current and planned research in an area and avoid activities that will compromise experiments or observation of other researchers. Assure that the research activities and plans are known to the rest of the international research community through public domain data bases. Appendix E. Best Management Practices E-3 Draft Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Management Plan and Environmental Assessment • Facilitate the fullest possible use of all biological, chemical and geological samples collected through collaborations wand cooperation amongst the global community of scientists. Ecosystem Protection During marine debris removal operations,
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