6.3 Species' biogeographical risk assessment

  6.3.1 Species' biogeographical risk assessment compares the biogeographical distributions of nonindigenous, cryptogenic, and harmful native species that presently exist in the donor and recipient ports and biogeographic regions. Overlapping species in the donor and recipient ports and regions are a direct indication that environmental conditions are sufficiently similar to allow a shared fauna and flora. The biogeographical analysis could also be used to identify high risk invaders. For example, native species in the donor biogeographic region that have successfully invaded other similar biogeographic regions but that are not found in the recipient biogeographic region could be considered high risk invaders for the recipient port or location. The larger the number of biogeographic regions that such species have invaded, the greater the potential that those species would be able to become established in the recipient port or biogeographic region if introduced by ballast water not meeting regulation B-3 or C-1. Another general indicator of risk would be if the donor biogeographic region is a major source of invaders to other areas.

  6.3.2 The data necessary to enable a risk assessment using a species biogeographical approach includes but may not be limited to:

• .1 records of invasion in the donor and recipient biogeographic regions and ports;

• .2 records of native or non-indigenous species that could be transferred through ballast water in the donor biogeographic region that have invaded other biogeographic regions and the number and nature of biogeographic regions invaded;

• .3 records of native species in the donor region that have the potential to affect human health or result in substantial ecological or economic impacts after introduction in the recipient region through ballast water transfer.

  6.3.3 The species' biogeographical risk assessment could also be used to identify potential target species in the donor regions as indicated by native species with wide biogeographical or habitat distributions or which are known invaders in other biogeographic regions similar to that of the recipient port.