Sea Technology

AUG 2012

The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community

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environmentalmonitoring Coral Reef Watch System Can Predict Bleaching 4 Months Out A new global seasonal outlook sys- tem and satellite monitoring have up- graded NOAA's ability to predict mass coral bleaching, providing the probabil- ity of these events up to four months into the future. As of July, the Coral Reef Watch program had not predicted any large-scale coral bleaching in the North- ern Hemisphere through October 2012. Every week, the new system uses 28 runs of NOAA's latest climate model and sea surface temperature forecasts from its operational climate forecast sys- tem. This builds upon the first global seasonal bleaching outlook system, re- leased in 2008. The Coral Watch System now also draws on daily 5-kilometer satellite monitoring of coral-bleaching thermal stress for reefs globally. This represents 100 times finer resolution, and more fre- quent observations and data than the present twice-weekly, 50-kilometer satellite coral-bleaching monitoring. NOAA and international partner envi- ronmental satellites provide the data. During most mass bleachings, high ocean temperatures usually occur over a broad area that includes both coral reefs and adjacent open-ocean waters. Because coastal water temperatures over reefs are often higher than those in other areas, old products usually under- estimated the thermal stress associated with a bleaching event or missed small- scale features found right over reefs. The 5-kilometer products should correct for these errors. Foreign BWMS May Be Used in US Waters for Up to Five Years The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) issued a policy letter in June outlining how bal- last water management system (BWMS) manufacturers who have received ap- proval from a foreign ad ministration in accordance with Inter national Mari time Organiz ation rules can apply to be con- sidered an alternate management sys- tem (AMS) to meet U.S. standards. If the AMS is approved, a vessel will be allowed to use it for up to five years after the vessel is required to comply with the discharge standards. An AMS applicant must also submit a USCG type-approval application, compliance test results and findings and a descrip- tion of any modifications made to the system after testing. The BWMS must be installed prior to the vessel's compliance date to be eligi- ble. Earlier this year, the USCG had re- moved a provision from its ballast water discharge rule to allow foreign type-ap- proved BWMS to receive U.S. type ap- proval. Instead, manufacturers could obtain approval with data from tests sat- isfying U.S. requirements. The rule went into effect in June, although BWMS use will be phased in and not required until after December 2013. The letter is not a legally binding rule, but represents the USCG's view on BWMS. Applicants may use an alterna- tive approach as long as it satisfies bal- last water statutes and regulations and can submit a proposal of such an ap- proach in writing to the USCG Marine Safety Center in Washington, D.C. 62 st / AUGUST 2012 www.sea-technology.com

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