This Biosecurity Plan Template is intended to be used by marine maintenance dredging operators and contractors in order to minimise the risks posed by marine invasive non-native species (INNS), particularly related to minimising spread to new areas. It is difficult to directly manage INNS in the marine environment once they are present, therefore, prevention is key which is recognised in the GB Invasive Non-native Species Strategy (2015)

“Where direct management is not feasible, as is often the case in the marine environment, we will seek to reduce the spread of species by improved and targeted biosecurity”.

There are a number of legislative drivers for this work including the Marine Strategy Framework directive (MSFD); EU IAS (Invasive Alien Species) Regulation and the Wildlife and Countryside Act (W&CA) 1981, Schedule 9. Section 14 of the W&CA states that it is an offence to ‘release or allow to escape into the wild any animal which is not ordinarily resident in Great Britain or any species listed in Schedule 9 of the Act’. Schedule 9 of the act lists a number of marine INNS particularly relevant to marine dredging activities, these include the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), American Oyster Drill (Urosalpinx cinerea) and the American Slipper Limpet (Crepidula fornicata).

With respect to maintenance dredging activities in Wales and in order for the potential risks posed by these species to be managed in the most effective way it is important that NRW obtain as much information as possible. In certain circumstances where the activity is deemed not to contribute to the further geographic spread of those species on Schedule 9 (W&CA), NRW may issue an exemption in the form of a ‘General Species Licence’, however, this will be assessed as part of the licensing process.

Introduction

Please provide a brief background/overview about the maintenance dredging activity

Applicant Name:

Marine Licence reference number: Insert previous ref: no if applicable

Description of Operation: e.g. Cardiff Maintenance Dredge

Dredge and disposal Site Location(s): Insert both the dredge and disposal site locations associated to the planned operation.

Activity period: Insert the start and end date indicating the maintenance dredge activity period under the current licence

Biosecurity Manager/Officer: Individual responsible for implementing the plan

Approval Date: To be completed by NRW Marine Licensing Team

Document version number:

Information related to the Environmental conditions affecting biosecurity

Source environment/location	Receiving environment/location
Marine Non-native species known to be present	Insert evidence related to the presence/absence of known marine Invasive Non Native Species (INNS) in the source port or local environment. This may include national species distribution records, evidence from recent surveys, and reports or scientific literature.	Insert information related to any evidence related to the presence/absence of known marine INNS in the receiving/destination port or local environment. This may include national species distribution records, evidence from recent surveys, and reports or scientific literature.

Vessels & equipment involved in the operation (please list all vessels, barges and equipment to be used as part of the maintenance dredging operation – insert additional rows as necessary)

Vessel name	Photo reference (Please insert images in the appendix)	Vessel type	Details, Risk factors & Justification e.g. Pathway, vessel speed, biofouling control, Inspection history, Internal treatment history etc..	Risk: (High/Medium/Low)
Insert vessel name here	Insert image reference numbers	e.g. Suction dredge	See IMO Biofouling Guidance	e.g. Medium

Vessel & Disposal site Proposed activity log

In relation to maintenance dredging activities, marine invasive non-native species typically have three main vectors by which spread can potentially occur from one location to another. These are hull fouling, transfer in vessel ballast water and transfer within marine sediments. In order to better understand the potential risks associated to the current operation it is important to outline a brief history of vessel/equipment movements. This includes information such as vessel/equipment recent activity history (including any periods of inactivity) as well as information on ports visited and dredge/disposal site locations associated to the current licensable activity.

(Please note: a separate row should be inserted for changes in vessel and/or disposal site)

Vessel name	Brief description of vessel activity over the last 12 months	Transit ports (list all ports to be visited on route to the current dredge activity if applicable)	Transit ports arrival and departures	Disposal site name & reference
Arrival date	Departure date
Insert vessel name here	Insert name of all ports and dredge/disposal sites visited in the last 12 months	Port name	Date	Date	Disposal site name and reference no.

Activities which have a significant risk of introducing or spreading marine invasive non-native species (Please provide as much detail as possible of how each of the activities have the potential to increase the risk of introduction or onward spread of marine invasive non-native species – insert additional rows as necessary)

Activity and brief description	Details of how this could potentially increase the risk of introducing and/or spreading MINNS	Mitigation and Biosecurity measures to be implemented
Example: Movement of a vessel from one port to another in relation to maintenance dredging activities.	Inadequate anti-fouling of vessel may cause transfer of certain MINNS from one port to another Inadequate biosecurity measures related to the cleaning/flushing of equipment and screens before moving to the next location.Measures would include flushing suction equipment and re-depositing any screen material before leaving the site. Transfer of ballast and/or hopper water between ports and/or between dredge and disposal sites.	Regular antifouling of vessel demonstrated through up-to-date log book. Equipment is thoroughly flushed before moving off dredge disposal site in order to minimise the risk of transporting MINNS between sites/ports. Exchange of ballast/hopper water at sea before reaching the destination port or maintenance dredging site. *Ideally ballast/hopper water should be exchanged prior to transitioning from one biogeographic area to another and away from the coast.

Mitigation & Biosecurity Control Measures – Instructions for staff/contractors/site users (insert additional rows as necessary)

Who	What	Where	When
Example: Vessel owner and/or Skipper	Ensure vessel logbook is up to date and vessel has conformed to best practice under ballast water and hull fouling guidance. Exchange/cycling of hopper water should also be documented in the logbook when vessels are transitioning biogeographic areas.	Vessel logbook	To be kept up to date during normal operations

Operational surveillance and reporting procedure

Information to be inserted related to any planned surveillance and reporting procedures. For example: This may include surveillance and reporting of vessels for presence of INNS or any marine debris present before moving out of dock for the next deployment. This will only be necessary when the vessel is moving outside of the localised biogeographic area).

Contingency Plan (i.e. when changes to the plan necessary and have been identified - insert additional rows as necessary)

Action	Responsibility	Location of Equipment
Example: Use of alternative equipment, vessels or methodologies	Who will oversee this action?	Where is this equipment coming from and to? Does the vessel and/or equipment need to be make bio-secure before use in the current operation?

Location of biosecurity logbook

Insert location of biosecurity logbook - this could be on the vessel or administrative office.

Annual Review Date

Insert date of annual review of the plan

Useful reference documents

IMO Guidelines for the control and management of ships biofouling to minimize the transfer of invasive aquatic species

http://www.imo.org/blast/blastDataHelper.asp?data_id=30766

Shetland Biosecurity Plan

http://www.nafc.uhi.ac.uk/departments/marine-science-and-technology/BiosecurityPlan.pdf

Marine Biosecurity Planning Guidance (England & Wales November 2015 – adapted from SNH, Payne, Cook Macleod February 2014) https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/downloadDocument.cfm?id=1401

GB non-natives species secretariat

Marine biosecurity - key guidance documents and websites

Non - native species records can be accessed via the local record centres

http://www.lrcwales.org.uk/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

or the National Biodiversity Network

http://www.nbn.org.uk/

or the marine biological Association

http://www.mba.ac.uk/

NRW marine experts can also give advice on Non-native species records.

Appendix

Additional supporting material to be added here e.g. vessel/equipment photographs

The licence holder should update and submit a revised plan as a result of any amendments to the list of vessels and/or equipment to be utilised as part of current licence.

There may be instances where such mitigation measures may not be needed due to movement within the same biogeographic region, however, this will be reviewed as part of the assessment.