A Particularly Sensitive Salish Sea
Presentation Abstract
In 2016 the nomination to designate the Salish Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) under the International Maritime Organization will be submitted by President Barak Obama and Prime Minster Justin Trudeau at the request of tribes, government agencies, industry, and non-governmental organizations. A PSSA is defined as an area in need of special protection through the IMO due to its ecological, social, cultural, and economic, or scientific significance and because of its vulnerability to damage by international shipping activities. Our waterways already crowded, and with a 43% increase in shipping traffic projected if all proposals to expand or build new terminals are approved in BC and Washington, means a greater chance of a spill. To address these global shipping impacts, Friends of the San Juans and project partners have identified the IMO PSSA Designation as the best option to protect the Salish Sea’s fishing, culture and the environment. A PSSA is the premiere global tool a community can adopt to protect a uniquely important marine ecosystem from the threats posed to it by international shipping. A PSSA in the Salish Sea can pull together and synchronize very complex, and often conflicting, domestic and international, legal and policy goals. A Salish Sea PSSA Designation would culminate in a set of associated protective measures that would strengthen protections. These measures include routing requirements, strict application of discharge and equipment requirements for ships, no/limited anchorage zones, and Vessel Traffic Services. PSSA’s have been set up in 14 areas world-wide. The Salish Sea deserves to be the 15th PSSA.
Session Title
Protection, remediation and restoration
Conference Track
Protection, Remediation, & Restoration
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Aquatic resources conservation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
International Maritime Organization
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
A Particularly Sensitive Salish Sea
2016SSEC
In 2016 the nomination to designate the Salish Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) under the International Maritime Organization will be submitted by President Barak Obama and Prime Minster Justin Trudeau at the request of tribes, government agencies, industry, and non-governmental organizations. A PSSA is defined as an area in need of special protection through the IMO due to its ecological, social, cultural, and economic, or scientific significance and because of its vulnerability to damage by international shipping activities. Our waterways already crowded, and with a 43% increase in shipping traffic projected if all proposals to expand or build new terminals are approved in BC and Washington, means a greater chance of a spill. To address these global shipping impacts, Friends of the San Juans and project partners have identified the IMO PSSA Designation as the best option to protect the Salish Sea’s fishing, culture and the environment. A PSSA is the premiere global tool a community can adopt to protect a uniquely important marine ecosystem from the threats posed to it by international shipping. A PSSA in the Salish Sea can pull together and synchronize very complex, and often conflicting, domestic and international, legal and policy goals. A Salish Sea PSSA Designation would culminate in a set of associated protective measures that would strengthen protections. These measures include routing requirements, strict application of discharge and equipment requirements for ships, no/limited anchorage zones, and Vessel Traffic Services. PSSA’s have been set up in 14 areas world-wide. The Salish Sea deserves to be the 15th PSSA.
