This publication has been prepared by GBP, IOI, CSIR-NIO and IUCN in order to serve as guidance to those who are planning to carry out a port biological baseline survey, in particular in the context of Ballast Water Management.
It has been drafted with the specific needs of the countries participating in the GloBallast Partnerships Programme in mind. The publication is not a protocol for surveys; it rather intends to present experiences and lessons learned by the partnering organizations, to help in the planning and execution phases of port biological baseline surveys.
Although all possible efforts have been made to provide a comprehensive and accurate document, its main purpose is to provide a discussion of the relevant concepts and lessons learned, and neither the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships Project, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), IOI, CSIR-NIO, nor IUCN take responsibility for the implications of the use of any information or data presented in this publication. Therefore, the publication does not constitute any form of endorsement whatsoever by IMO, GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships, IOI, CSIR-NIO, nor IUCN, and individuals and organizations that make use of any data or other information contained in the Monograph do so entirely at their own risk.