Assessment of the effectiveness of antifouling solutions for recreational boats in the context of marine bioinvasions

The recreational boating sector is a major vector for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) via biofouling. Despite applying control measures to prevent the growth of fouling communities, most vessels are NIS carriers. This study assessed the effectiveness of different antifouling strateg...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Santos Simón, Mar, Ferrario, Jasmine, Benaduce Ortiz, Beatriz, Ortiz Zarragoitia, Maren, Marchini, Agnese
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Recursos:Universidad del País Vasco
Repositorio:Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación
OAI Identifier:oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/66900
Acesso em linha:http://hdl.handle.net/10810/66900
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:antifouling
biofouling
manipulative experiment
bioinvasion management
non-indigenous species
recreational vessel
Descrição
Resumo:The recreational boating sector is a major vector for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) via biofouling. Despite applying control measures to prevent the growth of fouling communities, most vessels are NIS carriers. This study assessed the effectiveness of different antifouling strategies in a manipulative experiment by testing two common coating typologies (biocide-based and foul-release coatings), accompanied with simulated maintenance practices. The experiment was carried out in the Gulf of La Spezia (Italy) and samples were collected at two different periods. Results showed significant differences among antifouling treatments regarding community structure, diversity, coverage and biovolume of the sessile component, alongside a significant decrease in the performance of biocide-based coating with time. Interestingly, peracarid NIS/native species ratio was higher for biocide-based treatments, suggesting potential biocide resistance. This study highlights the urgent need to develop common and feasible biofouling management plans and provides insights towards identification of best practices for recreational vessels.