Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Jul 2020)

Marine Biofouling: A European Database for the Marine Renewable Energy Sector

  • Pedro Almeida Vinagre,
  • Teresa Simas,
  • Erica Cruz,
  • Emiliano Pinori,
  • Johan Svenson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8070495
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 7
p. 495

Abstract

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Biofouling is a major problem shared among all maritime sectors employing submerged structures where it leads to substantially increased costs and lowered operational lifespans if poorly addressed. Insight into the ongoing processes at the relevant marine locations is key to effective management of biofouling. Of specific concern for the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector is the fact that information on biofouling composition and magnitude across geographies is dispersed throughout published papers and consulting reports. To enable rapid access to relevant key biofouling events the present work describes a European biofouling database to support the MRE sector and other maritime industries. The database compiles in one document qualitative and quantitative data for challenging biofouling groups, including non-native species associated with MRE and related marine equipment, in different European Ecoregions. It provides information on the occurrence of fouling species and data on key biofouling parameters, such as biofouling thickness and weight. The database aims to aid the MRE sector and offshore industries in understanding which biofouling communities their devices are more susceptible to at a given site, to facilitate informed decisions. In addition, the biofouling mapping is useful for the development of biosecurity risk management plans as well as academic research.

Keywords