Prevent the attachment of biofouling organisms/species in aquaculture

Overall effectiveness category No evidence found (no assessment)
Number of studies: 0
Share Tweet Email

View assessment score

How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

not assessed
Certainty

not assessed
Harms

not assessed

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

While aquaculture facilities can be partly located on land (hatcheries), most of it occurs at sea, in cages, pens, bags, or ropes exposed to the marine environment. They represent hard structures onto which organisms can attach and grow – those organisms are known as the biofouling community. Non-native, invasive and other problematic species can be part of this biofouling community (Fitridge et al. 2012) and use aquaculture structures as “stepping stones” to spread and reach new areas to colonize (Ruiz et al. 1997). They can impact on native subtidal benthic invertebrate species through predation, competition for resources (food & space), contamination (for pathogens and diseases), or hybridization (through reproduction) (Bishop et al. 2010). Preventing the attachment of biofouling organisms can potentially help reduce the risks that invasive, non-native and other problematic biofouling species pose to subtidal benthic invertebrates. Non-fouling material, anti-fouling paints or coatings can be used for aquaculture infrastructures to prevent attachment (Fitridge et al. 2012).

Evidence for other interventions related to biofouling are summarised under “Threat: Invasive and other problematic species, genes and diseases – Remove biofouling organisms/species in aquaculture”, “Clean anthropogenic platforms, structures or equipment”, “Use antifouling coatings on the surfaces of vessels and anthropogenic structures”, “Use non-toxic antifouling coatings on surfaces” and “Restrict the use of tributyltin or other toxic antifouling coatings”.

_{Bishop M.J., Krassoi F.R., McPherson R.G., Brown K.R., Summerhayes S.A., Wilkie E.M. & O’Connor W.A. (2010) Change in wild-oyster assemblages of Port Stephens, NSW, Australia, since commencement of non-native Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) aquaculture. Marine and Freshwater Research, 61, 714–723.}

_{Fitridge I., Dempster T., Guenther J. & de Nys R., (2012) The impact and control of biofouling in marine aquaculture: a review. Biofouling, 28, 649–669.}

_{Ruiz G.M., Carlton J.T., Grosholz E.D. & Hines A.H. (1997) Global invasions of marine and estuarine habitats by non-indigenous species: mechanisms, extent, and consequences. American Zoologist, 37, 621–632.}

Key messages

We found no studies that evaluated the effects of preventing the attachment of biofouling organisms/species in aquaculture on subtidal benthic invertebrate populations.

‘We found no studies’ means that we have not yet found any studies that have directly evaluated this intervention during our systematic journal and report searches. Therefore, we have no evidence to indicate whether or not the intervention has any desirable or harmful effects.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Please cite as:

Lemasson, A.J., Pettit, L.R., Smith, R.K. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation. Pages 635-732 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Subtidal Benthic Invertebrate Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Category
Import spat and/or eggs to aquaculture facilities rather than juveniles and adults to reduce the risk of introducing hitchhiking species Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link
Remove biofouling organisms/species in aquaculture Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link
Use sterile individuals in aquaculture systems using non-native species Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	Synopsis Link