Biofouling and Portuguese shellfish production Pereira, Ana; Viegas, Miguel; Manjua, Ana; Fragoso, Bruno; Icely, John
The CRAB consortium Co-ordination ordination TNO Industrial Technology (NL) IAGs FEAP, the European Aquaculture Society, FHL Havbruk (NO) and the Irish Aquaculture Association (IRE) RTD Performers University College Cork (IRE), University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK), Global Aquafish S.L.(ES) SMEs AQUATT UETP Ltd (IRE), Boris Net Company Ltd (UK), Lakeland Marine Farms Ltd. (UK), Material innovation Center (NL), Bømlo Skjell AS (NO),Val Akva (NO),, Jimmy Newman (IRE), John Power (IRE), Fastnet Mussels Ltd (IRE), Promociones Marsan SL. (ES), Alevines y Doradas S.A. (ES), Viveiros Ana Manjua Unipessoal Lda (PT), Quinta Formosa, Lda (PT), Sagremarisco Lda (PT)
CRAB: Collective Research in Aquaculture Biofouling Main objectives To develop effective antifouling management strategies for the European Aquaculture Industry To develop and disseminate best practice guidelines and support moves towards sustainability and environmental responsibility
CRAB 12 field sites Norway Scotland Ireland Portugal Spain
Key-deliverables of CRAB Materials/strategies for industry workers Best practice guidelines Antifouling strategy management and decision support tools Training programmes for farm managers and workers
Biofouling - costs for the industry Infrastructure Cages, netting, pontoons Tanks, pipes, pumps, filters Stock species Particularly shellfish Cleaning oyster cultures = 20% of market value Biofouling can reduce growth rates by over 40%.
Biofouling and Portuguese shellfish production In Portugal the field sites are Ria Formosa Sagres
Ria Formosa intertidal shellfish aquaculture Location South Portugal Classification protected area tidal lagoon channels, salt march, sand limited water exchange temperature 14-28ºC salinity 35-45 psu
Ria Formosa - biofouling & intertidal aquaculture
Ria Formosa - biofouling & intertidal aquaculture Infrastructure Boats, buoys, ropes, nets, trays Shellfish stock fouling Oyster and mussel fouling
Ria Formosa - biofouling & intertidal aquaculture Principal fouling groups algae (brown and green algae) barnacles tube worms (Serpulids) mussels (Mytillus sp.) Oysters (Ostrea sp., Crassostrea sp.) CRAB field trials
Sagres off shore shellfish aquaculture Location Extreme S.W. Portugal Classification mesotidal moderately exposed coastal water of Atlantic type temperature 14-22ºC salinity 35,5 36,5 psu
Sagres - biofouling & offshore aquaculture Sagremarisco
Sagres - biofouling & offshore aquaculture Infrastructure Long-line system Boat, buoys, ropes, nets, lanterns Shellfish stock fouling Oyster fouling
Sagres - biofouling & offshore aquaculture CRAB field trials Principal fouling groups algae (brown and green algae) hydroids barnacles (Balanus sp.) tube worms (Serpulids) mussels (Mytillus sp.)
Biofouling consequences Increases running costs Fuel consumption Increases cleaning costs New materials (net replacement) Reduces stock health and value
Sagres current solutions to biofouling Efficient management of the culture cycle Heat treatment of stock to destroy recently settled fouling species (64ºC C for few seconds)
CRAB Strategies Biological Control New Materials (non-toxic antifouling coatings) Electrical methods (generating (Cl-) and ph shifts P. Willemsen Shellfish handling and immersion techniques D. I. Watson
Sagres testing new strategies Anti fouling coatings (in use) Net coatings (non-toxic) Biological control (future) Use of grazers (sea urchins) D. I. Watson
Sagres - antifouling materials (silicon coatings) TNO February 2005 Control Silicon coating November 2005
Sagres - antifouling materials (fibre( coatings) MIC March 2005 Control Fibre coating November 2005
Biofouling Final remarks Differences between Sagres and Ria Formosa Promising results at Sagres with antifouling coatings Different management strategies at diferent sites Not a single solution for all situations Proposal Test oyster trays with antifouling coatings (Ria Formosa)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank all of the CRAB partners for their assistance ance with the project, and Ostracultura Lda.. for their cooperation We would also like to thank the EU for funding the project under the 6th Framework Programme. EC Contract COLL-CT CT-2003-500536-CRAB (Collective Research, FP6). Project information, see www.crabproject.com Contact for Sagremarisco Lda alicely@mail.telepac.pt