Panel comparison observed in marinas in the north-eastern Baltic Sea

In the present study, we collected data on biofouling in 17 marinas along the Baltic Sea coast during three consecutive boating seasons (May-October 2014, 2015 and 2016). In this context, we compared different monitoring strategies and developed a fouling index (FI) to characterise marinas according to the recorded biofouling abundance and type (defined according to the hardness and strength of attachment to the substrate). Lower FI values, i.e. softer and/or less abundant biofouling, were consistently observed in marinas in the north-eastern Baltic Sea. The decrease in FI from the south-western to the north-eastern Baltic Sea was partially explained by the concomitant decrease in salinity. Nevertheless, most of the observed changes in biofouling seemed to be determined by local factors and inter-annual variability, which emphasizes the necessity for systematic monitoring of biofouling by end-users and/or authorities for the effective implementation of non-toxic antifouling alternatives in marinas.本研究于2014、2015、2016年连续三个游艇航行季（5月至10月），采集了波罗的海沿岸17处游艇码头（marinas）的生物污损（biofouling）数据。本研究对比了多种监测策略，并开发了污损指数（fouling index, FI），以基于记录的生物污损丰度及附着类型——按其附着于基底（substrate）的硬度与强度界定——对各游艇码头的污损状况进行表征。波罗的海东北部的游艇码头始终观测到较低的FI值，即附着的生物污损更柔软且/或丰度更低。波罗的海FI值从西南部向东北部逐渐降低的现象，可部分由同期盐度（salinity）的下降得到解释。然而，观测到的多数生物污损变化似乎由局部因素与年际变率（inter-annual variability）所决定，这凸显了终端用户及/或管理部门开展系统性生物污损监测的必要性，以在游艇码头中有效推广无毒防污替代方案。