Commercial fishing vessels

All vessels entering Australian waters, regardless of their size or frequency of visits, pose a biofouling risk to Australia’s marine biosecurity.

This factsheet provides an overview of the biofouling risk posed by the commercial fishing vessel sector and information on how this risk can be minimised.

Typical vessel types in this sector include: commercial vessels engaged in capturing wild stock of living marine resources such as fishing (general), trawler (all types), whaler, fish carrier and fish factory vessels.

Why are commercial fishing vessels a biofouling risk?

All vessels carry marine species that have attached to vessel surfaces as biofouling. Some of these species have the potential to survive the voyage, establish viable populations and become invasive pests. The likelihood of a biofouling species of concern arriving in Australia in this way increases with the number of overseas ports visited and the length of time the vessel spends in each port. It is further influenced by factors such as the type and age of the antifouling coating and the time since the last drydocking.

Although there are only a small number of commercial fishing vessels arriving in Australian waters each year, they potentially pose a biofouling risk because of their operating profile. Commercial fishing vessels tend to have a broad range of operational destinations, travel relatively slowly and may have long lay-up periods in ports allowing growth of biofouling on hulls. The efficacy and age of antifouling coatings may vary widely between vessels.

Fishing ports are often host to vessels from different fleets, providing opportunity for biofouling organisms to spread to other vessels or to port infrastructure.

Biofouling can also accumulate on fishing gear and equipment through entanglement and entrapment.

Managing the risk

The build up of biofouling on vessels can affect travelling speeds, reduce efficiency and increase fuel consumption. As a result, many commercial fishing vessels already have systems in place to reduce biofouling through regular and well-targeted application of antifouling coatings on exposed hull surfaces. Other vessel hygiene practices include treatment of internal seawater systems, and thorough cleaning and drying of gear and equipment.

Continued vigilance in biofouling reduction practices, with particular attention to niche areas, will both improve the operational efficiency of vessels and help to protect Australia’s marine environment and industry.

Below are some actions that can help manage the biofouling risk posed by commercial vessels:

• assess the biofouling risk of the vessel prior to departing for Australia and take remedial action as necessary
• implement a regular schedule for maintenance and dry docking
• undertake regular inspections of areas most prone to biofouling, such as niche areas [see diagram below]. High-risk areas for biofouling include external cooling pipes, stabiliser, sea chest, anchor well and on-board fishing gear. Any biological matter should be disposed of at licensed on-shore facilities
• treat internal water system by cleaning intake and outlet points, and by periodically flooding with fresh water prior to moving between regions
• apply antifouling coatings best suited to the operating profile of the vessel, noting that niche areas may require specific coating systems
• clean fishing equipment as close as possible to fishing grounds.

For more information on how to reduce the biofouling risks on commercial vessels, refer to the publication National biofouling management guidelines for commercial vessels or email IMS Program.

Niche areas on a commercial fishing vessel where biofouling can accumulate.

Image courtesy of Aquenal Pty Ltd