Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Fouling load in a tropical Indian harbor:spatial and temporal pattern

Volume 57 Issue 1

S.K. Pati and M.V. Rao*

10.6024/jmbai.2015.57.1.01693-08

Abstract

Biofouling is a serious problem in marine environment particularly in tropical waters. Among various quantitative methods of fouling estimation, biomass built up is a reliable one. Thus, fouling biomass on monthly and cumulative wooden panels was quantified at three stations, namely, Slipway Complex, Ore Berth and Marine Foreman Jetty of Visakhapatnam harbour for a period of two years from February 2007 to January 2009. Average fouling load on monthly panels was highest at Ore Berth (1.705 kg.m-2) and Marine Foreman Jetty (0.933 kg.m-2) during 1st and 2nd years, respectively and lowest at Slipway Complex (0.340 kg.m-2 and 0.340 kg.m-2) during both the years. This spatial variation was significant (P/%) during 1st year only that too for Slipway Complex alone. This parameter was relatively high during 1st year than 2nd year at Ore Berth and Marine Foreman Jetty, but ice versa at Slipway Complex. Temporal variations at the said stations were insignificant except for Ore Berth. Fouling biomass on cumulative panels was highest at Marine Foreman Jetty (18.878 kg.m-2) and lowest at Ore Berth (0.592 kg.m-2). Present report of fouling load from Visakhapatnam harbour was the highest biomass ever recorded on wooden panels in India.

Keywords

Biofouling, Fouling biomass, Visakhapatnam, harbor.

Date : 15-03-2015