Assessment of the effectiveness of antifouling solutions for recreational boats in the context of marine bioinvasions.

The recreational boating sector is a major vector for the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) via biofouling. Despite applying control measures to prevent the growth of fouling communities, most vessels are NIS carriers. This study assessed the effectiveness of different antifouling strategies in a manipulative experiment by testing two common coating typologies (biocide-based and foul-release coatings), accompanied with simulated maintenance practices.