A biofouling workshop was organised by the Netherlands in Rotterdam

4–5 April 2019, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

The HELCOM and OSPAR Contracting Parties, the COMPLETE project partners and other stakeholders were invited to share experiences and ideas on biofouling management, to discuss the harmonisation of the evaluation of IMO Biofouling Guidelines MEPC.207(62) and IMO Guidance for recreational craft (MEPC.1/Circ.792), and to contribute to the work of IMO’s Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR), using the IMO Guidance for evaluating the Biofouling Guidelines (MEPC.1/Circ.811).

The workshop was organised in co-operation with the COMPLETE project partner (BSH). Katja Broeg/BSH gave a presentation on biofouling – ‘Biofouling under the spotlight’ – and Annika Krutwa/BSH presented the COMPLETE project activities related to biofouling. Greta Srebaliene/Klaipėda University gave a poster presentation about the AquaNIS information system on aquatic non-indigenous species (http://www.corpi.ku.lt/databases/index.php/aquanis/).

The results gained from the COMPLETE project may contribute to the proposed development of a general evaluation strategy. The development of a common management strategy may enhance the involvement of key stakeholders in the HELCOM and OSPAR regions whereby a more acceptable management strategy and a management roadmap for biofouling issues can be developed.

COMPLETE project partner representatives at the biofouling workshop.