Abstract
Biofouling of ship hulls is considered one of the most important vectors for the transfer of aquatic
invasive species. These species have a significant impact on natural environments and ecological
communities, in addition to the financial costs to various industries. In the first part, we develop a
probabilistic model of NIS invasion for the port of Arzew, based on the length of stay of ships in
the ports of call, the latitude of these ports, the speed of the ship, the efficiency of the antifouling
system and the antifouling strategy used in the port of origin. Overall, the study focused on two
key parameters: a) the extent of biofouling on a given vessel, b) the probability that this fouling
assemblage survives throughout the vessel's voyage to the port of Arzew. Different scenarios were
simulated under several anti-fouling strategies widely used by commercial vessels and in
accordance with the International Maritime Organization's guidelines for characterizing the
change in invasion probability. The study revealed a high environmental similarity between the
Mediterranean ports, the Lusitanian region and the port of Arzew. We show that over one year,
738 ship movements transited the port of Arzew, inflicting a very high risk of invasion from six
coastal ecoregions (the Western Mediterranean ecoregion, the Northern and Central Red Sea, the
South European Atlantic Shelf, the Ionian Sea ecoregion, the North Sea and the Aegean Sea), in
particular.
In a second part, a sampling of the fouling was carried out in the fishing port of Algiers. The study
identified 08 species of crustaceans, 02 species of sponges, 02 species of bryozoans and 03 species
of ascidians including: 03 NIS and 01 cryptogenic species of crustaceans, 01 NIS of sponges, 02
NIS and 01 cryptogenic species of bryozoans, 02 NIS and one cryptogenic species of ascidians.
Among these species, 07 species have a potential adverse impact on biodiversity and/or the
economy and human health. Of the 15 species recorded, 06 species were reported for the first time
in Algeria. These results can be used for invasive species management purposes, such as: the
application of specific regulations to vessels of a certain tonnage that most favor the transfer of
non-indigenous species, as well as their ecoregions of origin that have a high environmental
similarity with the Alboran Sea, in order to minimize the transfer of these species.
Keywords: Ecoregion, Non-Indigenous Species, Probabilistic model, Ecological modeling,
Shipping, Biofouling
Biofouling of ship hulls is considered one of the most important vectors for the transfer of aquatic
invasive species. These species have a significant impact on natural environments and ecological
communities, in addition to the financial costs to various industries. In the first part, we develop a
probabilistic model of NIS invasion for the port of Arzew, based on the length of stay of ships in
the ports of call, the latitude of these ports, the speed of the ship, the efficiency of the antifouling
system and the antifouling strategy used in the port of origin. Overall, the study focused on two
key parameters: a) the extent of biofouling on a given vessel, b) the probability that this fouling
assemblage survives throughout the vessel's voyage to the port of Arzew. Different scenarios were
simulated under several anti-fouling strategies widely used by commercial vessels and in
accordance with the International Maritime Organization's guidelines for characterizing the
change in invasion probability. The study revealed a high environmental similarity between the
Mediterranean ports, the Lusitanian region and the port of Arzew. We show that over one year,
738 ship movements transited the port of Arzew, inflicting a very high risk of invasion from six
coastal ecoregions (the Western Mediterranean ecoregion, the Northern and Central Red Sea, the
South European Atlantic Shelf, the Ionian Sea ecoregion, the North Sea and the Aegean Sea), in
particular.
In a second part, a sampling of the fouling was carried out in the fishing port of Algiers. The study
identified 08 species of crustaceans, 02 species of sponges, 02 species of bryozoans and 03 species
of ascidians including: 03 NIS and 01 cryptogenic species of crustaceans, 01 NIS of sponges, 02
NIS and 01 cryptogenic species of bryozoans, 02 NIS and one cryptogenic species of ascidians.
Among these species, 07 species have a potential adverse impact on biodiversity and/or the
economy and human health. Of the 15 species recorded, 06 species were reported for the first time
in Algeria. These results can be used for invasive species management purposes, such as: the
application of specific regulations to vessels of a certain tonnage that most favor the transfer of
non-indigenous species, as well as their ecoregions of origin that have a high environmental
similarity with the Alboran Sea, in order to minimize the transfer of these species.
Keywords: Ecoregion, Non-Indigenous Species, Probabilistic model, Ecological modeling,
Shipping, Biofouling