Abstract
This report describes a preliminary examination of patterns of biofouling composition and abundance on two salmon farm cages in the Steigen region (Nordland) that used conventional Dyneema netting and AKVA Group's EcoNet, respectively. Biofouling on the net cages was examined immediately before and immediately after a single cleaning event. The two cages harboured diverse biofouling communities that differed in abundance and composition before the cleaning. High-pressure cleaning was moderately effective for both net types: there was a considerable reduction in biofouling abundance, but approximately half of all samples examined for each net type still contained some biofouling. Recommendations are provided for a robust and comprehensive evaluation of EcoNet in the context of biofouling accumulation and management.
