Merica Slišković

Biofouling communities on test panels coated with TBT and TBT-free copper based antifouling paints

Abstract Formation of biofouling communities on the surfaces of steel panels coated with two different TBT-free copper-based and one TBT-based antifouling paint was examined following submersion for periods of 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in Kastela Bay, Croatia. Test panels coated with Shopprimer and anticorrosive paint were used as control panels. Thirty five taxa of benthic algae and 32 taxa of benthic animals were found. Diatomeae dominated by frequency and abundance on test panels coated with antifouling paints, while the animal species Serpula vermicularis, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Balanus amphitrite amphitrite dominated the fouling communities on control panels. On panels protected by antifouling paints, low values of biomass were found compared to the very high values associated with control panels.

The fouling of fish farm cage nets as bioindicator of aquaculture pollution in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia).

A fouling assemblage (including density, species richness and diversity, and biomass) growing on netting of fish farm cages was investigated in Stracinska Bay—Location 1 and Peles Bay—Location 2 (Croatia) in order to test the efficiency of fouling as a bioindicator of organic pollution. A total number of 40 algal taxa in Location 1 and total number of 22 algal taxa in Location 2 were identified, with a dominance of opportunistic species (ESG II). We found domination of algal species over animal species and absolute dominance of Rhodophyta which are typical fouler in the Adriatic Sea. Low diversity and species richness with increase in value of the R/P index (occasionally higher than 6) were recorded in Location 2, indicating a certain impact of nutrient enrichment from fish culture facilities on a fouling community structure.

Best available techniques (BATs) for oil spill response in the Mediterranean Sea: calm sea and presence of economic activities.

An oil spill is the accidental or intentional discharge of petroleum products into the environment due to human activities. Although oil spills are actually just a little percent of the total world oil pollution problem, they represent the most visible form of it. The impact on the ecosystems can be severe as well as the impact on economic activities. Oil spill cleanup is a very difficult and expensive activity, and many techniques are available for it. In previous works, a methodology based on different kinds of criteria in order to come to the most satisfactory technique was proposed and the relative importance of each impact criterion on the basis of the Saaty’s Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was also evaluated. After a review of the best available techniques (BATs) available for oil spill response, this work suggests criteria for BATs’ selection when oil spills occur in the Mediterranean Sea under well-defined circumstances: calm sea and presence of economic activities in the affected area. A group of experts with different specializations evaluated the alternative BATs by means of AHP method taking into account their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Analyzing external environmental costs of cruise traffic in the port of Split

This paper analyzes the external environmental costs and revenues of cruise traffic in the port of Split in 2015. In order to explore the perspectives of increasing the current mode of cruise traffic in the future, results were compared with those previously known for the port of Venice. The use of the same research methodology was an important condition for this comparison. The cruise tourism business has a negative balance sheet when comparing the costs and revenues in both cities: the external costs are higher than the revenues. Growing cruise traffic leads to further growth of the external costs, deepening the negative cost-benefit ratio. Valorization of damage is a sensitive topic which conflicts with the interests of various parties but is also an important factor in the apparent unsustainability of the current mode of cruise tourism. The authors want to highlight the similar problems of the two cities and encourage the authorities to implement the necessary controls to limit such damage.