Recent advances in biofouling protection for oceanographic instrumentation

Although biofouling continues to be one of the most significant factors limiting the long-term deployment of oceanographic instrumentation, recent advances in technology advances are providing highly effective mitigation of this problem. The use of foul release coatings in conjunction with other biofouling control methods and best practices provide significant improvements in instrument deployment times and reductions in maintenance schedules. This paper examines the combinations of technologies and best practices for the biofouling control of oceanographic instruments and their associated platforms.