University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UNC)
Dr Jeremy C. Thomason, Royal Society Industrial Research Fellow in Marine Biofouling, will be involved in planning and running the extensive field and laboratory trials programmes.
He has considerable experience of large-scale experimental design and execution for the study of ecological processes, particularly the supply and settlement of marine larvae. His research group have developed laboratory assays based upon the automated analysis of larval settlement behaviour to provide short term indicators of long term potential for non-toxic antifoulants. These assays use barnacle, mussel and tube worm larvae. His current projects include the study of the relationship between larval settlement, texture and hydrodynamics. Recent work with TNO has set the standard for the in vitro settlement assay using barnacle larvae. In addition much of his work has focussed on biofouling and antifouling within national and EC work programmes. The Newcastle group will also undertake the biofouling data analysis and modelling work.
This EU funded Collective Research project with 23 partners from Norway, Ireland, UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Portugal, will provide the European marine aquaculture industry with low cost practical solutions to control biofouling.