Invasive species fouling Perna perna (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) mussel farms

Invasive, fouling species increase management costs and reduce mussel growth, which jeopardizes mariculture. We studied the distribution of eight invasive species in Santa Catarina, the leading mussel producer in Brazil. Our goals were to determine their spatial distribution and prevalence on farm structures (buoys, long lines, and mussel socks), as well as understand the relevance of propagule pressure (recruitment), port distance, and area of the farm in this distribution. Although present in all sites, adult and recruits distribution were spatially restricted, showing that species might have a metapopulation structure. The most prevalent species were the ascidian Styela plicata, the barnacle Megabalanus coccopoma, the bryozoan Schizoporella errata, and the polychaete Branchiomma luctuosum. Recruitment was the main driver of three species distribution while distance to port explained only one species distribution. Based on those results, we discuss policy options, management, and regulation enforcement, that can be used in the mussel aquaculture elsewhere.

Automated summary

This study investigated the distribution of eight invasive species in Santa Catarina, Brazil, the main mussel production area in the country. The results showed that these species were present in all sites, but their distribution was spatially restricted for both adult and recruit individuals. Propagule pressure was found to be the main driver of distribution for three species, while port distance only explained the distribution of one species.