Why isn in-water cleaning allowed?
Marine pests can be spread by in-water cleaning of vessels. In-water cleaning releases biofouling debris into the water column. This debris may contain live marine pests creating the potential for new populations to establish in the area around where the cleaning took place. In-water cleaning of a vessel can also prematurely deplete antifouling coatings, causing the surface to rapidly re-foul and increasing the risk of the vessel spreading marine pests.
