Coastal and Marine Pollution

Antifouling Program

The Antifouling Program was a program under Oceans Policy of the Natural Heritage Trust. The program assisted with the development of natural alternatives to Tributyltin (TBT) and appropriate hull-cleaning systems, to monitor the environmental impact of TBT alternatives and to educate the community about these issues. Funding is no longer available from the Antifouling Program.

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• What was the Antifouling Program?
• Why did we need an Antifouling Program?
• What were the program's funding priorities?
• What type of projects were funded by the program?
• Projects
• International Maritime Organisation Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships
  • Report
• Code of Practice for Antifouling and In-Water Hull Cleaning and Maintenance
• Links

What was the Antifouling Program

The Antifouling Program was a key platform in the Australian Government's Australian Oceans Policy to support the International Maritime Organisations recommendation to ban the antifouling chemical - Tributyltin in the Australian marine environment. The Program's overall goal was to support actions leading to: better approaches to antifouling practices; increase use of TBT free antifouling paints on all Australian shipping vessels and a ban on the use of TBT anti-fouling paint by 2006 on vessels being painted in Australian docks.

The Antifouling Program was allocated $650,000 to assist with the development of natural alternatives to TBT and appropriate hull-cleaning systems, to monitor the environmental impact of TBT alternatives and to educate the community about these issues. All funding has been allocated.

The Program also provides advice to help implement the ban on TBTs. In doing so, it aimed to meet the target recommendations of the International Maritime Organisation.

Why did we need an Antifouling Program?

Australia recognised the harmful effects of some antifouling paints on the marine environment and through this program tackled the problems of finding safer alternatives to the use of TBTs as an antifouling agent.

The Antifouling Program worked to overcome these problems by funding research into antifouling substitutes. The establishment of programs to protect the marine environment was one of the key initial actions identified in Australia's Oceans Policy

What were the program's funding priorities?

Funding is being directed to help industry and community stakeholders develop alternative antifouling agents and management options. The Program helped develop the best ways to eradicate the use of TBTs as an antifouling agent.

Funding priorities for the Program we:

• implement technology and techniques that contribute to the ban of organotins (like TBT);
  
• research the efficacy and environment effects of alternative antifouling agents;
  
• increase community and industry awareness of and participation in banning dangerous antifouling agents (such as TBT); and
• cooperate with the National Registration Authority (NRA) on the process of assessing and registration of antifoulants.

What type of projects were funded by the Antifouling Program?

The Program encouraged proposals that directly assisted with:

• development of effective and environmentally safe antifouling control measures, and
• awareness programs that facilitate industry and community participation in banning TBTs as an antifouling agent.

Antifouling links

• Australian Maritime Safety Authority
• International Maritime Organisation
• Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS)