First records of non-native marine Bryozoa in Norwegian coastal waters from Bergen to Trondheim

During the period June 29th-July 25th 2014, scientists from Heriot Watt University and the Natural History Museum, London, aboard the vessel MV Halton, undertook a research cruise along the Norwegian coast. The cruise started in Bergen (60° 23.963' N, 05° 18.740' E) and over the two-week period we conducted surveys at intervals along the coastline, heading northwards, and including the major ports of Ålesund (62° 28.404' N, 06° 09.162' E) Kristiansund (63° 06.811' N, 07° 43.977'E) and Trondheim (63° 26.318' N, 010° 23.976'E). When the vessel moored up in each harbour, surveys of the local pontoons were conducted, to identify fouling species and to ascertain whether any non-native Bryozoa were present. Nine species of fouling Bryozoa were identified. Three of these were the non-native species Tricellaria inopinata d’Hondt and Occhipinti Ambrogi,1985, Schizoporella japonica Ortmann (1890) and Watersipora subtorquata (d’Orbigny,1852). These non-native species have previously been recorded from UK waters and Tricellaria inopinata is also well known from the Venice lagoon in Italy and more recently the Belgian coast. Until now there have been no confirmed records of any of these species from Norwegian coastal waters. It is likely given the locations of occurrence, that small boat traffic is a vector for the introduction of these species.