structure and propulsion systems can become damaged. Over time, the accumulation of biofoulers on hulls increases both the hydrodynamic volume of a vessel and the frictional effects leading to increased drag of up to 60% The additional drag can decrease speeds up to 10%, which can require up to a 40% increase in fuel to compensate. With fuel typically comprising up to half of marine transport costs, biofouling is estimated to cost the US Navy alone around $1 billion per year in increased fuel usage, maintenance and biofouling control measures. Increased fuel use due to biofouling contributes to adverse environmental effects and is predicted to increase emissions of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide between 38 and 72 percent by 2020. Biofouling also impacts aquaculture, increasing production and management costs, while decreasing product value. Fouling communities may compete with shellfish directly for food resources, impede the procurement of food and oxygen by reducing water flow around shellfish, or interfere with the operational opening of their valves. Consequently, stock affected by biofouling can experience reduced growth, condition and survival, with subsequent negative impacts on farm productivity. Although many methods of removal exist, they often impact the cultured species, sometimes more so than the fouling organisms themselves. Detection Shipping companies have historically relied on scheduled biofouler removal to keep such accretions to a manageable level. However, the rate of accretion can vary widely between vessels and operating conditions, so predicting acceptable intervals between cleanings is difficult. LED manufacturers have developed a range of UVC (250–280 nm) equipment that can detect biofouling buildup, and can even prevent it. Fouling detection relies on the biomass' property of fluorescence. All microorganisms contain natural intracellular fluorophores, which radiate in the UV range when excited. At UV-range wavelengths, such fluorescence arises from three aromatic amino acids—tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. The easiest to detect is tryptophan, which radiates at 350 nm when irradiated at 280 nm. Methods Antifouling Antifouling is the process of preventing accumulations from forming. In industrial processes, biodispersants can be used to control biofouling. In less controlled environments, organisms are killed or repelled with coatings using biocides, thermal treatments, or pulses of energy. Nontoxic mechanical strategies that prevent organisms from attaching include choosing a material or coating with a slippery surface, creating an ultra-low fouling surface with the use of zwitterions, or creating nanoscale surface topologies similar to the skin of sharks and dolphins, which only