Santos, Pedro M.Venâncio, ElianaDionísio, Maria AnaHeumüller, JoshuaChainho, PaulaPombo, Ana2023-09-082023-09-082023Santos, P.M.; Venâncio, E.; Dionísio, M.A.; Heumüller, J.; Chainho, P.; Pombo, A. Comparison of the Efficiency of Different Eradication Treatments to Minimize the Impacts Caused by the Invasive Tunicate Styela plicata in Mussel Aquaculture. Animals 2023, 13, 1541. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani130915412076-2615http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/8776This work was supported by the project “ProtectInvad—Protection against Invasions in Coastal Aquaculture Systems” (MAR-02.02.01-FEAMP-0004). The study was also supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P, through the strategic projects UIDB/04292/2020 and UIDP/04292/2020 granted to MARE, and the project LA/P/0069/2020 granted to the Associate Laboratory ARNET. PMS is supported by a PhD fellowship granted by FCT (reference 2021.08422.BD). A.P. was supported by FCT through the Scientific Employment Stimulus -Institutional (grant number CEECINST/00051/2018). PC is funded by FCT under the Scientific Employment Stimulus—Individual 488 Call—(2020.01797.CEECIND).In 2017, aquaculture producers of the Albufeira lagoon, Portugal, reported an invasion of tunicates that was disrupting mussel production, particularly the tunicate Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823). A totally effective eradication method still does not exist, particularly for S. plicata, and the effects of the eradication treatments on bivalves’ performance are also poorly understood. Our study examined the effectiveness of eradication treatments using three laboratory trials and five treatments (air exposure, freshwater immersion, sodium hypochlorite, hypersaline solution and acetic acid) for S. plicata, as well as their effects on survival and growth of blue mussel Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758. While air exposure and freshwater immersion caused a 27% mortality rate in S. plicata, the acetic acid treatment was the most effective in eliminating this species (>90% mortality). However, a 33–40% mortality rate was registered in mussels. Both species were not affected by the hypersaline treatment in the last trial, but the sodium hypochlorite treatment led to a 57% mortality rate in mussels. Differences in mussels’ growth rates were not detected. These trials represent a step forward in responding to the needs of aquaculture producers. However, further studies are needed to investigate the susceptibility of tunicates to treatments according to sexual maturation, as well as to ensure minimum mussel mortality in the most effective treatments, and to better understand the effects on mussel physiological performance in the long-term.engNon-indigenous speciesNISInvasive speciesBiofoulingAir exposure; freshwater immersion; sodium hypochlorite; acetic acid; mussel farming; air exposure; freshwater immersion; sodium hypochlorite; acetic acid; mussel farmingjournal article10.3390/ani13091541