This data resulted from an opportunistic interception of biofouled marine
litter floating off the coast of Cornwall. A colony of goose barnacles (
Lepas anatifera) and a neustonic isopod *Idotea metallica *were found
attached to the drifting litter. Both these species are not native to the UK.
The interception was used as a case study to model the path of the drifting
litter to a probable origin in the Western Atlantic, using the biological
traits of the attached animals. This data contains photographic images,
location map, and text describing the specimens collected from the litter,
along with photos of the litter object. The floating litter was intercepted at
50.145 N 6.019 W between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on the 11/04/18 by
the RV Cefas Endeavour. Forty-five individuals of goose barnacles were
retained along with one specimen of the Isopod. Descriptions of each species
are given. Measurements of the length of three goose barnacle plates
(Capitellum, Scutum, and Carina) are included. By comparing total plate length
against different growth rates, we could derive probable growth durations for
each of the goose barnacle specimens and this was used to paramaterize our
model.
