The natural, fouling‐resistant surfaces of the gorgonian octocoralsPseudopterogorgia americana(Gmelin) andPseudopterogorgia acerosa(Pallas) were characterised utilising a variety of surface analysis techniques. Samples were collected in April and November 1987 from a natural population. No significant differences in bacterial surface populations were measured between species or between sampling periods. Contact angle analyses suggest that these natural surfaces have low surface energies (γc=23–27 mN/m) that are in the range previously correlated with minimal bioadhesiveness. Gorgonians may utilise this minimal adhesiveness as a passive fouling‐resistance mechanism in conjunction with other antifouling defences.