The macrofouling community in Hamana Bay, which has semi‐enclosed conditions, revealed that recruitment is most active between May and October. During the winter and spring months the community undergoes a dormant phase. During the active recruitment period, the inlet in which the observations were carried out could be demarcated into outer and inner zones based on the composition of the macrofouling community. Such a zonation seemed to be less significant during the dormant period. Clustering of the communities was observed on the 3 and 6 month exposures during the May to October period, revealing that the initial colonisers play an influential role in the development of the 6 month community.Megabalanus rosa, Baianus albicostatus, Balanus trigonus, Balanus eburneusandBalanus amphitritewere the 5 cirripede species present in the macrofouling assemblage. The first 3 were restricted to the outer zone, influenced by marine environmental conditions. The last 2 were dominant in the inner zone, influenced by brackish conditions. The inner zone is often influenced by a red tide between May and October, thus during this period the primary production level is comparatively higher than in the outer zone. Barnacles in the inner zone could grow faster, possibly influenced by the higher primary production. Even though the barnacle settlement period was restricted to the period May to October, their nauplii continued to be present in the inlet well beyond October.