Assessing the Attractive Effects of Floating Artificial Reefs and Combination Reefs on Six Local Marine Species
Chenglong Han,
Kefeng Liu,
Toshihisa Kinoshita,
Biao Guo,
Yifan Zhao,
Yuhang Ye,
Yufei Liu,
Osamu Yamashita,
Debin Zheng,
Wenhui Wang,
Xueqiang Lu
Affiliations
Chenglong Han
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Kefeng Liu
Tianjin Fisheries Research Institute, Tianjin 300457, China
Toshihisa Kinoshita
TBR Company Limited, Toyokawa 441-0103, Japan
Biao Guo
Tianjin Fisheries Research Institute, Tianjin 300457, China
Yifan Zhao
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Yuhang Ye
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Yufei Liu
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Osamu Yamashita
TBR Company Limited, Toyokawa 441-0103, Japan
Debin Zheng
Tianjin Fisheries Research Institute, Tianjin 300457, China
Wenhui Wang
TBR Company Limited, Toyokawa 441-0103, Japan
Xueqiang Lu
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
Artificial reefs (ARs) have been advocated for and implemented as management tools for recreational fisheries, species conservation, and habitat replacement; however, the research that includes attracting marine species of floating ARs remains in its early stages. Here, two types of floating ARs were designed to evaluate the attractive effects using the occurrence rate and attracting index for six commercially important species (Lateolabrax maculatus, Liza haematocheila, Sebastes schlegelii, Acanthopagrus schlegelii, Litopenaeus vannamei, and Amphioctopus fangsiao) in the Bohai Bay of China; their combined ARs were meanwhile compared with two variants of artificial seagrass beds (SA and SB) and the traditional double-frame artificial reef (TD). All of the designed ARs were effective in attracting experimental species. The ARs with higher shelter areas (SB and TD) showed a better attracting effect. The efficiency of the ARs in attracting different species depended on their life histories. The bottom-mounted ARs were more efficient in attracting demersal species, while the floating ARs attracted epipelagic fish. In addition, the combined reefs had a better attractive effect than single ARs did. Overall, floating ARs and their combined ARs show the potential to deploy especially for attracting epipelagic fishes, although further study is needed.
