Artificial Reefs in the Low Productive Marine Environments of the Southeastern Mediterranean |
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| Authors: | E Spanier M Tom S Pisanty G Almog-Shtayer |
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| Institution: | The Rccanati Center for Maritime Studies and Department of Maritime Civilizations, University of Haifa, Mount Carmcl, Haifa 31999, Israel.;Israel Occanographic and Limnological Research, P. O. Box 8030, Haifa 31080, Israel.;1srael Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing Technology Unit, P. O. Box 584, Kiryat Motzkin 26117, Israel. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract. Fishery yields in the oligotrophic waters of the Southeastern Mediterranean arc low due to habitat and food limitations. A four year study of a complex of artificial structures established in the coastal waters of Israel points to several possible solutions to these problems. One approach is the artificial enrichment of the man-made reef with trash fish. This, together with the configuration of the reef, caused a significant increase in the abundance of fish predators such as groupers of the genus Epinephclus. Omnivores and herbivores were attracted only by the presence of artificial structures. Some species, such as the slipper lobster Scyllurides lulus, only use the man-made reef for shelter during part of the day or season; they forage over a much larger area the rest of the time and are important "importers" of food to the artificial habitat. Artificial kelp were effective in recruiting juveniles and small fishes to the site. |
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| Keywords: | Artificial reef ecology oligotrophic region Eastern Mediterranean bony fishes lobsters |
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