Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 12- Biodiversity and conservation

12.3.8. Management of coastal habitats
• Avoid further ecological damage or irreversible damage to stocks
• Enforce bans on use of poisons, dynamite and mining of corals
• Ban the use of fine mesh of fish nets
• Ban the collection of specific species
• Protect nursery areas
• Control environmental degradation – pollution sedimentation, eutrophication
• Promote habitat enhancement – artificial reefs
Artificial reefs and FADs
These man-made structures will attract fish to these areas, thus allowing local fishers to undertake concerted fishing to capture fish easily. There is need to install FADs in certain sensitive and distressed areas to promote local Livelihoods, but this should not be taken up as a massive activity across the coastal regions as it has also adverse impacts on the fish resources.
Artificial reefs
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, built to promote marine life in areas and to conserve the biodiversity. The reefs are to be used as nurseries or eco-sanctuaries. People are destroying coral reefs and other important fish habitats at an unprecedented rate. Destructive fishing practices and pollution are the two main causes. As coral reefs are destroyed the communities living in the coastal area suffer first from depletion of fish stocks. Artificial reefs (ARs) have a long tradition in many parts of the world. In recent years, however, the use of modern materials has greatly increased their potential
Fernandez, John (1996) Artificial fish habitats A community programme for bio-diversity conservation. CMFRI Bulletin-Artificial reefs and Seafarming technologies, 48 . pp. 42-55.