Artificial reefs in the North –East Atlantic area: Present situation, knowledge gaps and future perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 213 ◽  
pp. 105854
Author(s):  
Bianca Reis ◽  
Pieter van der Linden ◽  
Isabel Sousa Pinto ◽  
Emanuel Almada ◽  
Maria Teresa Borges ◽  
...  
Author(s):  
Bianca Reis ◽  
Pieter van der Linden ◽  
Isabel Sousa Pinto ◽  
Emanuel Almada ◽  
Maria Teresa Borges ◽  
...  

Artificial reefs have been deployed in multiple regions of the world for different purposes including habitat restoration and protection, biodiversity and fish stock enhancement, fisheries management and recreation. Artificial reefs can be a valuable tool for ecosystem protection and rehabilitation, helping mitigate the effects of anthropogenic impacts that we face today. However, knowledge on artificial reefs is unevenly distributed worldwide, with some regions having much more quality information available and published (e.g. European Mediterranean Sea area), while others, for instance the North-East Atlantic area, do not. Here, we provide a characterization of purposely built artificial reefs in North-East Atlantic area based on all available literature (i.e. research papers and reports), highlighting the needs and gaps that are vital for establishing future perspectives for artificial reef deployment and research. In the North-East Atlantic area, sixty-one purposely built artificial reefs have been deployed since 1970, mostly between the years 1990-2009, with Spain being the country with the highest number of artificial reefs. The most reported purpose for their deployment is fisheries productivity and habitat/species protection, although, most artificial reefs are multipurpose in order to maximise the benefits of a given financial investment. The majority of artificial reefs were submerged at < 50 m, mainly between 10-20 m of depth. The most used designs were cubic blocks and complex designs made by an array of combined shapes, which mostly consist of concrete (79%). From all the analysed data on artificial reefs, 67% of the cases reported surveys to assess biodiversity after the deployment. However, in 26% of those cases, data was not available. When data was available, only 31% of cases reported long-term biomonitoring surveys (3 years or more). Based upon these findings, we noticed a general lack of scientifically robust data, including records of species and abundance of both fish and invertebrates, as well as macroalgae. Preventing an adequate determination of the best balance between shape, construction material and bio-colonization. Critiques and suggestions are discussed in the light of current available data in order to perform more efficient research, evaluation and functioning of future artificial reefs.


1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-479
Author(s):  
D. W. Newson

This paper deals with the work of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) during the last ten years towards the standardization of nautical charts. The work began with the devising of a regional scheme of medium- and large-scale sheets of the north-east Atlantic area, to be co-produced by member nations as contributions to an International (INT) set of charts. It subsequently became clear that, as well as the scheme, a detailed set of specifications would be necessary to secure uniformity of choice of symbols and abbreviations throughout the International series, and also in the various national chart series of which it would form a part.The history of nautical chart standardization has recently been traced by Ritchie – gradual at first after the beginning of the International Hydrographic Bureau in 1921, and later speeding up when the International Hydrographic Conference of 1967 established a study which led to two series of INT charts on very small scales. After this the process gathered further speed with the successful establishment of the two bodies with whose work this paper is primarily concerned: the North Sea International Chart Commission (NSICC) in 1972 and the Chart Specifications (later Standardization) Committee (CSC) in 1977. The ten-nation NSICC, in drawing up the network of INT sheet-lines for its area, established the principles on which such schemes would be extended worldwide and also did extensive groundwork for the Chart Specifications of the IHO. These were completed for worldwide application by the seventeen-nation CSC.


2011 ◽  
Vol 289 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 135-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
João C. Duarte ◽  
Filipe M. Rosas ◽  
Pedro Terrinha ◽  
Marc-André Gutscher ◽  
Jacques Malavieille ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
M. Edwards ◽  
A.W.G. John ◽  
H.G. Hunt ◽  
J.A. Lindley

Continuous Plankton Recorder records from the North Sea and north-east Atlantic from September 1997 to March 1998 indicate an exceptional influx of oceanic indicator species into the North Sea. These inflow events, according to historical evidence, have only occurred sporadically during this century. This exceptional inflow and previous inflow events are discussed in relation to their similarity in terms of their physical and climatic conditions.


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