Nestling of Lobsters in three different new designed artificial reefs in the Oman Sea

Abstract

Marine structures, man-made or natural, have a recognized potential to attract and enhance fish propagation. The effectiveness of artificial reefs (AR) in increasing productivity depends on structural design of a reef and in particular, whether it meets the specific habitat requirements of the target species. The catch of lobsters (Panulirus homarus, P. versicolor and P. polyphagus) in the coastal area of south Iran, north of Oman Sea has reduced in quality and quantity over the past years. These commercial species which for many years have been the main catch of the local fishermen, have suffered a decline of more than 70% in the last decade. To combat the decline, we deployed thirty artificial reefs in three different forms, sizes and sea bottom depth, relevant to the bio-characteristics of lobsters, in the Chabahar area. We collected data on the existence of lobsters (P. homarus) among different reef structures. The results of one year data collection showed a significant difference between the lobsters nestling in different kind of reefs. Generally, the lobsters preferred square and pyramid shaped reefs (SPR). This study showed that the design of reefs based on biology of lobsters is an important factor in attracting lobsters to inhabit them.