Artificial Reefs in the Ocean: Part 1

by | Apr 10, 2020 | Conservation | 0 comments

During these depressing days, I think it is worth sharing a few images to show things people have done, to try to make the world a slightly better place.  Here are some images from Mexico’s Cozumel Island looking at a few simple artificial reefs.

One of the simplest and cheapest things conservation-minded folks, be they local wildlife charities or, as is often the case, dive centers, can do is to very simply add structure and shelter to create new attachment points for sessile reef species and opportunities for others to hide up.  It can be quite simple sometimes, surface area creates spaces for reef species to colonize.

These concrete structures have been placed in shallow water near a coastline, much degraded by development.  The diving center has used them to help ‘do their bit’ towards reef conservation as well as to offer something for trainee divers to see and experience without being let loose on real and more fragile reefs.

As you can see, snapper have moved in very happily, and there are a number of young corals, urchins, and sponges that would not have been here, if not for the artificial structural diversity on offer.

It is very tempting to look more closely.

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