Hard-bottom habitats support commercially important fish species: a systematic review for the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea.

Flávio H and Seitz R and Eggleston D and Svendsen JC and Støttrup J

PeerJ (2023) 11: e14681

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14681

Abstract

Hard-bottom habitats span a range of natural substrates (e.g., boulders, cobble) and artificial habitats (e.g., the base of wind turbines, oil platforms). These hard-bottom habitats can provide a variety of ecosystem services, ranging from the enhancement of fish biomass and production to providing erosion control. Management decisions regarding the construction or fate of hard-bottom habitats require information on the ecological functions of these habitats, particularly for species targeted in ecosystem-based fisheries management. This study provides a systematic review of the relationships of various hard-bottom habitats to individual commercially harvested species that are managed jointly across the Atlantic by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). We systemically reviewed peer-reviewed publications on hard-bottom habitats including both natural and artificial reefs, after applying various exclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted on near-shore hard-bottom habitats, and habitat importance varied according to fish species and region. We quantified the frequency with which studies demonstrate that natural and artificial hard-bottom habitats function as spawning grounds, settlement and nursery areas, and foraging grounds, as well as provide stepping-stones during migration, or new home ranges. Hard-bottom habitats generally support higher fish densities than surrounding habitat types, although not all fish species benefit from hard-bottom habitats. Of the commercially important species, cod (Gadus morhua) was the most frequently studied species, with enhanced biomass, density, feeding, and spawning on hard-bottom habitats compared to unstructured habitats. Moreover, hard-bottom habitats appear to be of particular importance for spawning of herring (Clupea harengus). Collectively, data indicate that loss of hard-bottom habitats may translate into less-favourable conditions for spawning and biomass of diverse commercial species, including cod and herring.

Citation

Flávio H, Seitz R, Eggleston D, Svendsen JC, & Støttrup J. (2023). Hard-bottom habitats support commercially important fish species: a systematic review for the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea. PeerJ, 11, e14681. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14681 Animals, Fishes, Biomass, *Ecosystem, Atlantic Ocean, *Gadus morhua

Keywords

• Animals
• Fishes
• Biomass
• *Ecosystem
• Atlantic Ocean
• *Gadus morhua