A Study on the Determination of Biodiversity in Pamucak Artificial Reefs in Kuşadası Bay
Project no. 20579 · Status: Kapanmış (Yayın bekleniyor) · 2019
Summary
This study was carried out between September 2019 and May 2021 in the 822m³ artificial reef area created in 2001 on the Pamucak coast of Kuşadası Bay. In this study, it was aimed to determine the species diversity and individual density in the Pamucak artificial reef area and to determine the prevention efficiency of illegal fishing gear of artificial reefs in the region. Sampling of artificial reefs was determined by visual counting method by performing SCUBA diving. At the end of the 12-month study, 4522 individuals belonging to 30 fish species in 12 families were identified. Oblada melanura L. 1758 was determined as the most numerous (2475 species) observed on artificial reefs in every month of the year. Choromis chromis L. 1758 was observed in the second place with 843 individuals, while the Diplodus vulgaris L. 1758 was observed in the third place with 319 individuals every month. Sea urchin Paracentrodus lividus (Lamarck. 1816) and sea hare (Aplysia elongata (Pease 1860) are the first invertebrate species observed every month in the artificial reef area. In the artificial reef area, the highest water temperature was recorded as 26 °C in August and the lowest temperature was recorded as 14.9 °C in March. The lowest dissolved oxygen value was measured in April with 8.18 mgL and the lowest dissolved oxygen value in October with 7.10mg/L. The minimum salinity was 37.19 mg/L per thousand in January, and the highest salinity was 39.91 mg/L in June. The highest visibility was 17 m in August and the lowest was 2.5 m in October. During underwater observations, it was determined that approximately 74 m² of reef area in artificial reefs was covered fishing nets with illegally used. 82% of the nets were determined as purse seiners and 18% as gillnets. As a result, the density of species and individuals, mainly fish, was determined in the artificial reef area, and it was concluded that artificial reefs constitute an obstacle to illegal fishing in the region with the detected ghost nets.