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

• Published in: PeerJ
• Main Authors: Flávio, Hugo, Seitz, Rochelle, Eggleston, David, Svendsen, Jon C., Støttrup, Josianne
• Other Authors: European Cooperation in Science and Technology), Danish Marine Coastal Fisheries Management Program, NC State University, Danish Fisheries Agency, Danish Rod and Net Fish License Funds, Velux Foundation, Vattenfall, EU Interreg project MarGen, European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, MarCons, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, North Carolina State University
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PeerJ 2023
• Subjects: Stepping Stones; Gadus morhua; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.14681; https://peerj.com/articles/14681.pdf; https://peerj.com/articles/14681.xml; https://peerj.com/articles/14681.html

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.