Evaluating the Effectiveness of Artificial Fish Habitat Designs in Turbid Reservoirs Using Sonar Imagery

Abstract

AbstractArtificial fish habitats have been widely deployed by fisheries managers to increase the concentration of fish at known locations, often without any validation of how well they meet management goals. This study used an innovative sampling method, sonar imagery, to visually evaluate artificial fish habitat designs and their effectiveness in concentrating fish in two turbid North Carolina Piedmont reservoirs. Habitats encompassed equal volumes, but materials and general designs varied; cube habitats were constructed from PVC pipes, plastic barrels, and corrugated plastic pipes, a commercially available product called Porcupine, or evergreen trees. We found that all habitats held significantly more fish than the control sites that were lacking vertical structure. Among artificial habitats, the cubed, corrugated pipe design concentrated significantly more fish than the other designs, and the biodegradability of habitat provided by bundled evergreen trees was reflected in reduced concentrations of fish over time.Received January 28, 2016; accepted August 10, 2016 Published online November 10, 2016