Artificial reef for artisanal fisheries enhancement - an attempt off Trivandrum coast

Abstract

Several demersal fishes arc found to congregate in the vicinity of submerged objects such as reefs, logs, ship-wrecks and rock out-crops where plants and bcnthic animals flourish than in areas where the bottom is flat and barren. These communities serve as food for larger predators. Submerged objects may, at times, provide shelter and even spawning locations for manya- fish. Underwater observations made by divers while retrieving portions of submerged vessels also report that such habitats harbour considerable concentration of fishes