Do benthic biofilters contribute to sustainability and restoration of the benthic environment impacted by offshore cage finfish aquaculture?

Published source details Aguado-Giménez F., Piedecausa M.A., Carrasco C., Gutiérrez J.M., Aliaga V. & García-García B. (2011) Do benthic biofilters contribute to sustainability and restoration of the benthic environment impacted by offshore cage finfish aquaculture?. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62, 1714-1724.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Locate artificial reefs near aquaculture systems to benefit from nutrient run-offs Action Link

Locate artificial reefs near aquaculture systems to benefit from nutrient run-offs

A controlled study in 2006–2007 of three sites in one soft seabed area off the coast of Murcia, Mediterranean Sea, southeastern Spain (Aguado-Giménez et al. 2011) found that, after one year, an artificial reef deployed underneath aquaculture cages did not develop a more diverse invertebrate community compared to artificial reefs deployed at sites without aquaculture cages. Invertebrate community composition varied during the year following deployment, but the artificial reef located under the cages had similar invertebrate community composition to those located away from the cages at each sampling time (data presented as statistical model results). In May 2006, three biofilter-like artificial reefs were deployed at 37–38 m depths: one underneath aquaculture cages, and two at sites without cages located 1.3 and 1 km away from the aquaculture site respectively. Each reef held multiple 30 × 30 cm sample units. Four randomly-chosen units were sampled by divers in summer and autumn 2006, winter 2006/07, and spring and summer 2007, at each reef. Invertebrates growing on the structures were identified and counted for each unit.

(Summarised by: Anaëlle Lemasson)