Ecological design of marine construction for socio-economic benefits: ecosystem integration of a pipeline in coral reef area

Published source details Pioch S., Saussola P., Kilfoyle K. & Spieler R. (2011) Ecological design of marine construction for socio-economic benefits: ecosystem integration of a pipeline in coral reef area. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 9, 148-152.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Create large adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (>100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures Action Link
	Create small adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (≤100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures Action Link
	Use environmentally-sensitive material on subtidal artificial structures Action Link

Create large adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (>100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures

A study in 2009–2010 on a subtidal pipeline in a lagoon in the Mozambique Channel, Mayotte (Pioch et al. 2011) reported that large swimthrough habitats created on pipeline anchor-weights, along with small swimthroughs and environmentally-sensitive material, were used by juvenile spiny lobster Panulirus versicolor, juvenile blue-and-yellow grouper Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, sea firs (Hydrozoa), and adult fishes from five families. After one month, juvenile spiny lobsters and blue-and-yellow groupers, sea firs, and adult damselfish/clownfish (Pomacentridae), wrasse (Labridae), butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae), squirrelfish/soldierfish (Holocentridae) and surgeonfish (Acanthuridae) were recorded on and around anchor-weights with swimthroughs and environmentally-sensitive material. Large swimthrough habitats were created by leaving gaps between concrete anchor-weights placed over a seabed pipeline (400 mm diameter). Anchor-weights also had basalt rocks or semi-cylindrical tiles attached to the top, creating small swimthrough habitats. Basalt may be considered an environmentally-sensitive material compared with concrete. Habitat dimensions/numbers were not reported. A total of 260 anchor-weights were placed with one every 10 m along the pipeline at 0–26 m depth during December 2009–March 2010. Fishes were counted on and around the pipeline from videos after 1 month.

(Summarised by: Ally Evans)
Create small adjoining cavities or ‘swimthrough’ habitats (≤100 mm) on subtidal artificial structures

A study in 2009–2010 on a subtidal pipeline in a lagoon in the Mozambique Channel, Mayotte (Pioch et al. 2011) reported that small swimthrough habitats created on pipeline anchor-weights, along with large swimthroughs and environmentally-sensitive material, were used by juvenile spiny lobster Panulirus versicolor, juvenile blue-and-yellow grouper Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, sea firs (Hydrozoa) and adult fishes from five families. After one month, juvenile spiny lobsters and blue-and-yellow groupers, sea firs, and adult damselfish/clownfish (Pomacentridae), wrasse (Labridae), butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae), squirrelfish/soldierfish (Holocentridae) and surgeonfish (Acanthuridae) were recorded on and around anchor-weights with swimthrough habitats and environmentally-sensitive material. Small swimthrough habitats were created by attaching basalt rocks or semi-cylindrical tiles to the horizontal surfaces of concrete anchor-weights placed over a seabed pipeline (400 mm diameter). Basalt may be considered an environmentally-sensitive material compared with concrete. Large swimthrough habitats were also created between the anchor-weights and pipeline. Habitat dimensions/numbers were not reported. A total of 260 anchor-weights were placed with one every 10 m along the pipeline at 0–26 m depth during December 2009–March 2010. Fishes were counted on and around the pipeline from videos after 1 month.

(Summarised by: Ally Evans)
Use environmentally-sensitive material on subtidal artificial structures

A study in 2009–2010 on a subtidal pipeline in a lagoon in the Mozambique Channel, Mayotte (Pioch et al. 2011) reported that pipeline anchor-weights with basalt rock surfaces created on them, along with small and large swimthroughs, were used by juvenile spiny lobsters Panulirus versicolor, juvenile blue-and-yellow groupers Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, sea firs (Hydrozoa), and adult fishes from five families. After one month, juvenile spiny lobsters and blue-and-yellow groupers, sea firs, and adult damselfish/clownfish (Pomacentridae), wrasse (Labridae), butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae), squirrelfish/soldierfish (Holocentridae) and surgeonfish (Acanthuridae) were recorded on and around anchor-weights with basalt rocks and swimthrough habitats. Basalt rocks (dimensions/numbers not reported) were attached over horizontal surfaces of concrete anchor-weights placed over a seabed pipeline (400 mm diameter). Small and large swimthrough habitats were also created on the anchor-weights. A total of 260 anchor-weights were placed with one every 10 m along the pipeline at 0–26 m depth during December 2009–March 2010. Fishes were counted on and around the pipeline from videos after 1 month.

(Summarised by: Ally Evans)