Oral Presentation Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference 2025

The influence of artificial structures on fish and fisheries (124875)

Dianne McLean 1 , Matthew Birt 1 , Katrina Bornt 1 , Aimee Brown 1 , Mark Case 1 , Jamie Colquhoun 1 , Katherine Cure 1 , Ronen Galaiduk 1 , Samantha Jaworski 1 , Darren Koppel 1 , Samuel Mc Cormack 1 , Miles Parsons 1 , Ben Radford 1 , Luke Thomas 1 , Eric Treml 1 , TIffany Sih 1 , Mat Wyatt 1 , Daniel Ierodiaconou 2 , Sasha Whitmarsh 2 , Simon McBeth 2 , Grace Cossgriff-Camm 2 , Todd Bond 3 , Conrad Speed 1
  1. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth
  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria
  3. Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre. The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Understanding how fish and fisheries utilise and are impacted by artificial structures is essential for predicting impacts associated with their installation, removal, and reefing. Here we summarise significant findings of eight years of biological and ecological research in Australia’s north-west and south-east. We present: 1) spatial, temporal, and behavioural patterns in fish-structure associations; 2) biomass and productivity on structures compared to natural habitats; and 3) the role of structures in supporting regional connectivity. In doing so, we discuss best practice methods for surveys of offshore structures, including the use of fish trapping, eDNA, BRUVs, and ROV technologies. We consider both the positive and negative role that artificial structures have on fish and fisheries and discuss how knowledge generated is being used to inform the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas structures and the sustainable development of offshore wind in Australia.