Species composition of artificial reef models specifically designed for Homarus gammarus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Nephropidae) in the Sea of Marmara

This paper aimed to determine the species composition around artificial reefs specifically designedfor lobsters in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey. The species composition around artificial reefs wasobserved during the period between May 2016 and April 2017 by visual census techniques. Atotal number of 988 individuals from 20 different species were recorded around the artificial reefs.These species include 10 actinopterygii, 6 crustacean, 3 echinodermata, and 1 mollusc specieswhich of these, six species have economic value. The results demonstrated that artificial reefscould increase the species composition in the area. Inachus dorsettensis (28.64%) and Carcinusaestuarii (25.91%) species constitute 55% of the total individuals recorded around the artificialreefs. Therefore, although these artificial reefs are species-specific for lobsters, their ecologicalfunction is also important for other species. This paper put forward that different artificial reefmodels served as alternative habitats for feeding, sheltering, and protecting the marine species.Then, their ecological function should be studied in detail. On the other hand, more investigationson different artificial reef models are required to protect and ensure the sustainability of the marinespecies stocks around artificial reefs in further researches.