All over the world Natural reefs suffer from different types of decline, directly or indirectly caused by anthropogenic actions (From fish and tourism, through looting or pollution).
Loose Artificial reefs are installed structures on the seabed. According to the Miteco, both the placement and the sustainability of these structures in the marine environment can lead to negative effects on this, although at least individually must be studied to assess positive factors.
No There is no doubt that it is preferable to ensure how natural artifices, But these structures can provide solutions (there are examples in this regard) in certain parts of the Spanish coast in which the first option is unfeasible.
Artificial reef in the deterioration of the natives
Ante The progressive deterioration of natural reefs, artificial “can be a very useful tool“If you are used properly, says Max Rota, general manager of Natural Art Reef, a company that focuses on the construction and implementation of riff Submarine artificially made of non -treated materials.
The idea is to promote The preservation and regeneration of marine flora and fauna, developing their work according to «environmental variables and human effects in every specific placeThis helps to restore highly endangered ecosystems, riffen, whose day this Sunday is commemorated.
The day was founded in 1997 at the expense of the international initiative of the Coral Reef (ICRI) with Goal to draw attention to the decline of these generating and conservative ecosystems of biodiversity but very vulnerable Faced with threats as diverse as the intensification of the storms, the overweight, the increase in coastal dosy or pollution.
The increase in temperatures for exampleleads the corals to get rid of Symbiont: All this limits his survival options.
First eliminate the cause of the breakdown of the natural reef
Know the specific characteristics of a affected area “It is possible to find artificial reef that is even more resilient than the natives” with the capacity to add for biodiversity and for marine researchAdds Rota, who quotes the case of ‘El Biotop’, an element of 20 meters that is through its entity in the city of Torredembarra (Tarragona), so that “recovering species that had disappeared from the area 30 years ago, has disappeared, such as mussels.”
Now the restoration «It makes no sense if the impact that the affected habitat has broken has not been eliminated before“, Because eliminating the effects but not the causes of a problem sooner or later reproduce and” the weight of socio -economic activities “prevents the starting point from being fulfilled.
That is why it is necessary Study the effects of human activity on every specific scenario before increasing an efficient recovery solution, which also includes materials “Easily recognizable and colonizable for life at sea” such as calcium carbonate consisting of marine substrate. Because, as indicated, “if you throw a washing machine into the sea, seaweed will leave, but a washing machine does nothing there.”
Protection before restoration
However, óscar Esparza, specialist of the Marine Program of the World Fund for Nature (WWF), believes that “It is much more effective to protect natural reefs than building artificial reefs“Because if these are bad employees, they can change the natural environment negatively and” worsen the Kusterosia by changing currents or sedimentary dynamics. “
This is what happened at the end of the last century when lThe Spanish administration tried to apply them, but “inappropriate” because of a “small study of every area and the lack of concrete objectives“, So” did not give the expected results. “
For Esparza, The “first line of action” is the designation of protected marine spaces, accompanied by preventive and proactive management measures that guarantee the effectiveness of that protection. It is also committed to restoring the ecosystem elements, such as corals that are torn by the fish activity, which can “be restored in aquariums and can be re -invested in the riff by the same fishermen ”.
All this without forgetting «The participation of the coastal population and the socio -economic sectors with regard to the sea“, In addition to the support of the administration, which explains that” protected areas can be engines to regenerate fishing that calls out “economic impulses. EFE / ECOTICIA.COM