Benefits associated with the provision of habitat subsidies (e.g., constructed oyster reefs) for finfishes are likely modulated by management strategies, such as whether reefs are eventually opened to harvesting. We utilized an acoustic tagging/tracking approach to continuously monitor use of low-profile reefs designated to enhance shellfish production for extractive harvest (enhancement reefs) and high-relief artificial structures designated to mimic natural reef habitat (artificial reefs) by red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), black drum (Pogonia cromis), and southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma). Specifically, we evaluated two primary questions: (1) How much time do fish occupy enhancement reefs and artificial reefs compared to unaltered paired reference sites? (2) Does utilization of enhancement reefs scale with density of reef-associated invertebrates (prey availability), overall structural complexity (oyster density), and spatial magnitude of enhancement effort (quantity of substrate deposited)? Utilization of enhancement reefs was lower than associated reference sites for all species monitored. While there were no distinguishable differences in utilization of the artificial reef and references site for red drum and southern flounder, black drum detections were 65 times greater at the artificial reef compared to the paired reference site. No statistically distinguishable relationships were identified between habitat selection and the relative metrics of habitat quality of enhancement reefs. These data support a growing consensus that linkages between subtidal oyster habitat and transient fish species are complex, and that quantitative relationships underpinning “essential fish habitat” warrant further exploration. Indeed, greater understanding of the fisheries benefits associated with various forms of constructed oyster reefs would guide conservation approaches moving forward.

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Funding Sources: North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License grant program

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Collaborators: *Matthew Kenworthy, Joel Fodrie*, Jon Grabowski, Rachel Gittman, Danielle Keller, Fred Scharf, Lisa Hollensead, Trevor Scheffel  

     *Project PI