Side-Scan Sonar Coupled with Scuba Diving Observation for Enhanced Monitoring of Benthic Artificial Reefs along the Coast of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Since the 1970s, artificial reef (AR) deployment has been one of the common approaches to augment the local production of coastal fish in Malaysia. However, there is a lack of strategy to assess and evaluate the success of pre-deployed AR. Realizing the need for an effective qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation of AR, this study proposes side-scan sonar coupled with scuba diving observation for the enhanced monitoring of pre-deployed Bioceramic Korean (BK) AR along the coast of Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. This method employs an integrated side-scan sonar with a data acquisition system for the detection of the precise location of the BK AR which were deployed at Tukun Telaga Batin off the Terengganu coastline in 2003 by the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (FDAM). Following the determination of the exact location of three BK AR areas, a scuba diving team was sent to survey the physical conditions of the AR and assess the feasibility of the AR as an artificial habitat for marine life. The scan sonar images were compared with the captured photographs and videos acquired during the scuba diving session for a comprehensive value-added assessment. The collected data from the scuba diving session were also processed to measure the fish diversity, the fish biomass, and identify the fish community surrounding the AR. Based on the results, the BK AR remained in extremely good condition, physically intact, without significant breakage or damage, and with no major subsidence into the sediment after 19 years of deployment. A total of 108 BK AR modules were detected in three large groups using the mosaicked sonar images. Following cross-examination to validate the AR measurements using the AR’s shadows on the seafloor, the height of the BK AR consistently ranged from 1.7 m to 1.8 m. In addition, 34 species of fish from 14 families and 26 genera were identified, with most species classified as reef-associated (RA) fish with a biomass value of 1173.31 ± 1136.69 kg m−3, indicating the successfulness of the BK AR as fish-aggregating devices (FADs). The growth of hard corals on top of the bioceramic plate of the AR module further supported the diversified community of marine life surrounding the BK AR. In conclusion, the side-scan sonar coupled with scuba diving observation demonstrates an effective qualitative and quantitative technique for the monitoring and evaluation of pre-deployed AR. This strategy is recommended to be utilized to determine the success of pre-deployment AR.

Numerical Modelling of Beach Profile Evolution with and without an Artificial Reef

“…Meanwhile, the extended applications of this approach, such as sandbars and sand engines, have gained popularity in practices [12][13][14][15]. Nowadays, artificial reefs play an important role in beach nourishment for its potential in ecosystem service [16,17]. When it comes to morphological evolution under the coastal protection by soft engineering solutions, nourished beaches and artificial reefs are treated as an integral system in general.…”

Assessment of Fish Diversity in the Ma’an Archipelago Special Protected Area Using Environmental DNA

“…Reef fish communities are characterized by tropical reef fish groups that can move vertically in depth, depending on the warmth of the ocean. These communities and the resources in island reef waters have been mostly assessed through diving observations [ 5 ], gillnetting [ 6 ], cage netting [ 7 ], electrofishing [ 8 ], and small bottom trawling [ 9 ]. Most of these traditional sampling methods are limited to economic fish species and specific survey areas, and are costly, time-consuming, and difficult [ 10 ].…”