Opportunity Knocks: Leveraging Offshore Wind Development as a Natural Experiment to Address the Ecological Function of Artificial Reefs

Czaja, Raymond E.; Sura, Shayna A.; Patterson, William F.; Chagaris, David D.; Walter, John F.; Sagarese, Skyler R.; Paxton, Avery B.; Heyman, William D.; Harris, Holden E.

doi:10.1111/faf.12906

i

Opportunity Knocks: Leveraging Offshore Wind Development as a Natural Experiment to Address the Ecological Function of Artificial Reefs

2025
By Czaja, Raymond E. ; Sura, Shayna A. ; Patterson, William F. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Fish and Fisheries
Personal Author:

Czaja, Raymond E. ; Sura, Shayna A. ; Patterson, William F. ; Chagaris, David D. ; Walter, John F. ; Sagarese, Skyler R. ; Paxton, Avery B. ; Heyman, William D. ; Harris, Holden E.
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SEFSC (Southeast Fisheries Science Center) ; NOS (National Ocean Service) ; DWH (Deepwater Horizon)
Description:

Artificial structures deployed in marine environments as reefs are often presumed to increase fish production. However, our literature review found a lack of evidence, with only 12 studies empirically quantifying secondary production at artificial reefs, and only three studies using a control site. We propose the forthcoming large-scale construction of offshore wind (OSW) energy structures presents a natural experiment to examine the ecological function of artificial reefs, including their effects on fish production. To provide causal inferences of OSW effects, studies must obtain appropriate ‘before’ data, per before-after-control-impact and related designs. This requirement dictates that society must begin planning and collecting data now, prior to OSW deployment. We also highlight that responses beyond fish biomass measures, including life stage specific survival, site fidelity and trophic dynamics, must occur at appropriate spatial and temporal scales to maximise causal inference. By leveraging a timely opportunity and natural experiment with OSW development, the long-running ‘attraction–production debate’ about artificial reef ecological function may be addressed.
Keywords:

Artificial Reef Offshore Wind Power Plants Renewable Energy Sources Artificial Reef Offshore Wind Power Plants Renewable Energy Sources Attraction-production Ecological Trap Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Secondary Production
Source:

Fish and Fisheries, 2025; 26:688–698
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12906
Format:

PDF
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA22NOS4510203
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY-NC
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:61ffe6ebae178e3446cfb363ac63c3501fc03cb072b638cafcd4f0ec99a8e5e5b0c252f3b08a930ca1b598b8304df82da12db28578efdec62bfcb0f405a3db09
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/70807/noaa_70807_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 478.04 KB ]

ON THIS PAGE

Details

The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.