Concrete biodiversity improvements in harbors

Traditionally, harbors have been designed mainly for fisheries and for transport of goods and passengers. In recent years, water quality has improved in many harbors, and marine biodiversity is becoming increasingly important. In the present study, concrete elements - with complex surface designs - were deployed on harbor sea walls and at sites where coastal protection is needed. This was accomplished to improve the local marine biodiversity and fish abundance. Our study is conducted in the Vigo Harbor situated in northwestern Spain. A team of DTU researchers has just returned from a three weeks’ fieldtrip monitoring underwater biodiversity in the Spanish harbor. We investigate whether 1) concrete harbor walls with different structures, and 2) new concrete elements deployed for coastal protection may improve the local marine biodiversity and fish abundance. We measure biodiversity by analyzing underwater video footage. Harbors often have a central place in cities, and increased marine life may eventually turn harbors into exciting blue parks for people to enjoy. Although the project is conducted in Spain, the project results are also relevant for other European harbors where local marine biodiversity is growing in importance.