Marine biodiversity & infrastructure Fraser Shilling will first speaks about the sea level rise effect on transportation infrastructure JM Bocognano will explain the environmental actions they are integrating into the GPMM (Marseille Harbor authority) Pr Philippe Lenfant will illustrate the new challenges for marine scientist on this innovative topics (marine ecological restoration) M. Lapinsky will present some results on the role of infrastructure (viaduct, harbor) G.Lecaillon will also present how a port can contribute to reconnect life cycle of marine fishes

Marine biodiversity & infrastructure USING A COMMERCIAL HARBOR FOR FISH NURSERY RESTORATION Gilles Lecaillon1 & Philippe Lenfant2 & Philippe Thievent3

 Shallow coastal habitat are essential habitat for fish nursery The natural life cycle of coastal fishes Sub-title Text => Spatial and temporal habitat partitioning for Early Life History Stage (ELHS = larvae + PL + settlers + YOY)  Shallow coastal habitat are essential habitat for fish nursery

The fish nursery definition (Beck et al, 2001) A place to hide from predator A place to growth An adapted diversify food A corridor toward adult habitats

Harbor development causes habitat loss and “bad coastal quality” water The problems Harbor development causes habitat loss and “bad coastal quality” water => PL up to YOY survival rate decrease and can get close to 0% => The need to restore, repair or at least, reconnect life cycle

GIREL and GIREL-3R project 5 years project (2010-2014) module roselière® module oursin®,

The Biohut® and BioRestore ® processes Biohut artificial microhabitat enhances ecosystem functions and services provided before by the natural shallow habitat BioRestore 3 step process from post-larvae to restocked juveniles => GIREL-3R have tested Biohut® dock and BioRestore processes

Inner cage filled with oyster shells provides food and habitat How does a Biohut works? Dock Biohut in Marseille Harbor Inner cage filled with oyster shells provides food and habitat Outer empty cage provides shelter => Biohut system brings 1) food, 2) refuge, 3) area to growth and 4) corridor to exit from the harbor => the Beck et al (2001) fish nursery criteria! => GIREL-3R have tested 104 Biohut® dock in 3 different locations

How does a BioRestore works? 1- We capture the post-larvae with local fishermen 2- We raised in captivity all collected species 3- We release the strong juveniles with no DNA modification => the Beck et al (2001) fish nursery criteria are brought artificially GIREL-3R have work in Marseille bay with one local fishermen 4 months of collection around new moon from may to August 2014

Monitoring & location Biohut Quai 160 Quai 108 36 Biohut 40 Biohut Dock Rocks Quai 160 40 Biohut Quai 108 36 Biohut Quai 123 28 Biohut 5 km 30 meters zone with Biohut + control 7 Underwater visual census on each zone from may to August 2014 40 nights of capture => 1000 fish releases, 450 seabream monitored on 3 different release site.

x2 x4 => Biohut works! General results Dock Rocks Significantly greater abundance on Biohut than control docks (x4) Similar assemblage as in « natural » habitats x2 x4 + Same temporal succession of species (not show on this slide) Biohut Control Rip rap => Biohut works!

   Spatial variation x20 Biohut Dock Rocks >10 Significantly higher densities on Biohut for sites 123 and 160 but not in 108 = spatial variation    When it works, it works very well (x 20) When rocks are present fish are using it as a corridor! x20 >10

Focus on one species D.annularis Biohut Dock Rocks Settler come.. ..they stay many weeks Commercial harbor can brings the fish nursery function …and move to nearby habitat Illustrate the plasticity of some marine fish species => exclusively recruiting in posidonia meadow.

Restocking results Abundance Ecological gain from x3 to x40 Times Abundance Ecological gain from x3 to x40 Tagged fishes seen +2 months after release in natural habitat

Conclusions The restoration of the fish nursery function is possible within commercial port => this result is similar to marinas (already published in Bouchoucha etal, 2016, in MEPS) and are going to be published soon. Port transport infrastructure can serve the biodiversity or at least limit its impact on biodiversity. Port involves in “biodiversity engagement” can contribute to improve knowledge and help better managing fish stock

Perspectives (on-going concrete actions) Calais 2015 port extension Cherbourg rip rap construction Monaco city sea extension