Abstract

One of the largest artificial reef programs in the world exists in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, are one of the dominant species from this system, and are important to both commercial and sport fisheries (Gallaway et al. 2009). The red snapper fishery has been subject to strict regulations in recent years (SEDAR 2013), and an empirical population estimate will help validate population models that are used in management. The present study examined mid-shelf waters between the 18 m and 40 m depth contours off coastal Alabama, USA. This area is 4,530 km2 and is characterized by sand and mud substrates with little natural reef habitat. Within this area there were 850 artificial reefs deployed by the state (public reefs), but also artificial reefs deployed by private individuals with unpublished locations (private reefs; Minton and Heath 1998). We used a side-scan sonar (Edgetech 4125, 400/900 khz) to survey for reef structures over the Alabama continental shelf, and covered an area of 244 km2 (transects = 42) and hydroacoustic methods (Simrad split beam EK-60 echosounder) to estimate red snapper abundance on individual reefs.

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