Effetti sul popolamento ittico indotti da una piattaforma estrattiva dell'Alto Adriatico: prospettive di gestione delle risorse future

A fishing survey was carried out in the period August 1996 - December 1997 to compare the effects induced on the fish assemblage by a gas platform with those of an artificial reef in the northern Adriatic Sea. The overall catch yield was higher at the platform then at the artificial reef, with a ratio of 1.6 in weight and 3.2 in number of specimens. The difference was mainly due to higher catches of pelagic fish, crustaceans and molluscs. These results stated that the platform can act like an artificial reef in attracting fishable fauna and in diversifying the fish assemblage of the original sand-muddy habitat. Therefore, it could be considered as feasible the use of these structures, when decommissioned, for the creation of artificial reefs.