ARTIFICIAL REEF DESIGNS FOR KOREAN COASTAL WATERS

National funding to enhance fishery resources in the Korean coastal wa ters has been increased every year since 1971 and amounted to nearly $ 30 million in 1991. However, with limited funding for each site, it is important to select the best structural design for optimization of fi sh habitat depending on both the target species and environmental fact ors. The reef shapes of each unit structure give different shadow area , void space and surface area, attracting different fish species. The present study was carried out for 5 years during 1984-1988 with variou s designs of artificial reefs, such as cylinder shapes, turtle blocks, cube and jumbo reefs, in the eastern and southern Korean coastal wate rs. The dominant fish species and total fish catch was investigated fo ur times a year with SCUBA, underwater VTR and remote operated vehicle . The Shannon-Weiner index was used for the analysis of species divers ity and evenness. When the dominant species were analyzed for the ten target species for each reef site, it was noted the cylinder shapes at tracted armored rock fish, white corvenia and barfin flounder; turtle blocks saw-edged perch; and cube shapes common sea bass, whereas porgy , flat fish, black porgy, sea bass and yellow tail showed no distincti ve preference for reef structural designs.