OVERVIEW OF THE DYNAMICS OF AN URBAN ARTIFICIAL REEF FISH ASSEMBLAGE AT KING-HARBOR, CALIFORNIA, USA, 1974-1991 - A RECRUITMENT DRIVEN SYSTEM

Since 1974, the Vantuna Research Group has been studying the fish asse mblage on and adjacent to the artificial breakwaters at King Harbor, C alifornia. Sampling includes diver transects, ichthyoplankton tows, an d air lift/quinaldene samples of settling recruits. During this 18-yea r study, two natural environmental events, the El Ninos of 1977-1979, 1982-1984 and destructive storm waves of winter 1988 have affected the assemblage. The change in water temperature in 1977 resulted in a sig nificant change in species composition while the other events primaril y affected abundance. Additionally, the reconstruction of the breakwat er and dredging of the harbor in 1989 strongly affected the reproducti ve success of some species. Though, except during the above cited even ts, species number and overall fish abundance has remained relatively stable over the study period, individual species have fluctuated widel y in abundance. Much of this fluctuation is the result of variable ann ual recruitment. The relationship between recruitment and various envi ronmental factors are analyzed for a number of selected species which differ in life history and reproductive strategies. Even in the face o f significant annual mortality from adult fish entrapment and larval e ntrainment by the Southern California Edison (SCE) intakes, the King H arbor breakwater continues to support a fish assemblage, more diverse and abundant than a natural reef/kelp bed at Pales Verdes Point that h as been surveyed over the same period. A well designed breakwater can be an exceptional fish habitat.