1United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0905, 2Faculty of Agriculture, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
The settlement of wild juvenile Red Sea Bream, Pagrus major, on two types of artificial habitat (α and β types, where α=horizontal net panels and β=α+vertical net panels) was studied using SCUBA. Research was conducted on sandy substrate in a nursery ground at Morode Cove, Ehime Prefecture, during the early summer of 1997 and 1998. Juvenile P. major was strongly associated with both α and β types of artificial habitats, however settlement of β type habitat was significantly greater than that of α type habitat. Smaller individuals (≤30mm) were most abundant around the artificial habitat, particularly within a radius of 0.5m. There was no significant difference in the stomach contents and condition factors of juveniles collected from natural habitats and from artificial habitats. The results of this study suggest that establishing an artificial habitat on a sandy substrate is an effective mean of encouraging the settlement of wild juvenile P. major in addition to providing a role similar to that of a natural feeding habitat.