Utilization of Artificial Structures to Support the Recolonization of Damselfish, Stegastes Species and Promote Reef Restoration in the Waters of Mauritius

The coral reefs of Mauritius have faced significant decline due to tourist activity, overfishing and ongoing environmental stress. Artificial reef structures are a promising approach to restoring damaged reefs and enabling recovery of associated marine biodiversity. The current research investigated the Stegastes species assemblage at two Mauritian coastal locations: Flic en Flac (FEF) on the west coast and Pointe aux Feuilles (PAF) on the east coast. The study compared the impact of two types of artificial reef interventions, specifically metal frames (galvanized and non‐galvanized), and concrete blocks, on fish presence as well as coral community health at the locations. The fish assemblage on these artificial structures was first analysed after 1 week of deployment. The abundance was calculated for the first visit only, and in the following visit, the Stegastes spp. prevalence and coral status were analysed. There were five Stegastes spp. observed in this study, with Stegastes fasciolatus , Stegastes limbatus , Stegastes lividus and Stegastes nigricans found at both sites and only Stegastes pelicieri seen at PAF. The prevalence of species was more within the galvanized structures in contrast to the non‐galvanized structures. Coral status was also noted over the study period with most of the coral present within the frames being in a healthy state, with up to 93% of corals remaining unbleached on galvanized structures during winter, compared to 73%–87% on non‐galvanized frames. Coral recovery was higher during summer, reaching 53%, and new coral recruits were observed in winter 2022 (up to 13% at FEF and 40% at PAF). Concrete blocks enhanced shelter availability and supported fish colonization when corals were absent, contributing to overall species persistence. This study highlights the positive impact of artificial structures in restoring degraded reef areas, promoting recolonization by key species and new coral growth based on findings from 2021 to 2023.