This study examines the relationship between physico-chemical parameters and the diversity and abundance of fish within the artificial coral reef ecosystem of the Suhar area in the Sea of Oman. Observing temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen as indicators, this research investigates their correlation with fish abundance, assessed through diversity indices and stratified by depth. Data for water parameters were collected using a Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) logger. Fish abundance was estimated using transect sampling with a Diver-operated stereo-video (stereo-DOV) method. The study reveals that the diversity, dominance, richness, and evenness of fish species are influenced by distinct physico-chemical parameters, exhibiting seasonal fluctuations. Notably, certain fish species, including Lutjanus lutjanus, Caesio varilineata, and Lutjanus ehrenbergii, demonstrated consistent presence across all sites during both summer and winter seasons. Conversely, Pomadasys aheneus displayed a stronger association with the winter season. Depth emerges as a pivotal factor influencing the variation in physico-chemical parameters during both seasons. Results demonstrate that the species diversity was higher in winter (Shannon index: 1.124; evenness: 0.701) than in summer (Shannon: 0.984; evenness: 0.522). A strong negative correlation was observed between depth and dissolved oxygen in summer (r = −0.985, p = 0.000), while in winter, depth positively correlated with DO (r = 0.828, p = 0.010) and evenness (r = 0.704, p = 0.030). The study's findings offer valuable insights for developing future modeling approaches aimed at replicating time series data of fish abundances and water quality. This information is instrumental for effective fishery resource management, providing a foundation for sustainable practices and conservation efforts in the artificial reef ecosystems of the Sea of Oman.
Kindi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.