Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving
Artificial reefs are submerged human-made objects. In particular, the artificial wrecks are intentionally submerged obsolete ships. Once deployed, these wrecks are rapidly colonized by diverse benthic communities. Currently, this effect is positively valued by the recreational diving industry, whic...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Asociación Argentina de Ecología
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Ecología Austral |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/2388 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849702947084042240 |
|---|---|
| author | Karen L. Castro Nicolás Battini Gonzalo Bravo Gastón Trobbiani Evangelina Schwindt |
| author_facet | Karen L. Castro Nicolás Battini Gonzalo Bravo Gastón Trobbiani Evangelina Schwindt |
| author_sort | Karen L. Castro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Artificial reefs are submerged human-made objects. In particular, the artificial wrecks are intentionally submerged obsolete ships. Once deployed, these wrecks are rapidly colonized by diverse benthic communities. Currently, this effect is positively valued by the recreational diving industry, which uses this colonization effect as one of the main arguments to promote the deployment of artificial wrecks. However, there is increasing evidence that artificial wrecks are not a substitute for natural reefs and may alter complex ecological processes such as food web structure and increase the likelihood of invasive species establishment and spread. Here, we discuss our main concerns related to the unintended socioecological consequences of the creation of artificial wrecks, problematizing the paradigm that this practice favours marine conservation. Although we recognize that artificial wrecks have positive economic, social and even some environmental outcomes, we argue that the benefits are often usufructed by only a portion of society and that this practice requires a broader discussion. Finally, we also discuss the management implications of these concerns and propose alternatives to encourage recreational diving through the adoption of more environmentally sustainable and socially participative approaches. Hopefully, this will lead to better and more consensual practices for the management of coastal areas.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9cabc08b20e4326b1673f370da29786 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0327-5477 1667-782X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Asociación Argentina de Ecología |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecología Austral |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9cabc08b20e4326b1673f370da297862025-08-20T03:17:27ZengAsociación Argentina de EcologíaEcología Austral0327-54771667-782X2025-03-0135110.25260/EA.25.35.1.0.2388Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational divingKaren L. Castro0Nicolás Battini1Gonzalo Bravo2Gastón Trobbiani3Evangelina Schwindt4Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros (GEAC). Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CONICET)Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros (GEAC). Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CONICET)Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros (GEAC). Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CONICET)Centro para el Estudio de los Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR-CONICET)Grupo de Ecología en Ambientes Costeros (GEAC). Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos (IBIOMAR-CONICET) Artificial reefs are submerged human-made objects. In particular, the artificial wrecks are intentionally submerged obsolete ships. Once deployed, these wrecks are rapidly colonized by diverse benthic communities. Currently, this effect is positively valued by the recreational diving industry, which uses this colonization effect as one of the main arguments to promote the deployment of artificial wrecks. However, there is increasing evidence that artificial wrecks are not a substitute for natural reefs and may alter complex ecological processes such as food web structure and increase the likelihood of invasive species establishment and spread. Here, we discuss our main concerns related to the unintended socioecological consequences of the creation of artificial wrecks, problematizing the paradigm that this practice favours marine conservation. Although we recognize that artificial wrecks have positive economic, social and even some environmental outcomes, we argue that the benefits are often usufructed by only a portion of society and that this practice requires a broader discussion. Finally, we also discuss the management implications of these concerns and propose alternatives to encourage recreational diving through the adoption of more environmentally sustainable and socially participative approaches. Hopefully, this will lead to better and more consensual practices for the management of coastal areas. https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/2388Adaptive ecosystem managementArtificial reefsship recyclingship scuttlinginvasive speciesshipwrecks |
| spellingShingle | Karen L. Castro Nicolás Battini Gonzalo Bravo Gastón Trobbiani Evangelina Schwindt Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving Ecología Austral Adaptive ecosystem management Artificial reefs ship recycling ship scuttling invasive species shipwrecks |
| title | Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| title_full | Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| title_fullStr | Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| title_full_unstemmed | Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| title_short | Artificial wrecks: Unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| title_sort | artificial wrecks unwanted consequences of the deliberate sinking of ships for recreational diving |
| topic | Adaptive ecosystem management Artificial reefs ship recycling ship scuttling invasive species shipwrecks |
| url | https://ojs.ecologiaaustral.com.ar/index.php/Ecologia_Austral/article/view/2388 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karenlcastro artificialwrecksunwantedconsequencesofthedeliberatesinkingofshipsforrecreationaldiving AT nicolasbattini artificialwrecksunwantedconsequencesofthedeliberatesinkingofshipsforrecreationaldiving AT gonzalobravo artificialwrecksunwantedconsequencesofthedeliberatesinkingofshipsforrecreationaldiving AT gastontrobbiani artificialwrecksunwantedconsequencesofthedeliberatesinkingofshipsforrecreationaldiving AT evangelinaschwindt artificialwrecksunwantedconsequencesofthedeliberatesinkingofshipsforrecreationaldiving |