ABSTRACT
Habitat enhancement resulting from properly designed artificial reefs has emerged as the primary biological tool available to solve a number of fishery management problems related to urban fisheries. Both fishing piers and reefs have made productive marine recreational fishing physically and economically accessible to major segments of the public which previously had not utilized the fishery, and also provided new fishing locations for established angling clientele. Artificial reefs constructed in Puget Sound as part of the urban recreational fishery program are the result of an approach which integrates research on site selection criteria, construction design, successional biota development, and fishery utilization into a combined enhancement and management plan for the region. Development of a fishery management strategy for each artificial reef associated with urban fishing in Puget Sound is based on studies and observations conducted prior to buoying the reef location, which initiates planned fishery use of the site.
