Artificial reef placement: a red snapper,Lutjanus campechanus,ecosystem and fuzzy rule‐based model

Abstract This study on reef placement involves two aspects: (1) the development of a bioenergetics model for red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus (Poey), in Gulf of Mexico waters off the coast of Alabama, where significant numbers of artificial reefs are thought to exist, and (2) a fuzzy rough set model by which parameters determined from the bioenergetics model can provide a decision tool for optimally spacing artificial reefs during deployment. The bioenergetics and consumption rates of L. campechanus by age class foraging on artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Alabama provided input into the fuzzy rule‐based model. After conducting multiple simulations, highest certainty in optimal reef spacing was achieved for reef distances between 0.50 and 0.95 km such that no more than two fit within a 1‐km² area. Results can inform fisheries managers about placement of artificial reefs to affect the health and survival of reef‐associated species.