Quarry rock reef design features influence fish assemblage structure across a systematically heterogenous restoration reef

To restore an area of temperate rocky-reef degraded by sedimentation, scour, and burial, a large quarry rock reef, the Palos Verdes Restoration Reef (PVR), was built with a heterogenous design including high relief elements intended to increase fish biomass productivity and support a diverse reef community. The replicated design features provide a unique opportunity to study the effects of reef design on fish habitat use patterns. To determine how submodule scale habitat features are associated with variation in the assemblage structure of eleven focal fish species on the PVR we conducted diver-operated stereo-video surveys on all 18 PVR modules 9–13 months after construction. The highest mean densities of most focal fish species and highest total fish densities were observed on high and medium-relief reef submodules and their adjacent ecotones positioned on the offshore sides or ends of modules. These included the most abundant species on the PVR, the zooplanktivorous Blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis), as well as the fishery species Kelp Bass (Paralabrax clathratus) and California Sheephead (Bodianus pulcher). On the inshore side of parallel modules, the reef and ecotone transects on low and medium relief submodules exhibited the lowest total mean fish densities, and consistently lower mean focal fish species densities. Focal fish species assemblages also differed between the reef and sand-rock ecotone transects. Reef-resident planktivorous fishes likely contribute to reef primary and secondary productivity through consumer mediated nutrient transport and are an important consideration in restoration reef design. Future reef restoration designs should consider incorporating replicated heterogeneous design features including the placement of higher relief elements relative to shore and current patterns as a special consideration for providing habitat for planktivorous reef-resident fishes. •Focal fish assemblage structure varied with submodule scale habitat features.•Planktivorous fishes were most abundant on the offshore higher relief submodules.•Fishery species were most abundant on the offshore higher relief submodules.•Lowest densities of most species were on inshore low and medium relief submodules.•Focal fish assemblage structure varied between ecotone and reef transects.