Fischhotel and Riff: Kiel creates a new habitat for types of sea!

Fischhotel and Riff: Kiel creates a new habitat for types of sea!

in Kiel, something big is doing the ferry pier Friedrichsort: the renovation is scheduled to begin there at the end of July 2024. This delay by almost a year, caused by numerous ordnance finds, including about 2000 individual parts such as explosive grenades and cartridges, causes a stir. But with all the challenges there are also bright spots. Holcim is investing in an exciting project: an artificial reef made of CO₂-reduced concrete that is supposed to promote the marine habitat. With its dimensions of 1.7 meters width and 14 meters in length KN-ONLINE.de reported.

The jetty is being renovated and widened in the course of the work in order to meet the flood and the normal level. Already in June, 400 concrete blocks, known as X-Stones, were sunk with a total weight of 17 tons. The artificial reef will take an area of ​​24 square meters and should serve as a new home for the variety of biodiversity, especially for mussels and other organisms. Biologists will monitor the vegetation and settlement of the reef to analyze its effectiveness.

Promotion of biodiversity

The artificial reef is more than just a habitat-it could also act as a natural wave breaker and has a better CO₂ balance than imported boulders. Jens Ewert, consultant at Holcim Germany, speaks of the need to create such retreats in order to promote the return of underwater life in areas with declines of biodiversity, as well as [holcim.de] (https://www.holcim.de/story-kuenstliche-rerein-fe-fuer-kuesten protection) confirmed.

The idea of ​​using artificial reefs has a long history. They have been researched since the 1970s and have proven to be effective in many projects. In Nienhagen on the Baltic Sea, for example, an artificial research reef was created, which with around 1,400 concrete elements has a higher biodiversity and young fishing density than unaffected regions. These positive results show that artificial reefs can make a significant contribution to the preservation and increase of biodiversity, as Thomas Lorenz from the Institute for Fish and Environment (Fium) reports. Fium was significantly involved in the scientific studies, which are now also carried out in Kiel.

global developments and possibilities

artificial reefs are not just a local phenomenon. They offer innovative solutions for the restoration of damaged sea ecosystems worldwide. These projects combine technological innovation with the aim of environmental and nature conservation. The possibilities of these measures can be seen from successful initiatives in Latin America to special concrete structures that support coastal protection. In some regions, such as in the Golf of Fonseca in Honduras, the creation of artificial domes was actively promoted as a retreat for fish, which strengthens regional fishing, such as [renovablesverdes.com] (https://de.renovablesverdes.com/k%C3%BCNStliche-reiffe%3a-and-species variety of diversity) reported.

experts emphasize the importance of paying attention to the sustainability of the materials used when developing artificial reefs. And the cooperation between public, scientific and local institutions is also considered crucial for the success of these projects. Because ultimately not only the focus is on coastal protection, but also the return and preservation of the wonderful biodiversity under water that needs to be protected.