Marinas, Docks, and Piers

Habitats Affected:

Water column, shell bottom, SAV, wetlands, soft bottom

Impacts:

• Shading by boats and structures reduces light availability for SAV, and to a lesser extent wetlands. Reduced light can cause mortality of SAV or prevent its expansion in otherwise suitable areas.
• Dredging of marina basins reduces productivity of the soft bottom community.
• Dredged basins alter circulation patterns and can result in water quality degradation and low oxygen events, which stress or kill fish.
• Fuel, bottom paint, and other toxins found at marinas and docking facilities can impact recruitment and survival of oyster larvae and degrade water quality.
• Biological problems associated with docks and piers can be minor individually but can have significant cumulative impacts on coastal fish habitat.

Go back to Threats to Coastal Fish Habitat (Overview Chart)…