Construction Blocks Marine Life Movement

Karissa Lear, an aquatic ecologist at Australia’s Murdoch University, observed that a long jetty and rock wall built for a marine loading facility disrupted the migration patterns of young green sawfish in Western Australia. Afraid of predators, these juvenile fish were unable or unwilling to swim around the manmade barrier to get from their shallow nursery to essential feeding grounds. Lear believes that marine animals need a hand in getting around human infrastructure much like wildlife-crossing bridges help animals cross highways and fish ladders help salmon bypass dams on their way to spawn. Modifications to the design and construction of infrastructure are needed to ensure the sustainability of our oceans.