The Cambodian Sea harbors diverse marine habitats of great ecological significance, but these areas face mounting threats from Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing, notably trawling. Despite the 2006 ban on trawling in waters shallower than 20 meters, the issue persists, with oyster (bivalve) beds extirpated and vital ecosystem services, like water quality enhancement and shoreline stabilization, lost. To facilitate ongoing oyster restoration initiatives this study compares extant bivalve beds (BB), Conservation Anti-Trawling Structures (CANTS), and impacted areas. Employing various metrics, including: biodiversity surveys of fish and bivalves (including shell height and density estimations), analyses of environmental variables, and multivariate techniques on higher meiofauna taxonomic diversity; the findings indicate that reefs, both natural and artificial, support significantly higher density and biodiversity (p<0.001). However, this investigation demonstrates the indispensable role of BBs in shaping favorable sediment dynamics (p<0.001). CANTS offer a viable short-term solution by mitigating illegal fishing and recovering habitat, promoting survival of fish and shellfish stocks. Though the study has unveiled valuable insights, it is subject to limitations, demanding further research and continual monitoring. Addressing these limitations will strengthen future restoration efforts and enable better-informed decisions for conserving and rehabilitating marine ecosystems in the Cambodian Sea.
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