Groupers (Serranidae) and snappers (Lutjanidae) are economically and ecologically significant predatory marine fish primarily inhabiting tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. Anthropogenic stressors have resulted in alarming declines in grouper and snapper populations, necessitating immediate attention for the implementation of sustainable fisheries management strategies. This study aims to assess the distribution of groupers and snappers and their habitat associations within the Kayankerni Marine Sanctuary (KMS) on the Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka, utilizing Baited Remote Underwater Video Surveys (BRUVS), a non-invasive and cost-effective tool that employs underwater videography for data collection. A total of 52 deployments were carried out across three sites: Kayankerni Sand Island, Elephant Point, and Anemone City. A combination of univariate and multivariate analyses, including Kruskal-Wallis, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS), and Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA), was employed. 10 Lutjanidae species and 8 Serranidae species were identified. Findings indicate that both substrate and site significantly influence the relative abundance, measured through MaxN and MinCount, and distribution of these fish at the family and species levels. The results underscore the importance of sandstone reefs as crucial refuges for reef fish, highlighting the need for improved and tailored management of the KMS.
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