Reef-associated fishes play a fundamental role in coral reef ecosystems, yet their contributions to coral recovery and resilience remain underexplored with regards to restoration efforts. While some fish species support coral health, whether these relationships can be actively enhanced to aid restoration remains unclear. As disturbances intensify, leveraging natural fish-coral interactions may provide scalable, ecosystem-based tools to support reef management.
Through a controlled, long-term manipulation of fish communities, the Reef Song project, part of the Australian Coral Reef Resilience Initiative (ACRRI), tested the effect of fish presence on coral growth while simultaneously comparing two strategies for increasing fish abundance: acoustic playback and direct stocking. Results indicate that stocked reefs exhibited significantly higher coral growth rates, with the abundance of key species positively correlated with coral volume. Nutrient flux estimates aligned with observed coral growth patterns, suggesting a mechanistic link between fish biomass and coral accretion.
These findings provide empirical evidence that fish-mediated processes can enhance coral growth under natural conditions, highlighting the potential role of reef fishes in restoration strategies.