Another important related activity was the identification of the location of artificial reefs, in order to increase fish biomass by using the reef effect.
The seagrass map later produced by the MPA proved particularly useful to select seagrass-free areas to place these artificial reefs.
The submersion of articial reef was alrrady tested with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2009. Moreover, the Senegalese Aquaculture and Mussel Research Centre (CRAMS) located in M’bodiène, north of Joal-Fadiouth, was developing and placing artificial reefs at the same time inside the aquaculture farm.
The fishermen of Joal-Fadiouth became particularly interested in submerging similar reefs in their MPA, in order to attract fish and diversify the fishing activity.
A challenge for the CRAMS was the loss of some fish escaping from the cages, but also the fact that the shadow of the cages tended to attract wild fish as well. This abundance of both wild and escaped farmed fish around the farm attracted local fishermen, which often resulted in damage to the cages and hence to conflicts with the CRAMS team. The team therefore deployed several artificial reefs around the cages (made of mollusc shelves, largely consumed by Senegalese). Not only did the artificial reef effect result in increased fish biomass, but the reef also kept the fishermen off the fish cages.