Artificial reefs (ARs) are often used to improve fishing and, consequently, the economy of a region. However, the way in which the species use the reefs may vary between fish assemblages. An assessment was made of the influence of an AR complex on the transient fish population off the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro state and, therefore, two control areas were sampled. Gillnets were used to capture individual fish in six sampling surveys. Cumulative abundance and biomass curves (ABC) were used to assess the possible effects of the reefs on the community's functional structure. In the dry season, during which the influence of the Paraíba do Sul River is smaller, a larger richness of r-strategy species and juveniles of K-strategy species was observed in the reef area compared with the control areas, suggesting that the AR acts as a protective environment for these species. During the lower river discharge period the results indicated a potential disturbance in the functional structure of the AR fish community and, therefore, a less stable environment relative to the control areas. This 'instability' warrants a positive connotation, as it indicates that the artificial reefs are harbouring species that are particularly sensitive to predation, making the reef a powerful tool for maintaining these populations on the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro.

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