Fig 1.
Artificial floating island (AFI) unit and existing installations and research.
Top left–Schematic diagram of a 2m2 matrix unit, commercially sold as ‘biohavens’. These AFIs consist of a non-woven plastic matrix, integrated connection grid and polyurethane foam [53]; top right–AFI installed in a controlled experiment at Bristol Aquarium, with 13 native, marine vertebrates; bottom left–AFI installed in a saline dock in Swansea known as Prince of Wales Dock; and bottom right–Linear arrangement of AFIs used on the coast of Louisiana, USA, for wave absorption and to reduce coastal erosion [60].
Table 1.
The complete survey consisting of 8 questions.
Fig 2.
The perceived importance of factors negatively impacting on the health of UK coasts.
Fig 3.
The location of habitat restoration or creation projects listed by the respondents of the survey (n = 34).
The projects mentioned by respondents were located in 23 counties in England and Wales. Each project is represented by county it is located in [85,86].
Fig 4.
The respondents’ preference of an installed artificial floating island in their local area based on five scenarios.
(1) Bird activity and no plants; (2) Plants and fencing, with roots growing through the island for fish; (3) Plant growth, but not fully covering the island and bird activity; and (4) Not sure.
Fig 5.
The number of concerns raised by respondents.
These have been categorically organised into maintenance, recreation, aesthetic, plastic pollution, disturbance and invasive species.
Table 2.
Definition of the six concerns listed by respondents in Question 6 of the survey.