Vicens-Miquel, M.; Williams, D.D., and Tissot, P.E., 2024. Analysis of sandy beach morphology changes and inundation events from a high spatiotemporal resolution dataset. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1001–1018. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

Coastal inundation creates significant beach management and conservation challenges. The frequency of these events is increasing because of the influence of sea-level rise in combination with background erosion and subsidence in some areas. More accurate predictive models are needed to anticipate potential coastal inundation events for public safety and protection of backshore infrastructure, as well as beach management that can be improved by including the influence of wave runup. Improvement of prediction accuracy requires an in-depth exploration of changes in beach morphology over time and an understanding of the complex interactions responsible for change. This study focuses on changes in beach morphology along a representative beach segment adjacent to Horace Caldwell Pier, Port Aransas, Texas. Ongoing monitoring, initiated in July 2022, provides a rich dataset for analyzing 21 beach-profile surveys, capturing the dynamic evolution of the coastal landscape. Emphasis is placed on quantifying the influence of metocean conditions, particularly high waves with varying periodicity, and wind patterns on morphologic alterations. This research identified two types of inundation events, with two of them resulting in erosion. Consequently, the findings suggest a correlation between the onset of erosion and a maximum dominant wave period of approximately 10 seconds in the study area. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the challenges inherent in predicting coastal inundation and event-based beach morphology changes, fostering informed decision-making that supports sustainable coastal management and developing effective conservation practices.

Amos, C.L.; Kassem, H.; Petrie, B.; Shaw, J., and Ivaldi, R., 2024. An evaluation of the Bagnold (1956) theories for sediment transport in Northumberland Strait, Canada. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1019–1036. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study examines the seabed stability and sediment transport in the region of a proposed fixed link (bridge) across Northumberland Strait, Canada. The region is dominated by strong semidiurnal and diurnal tides that have eroded, transported, and deposited material that modify the character of the local seabed morphology. The seabed comprises rippled fine sand interspersed with a shelly gravel lag. The study provides an opportunity to examine the theories of R.A. Bagnold on sand transport that were deficient in the prediction of the transport of fine and very fine sand. A further purpose was to determine the mechanisms of the sand transport (waves, currents, or both). Representative sediment samples were collected and subjected to hydrodynamic forcing in a laboratory flume (Lab Carousel); relationships were derived between the applied stream power and sediment transport rates as bedload and in suspension. In addition, a multiparameter benthic lander (Ralph) was deployed at two sites in the nearshore regions of the fixed link for a total duration of 33 days. Flow velocity measurements derived from the lander were used to assess the transport potential using calibrations derived from the flume studies. The results showed that the total immersed bedload transport measured herein corresponded well to Bagnold's dimensionless stream power function when normalized to flow depth and grain size. They also showed that the tidal currents coupled with the mean flow in the region are sufficient in magnitude to erode and transport sand to the SE, where they are deposited to form a tidal delta. The sand transport in the shallow margins (depth < 10 m) took place mainly as bedload, although periodic suspension also took place. The nature of the predicted sand transport indicates that the seabed is in a continued state of evolution subject to the present-day hydrodynamic forcing.

Fonseca, M.; McMahon, A.; Erickson, R.; Kelly, C.; Tiggelaar, J., II, and Graham, B., 2024. Effects of the Block Island Wind Farm on benthic and epifaunal communities. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1037–1054. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study reports on monitoring surveys conducted at three of the five commercially operating turbines in U.S. waters off Block Island, Rhode Island, U.S.A., with an emphasis on the final, fourth year of a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management sampling program. The monitoring focused on changes to sediments and infaunal and epifauna species abundance, richness, and diversity caused by the presence of the turbine structure. As anticipated, based on a comparison with other study results, far-field changes in benthic conditions were not evident. Clear changes to the seabed sediments and faunal composition manifested only in the immediate footprint of the turbine foundations. Aside from a localized and sustained shift in particle size, little evidence of a temporally or spatially progressive pattern (as a function of distance away from the turbines) of change in seabed physical and biological composition, or on the turbine structures themselves, was found. The lack of a systematic pattern of influence suggests that many of the intra- and interannual differences may be attributed to natural fluctuations, especially the epifauna on the turbine structures. Notably, the faunal dynamics suggest a community in constant flux and, as seen in other studies, lacking a trend toward the formation of a climax community, which is characterized by stable faunal composition. For these dynamic communities, future sampling may consider using a fixed station, repeated measures approach, as has been done in similarly dynamic, intertidal communities to manage these scales of habitat variability.

Seaver, G.A. and Kuzirian, A.M., 2024. Estuary nitrate sources and trends in Buzzards Bay. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1055–1067. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

The determination of estuary nitrate sources originating through groundwater was the principal objective of this work. This required long timeline (35-year) measurements over many seasonal cycles. Typically, in this study, nitrate sources were an upgradient from estuaries at a significant distance, usually greater than 300 m (1000 ft), whereas groundwater flow that transported the nitrate near the coast in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, traveled only 0.45 m/d (1.5 ft/d). Thus, it takes years before a potential newly discovered nitrate source could be confirmed in the estuary. Investigation of estuary nitrate trends and the significance of obtaining winter nitrate measurements to investigations was more fully developed in this work. This showed that determining the estuarian nitrate trends also required a timeline much longer than the variability of the nitrate influx into the estuary. The large, summer-to-winter high nitrate (but not low nitrate) differences and the system's inherent physiological ecology were central to regulating nitrate in an estuary, despite greatly increased groundwater nitrate input. The winter measurement data explained this phenomenon. Finally, the data measurement program completed in Buzzards Bay proved to be ideal in answering these necessarily long timeline questions. The research suggested a new parameter be used to indicate an excess nitrate state of an estuary. These long-term data also allowed meaningful calculations of estuarine and groundwater nitrate and temperature trends.

Hoque, M.; Ramteke, K.; Nakhawa, A.D.; Abidi, Z.J., and Naidu, B.C., 2024. Vulnerability assessment of commercially essential fish stocks in the data-poor northwest coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1068–1079. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

A semiquantitative risk assessment tool, such as the productivity susceptibility analysis (PSA), is widely used to evaluate the relative vulnerability of species to overfishing or other fishing activities. This tool is particularly valuable in data-poor regions for prioritizing conservation and research management efforts among different species. In the present study, PSA evaluated the vulnerability of 70 commercially essential finfish species, including 35 pelagic species and 35 demersal species. For the demersal species, the vulnerability score varied from 0.9 to 2. The spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) was identified as the most vulnerable species among selected demersal species, with a vulnerability score of 2, whereas the black pomfret (Parastromateus niger) exhibited the lowest vulnerability, with a score of 0.9. Among the demersal species, four species (11.42%) were classified as having moderate vulnerability, with scores ranging from 1.8 to 1.9, whereas 30 species (85.71%) were classified as having low vulnerability, with scores ranging from 0.9 to 1.7. The vulnerability scores of the 35 pelagic fishes ranged from 0.9 to 1.9. The lowest vulnerability score, 0.9, was observed in the Indian oil sardine Sardinella longiceps and commerson's anchovy Stolephorus commersoni; the great barracuda Spyraena barracuda showed the highest vulnerability score, 1.9, among 35 pelagic fishes from the NW coast of India. Most of the overall data quality (DQ) were selected from moderate DQ from the present study. The susceptibility DQ for most species is low; this suggests that data collection on certain species' life-history features should be improved. Vulnerability evaluation is useful in identifying species that face extinction or overexploitation. The results of this study will help in planning fisheries management programs and creating conservation strategies.

Bracero Marrero, L.I.M., 2024. Analysis of shoreline change in Loíza, Puerto Rico (1902–2018). Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1080–1089. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

Shoreline change analysis is one of the most common methods used to analyze the morphological change—accretional or erosional—in coastal areas. Seven years of shoreline positions (1902, 1931, 1951, 1977, 1990, 2010, and 2018) were analyzed inside the Digital Shoreline Analysis System to measure the shoreline change in Loíza, Puerto Rico. The main results indicated increasing erosional rates for the study area as time passed, with recent events interrupting the pattern. For the periods 1951–77, 1977–90, and 1990–2010, statistics supported the hypothesis that erosional rates were dominant, whereas the periods 1902–31, 1931–51, and 2010–18 were dominated by accretional rates of change. Anthropogenic impacts (i.e. sand extraction events and dam construction) were reflected in the results of 1951–77 and 1977–90, with higher erosion rates and negative outliers. Accretional rate outliers in the latest period, 2010–18, are possibly the result of Hurricane María in 2017, when heavy rains and high river discharge increased the sediment input into the shoreline. This study showed previously unrecorded rate change data for 116 years in Loíza, Puerto Rico.

Fernandez, P.N.J.; Fernandez, E.G.B.; Cadondon, J.G., and Subade, R.F., 2024. Enhancing coastal management through the design and development of an in situ water quality monitoring system. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1090–1102. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

The Philippines, with its extensive coastline rich in water resources, faces challenges because of the heavy reliance of residents on coastal waters for recreation and livelihood. This leads to water quality deterioration. Balancing human development with environmental protection necessitates regular, close monitoring of water resources. Traditional methods of water quality analysis are time-consuming and labor-intensive, and regular monitoring is financially burdensome. This study introduces the design and development of a customized water quality monitoring device as an alternative to traditional laboratory analysis. The device is portable, user-friendly, and capable of rapidly gathering real-time data. It features a multiparameter sensor that simultaneously measures temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and electrical conductivity (EC). After testing and calibration, the device showed a mean error of 0.91°C for temperature, –0.025 mg/L for DO, 0.09 for pH, and 0.033 mS/cm for EC. Forty seawater samples from nine Environmental Management Bureau coastline monitoring stations were analyzed using the device. Comparison with commercially available in situ devices showed a moderate coefficient of determination for DO and pH and a high coefficient of determination for EC and temperature, indicating that some environmental and user-related factors affect readings. Insights from empirical results and consultations with local stakeholders will inform future improvements of the device. Implementing this prototype can help to inform decisions on resource management, pollution control, and public health protection. Real-time data can aid in early detection of contaminants and pollution sources, which allows swift remedial action, and adaptive management practices.

Lakshmanan, R.; Saravanan, R.; Kalidas, C.; Rajendran, P.; Babu, A.M.; Asha, P.S., and Joshi, K.K., 2024. Occurrence of the non-native mauve stinger, Pelagia cf. noctiluca, in coastal waters off Cape Comorin, southern Bay of Bengal. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1103–1110. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

During a jellyfish survey in the southern Bay of Bengal, India, four scyphozoan jellyfish from the family Pelagiidae (Order: Semaeostomeae) were observed. The observed specimens were found at a depth of 1 to 2 m off the coast of Arockiapuram (8°05′ N, 77°11′ E), Cape Comorin (now Kanyakumari). The underwater photographic and video documentation with live colouration enabled the identification of the collected specimens as mauve stingers, Pelagia noctiluca (Forskal, 1775). The observed specimens have pink- or mauve-coloured hemispherical umbrellas with eight marginal tentacles that are transversely wrinkled and eight pear-shaped rhopalia. In general, P. noctiluca has a common distribution along the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean; however, recordings of this species in Indian waters are considered rare and out of its documented distribution area. It has been reported earlier from Indian waters, and the nearest known distribution is from the Gulf of Mannar, Bay of Bengal. This species shows an invasive distribution in the warmer tropical environments due to its wide range of temperature tolerance. The species can be considered “invasive” as the periodic occurrence of large abundances in coastal waters occurs when this typically offshore species is advected shoreward in years when population densities appear to be exceptionally high. Consequently, it is problematic at the very periphery of its “natural range,” thus differing from truly invasive species that have been introduced into a new area. The findings in this study suggest that specific hydrodynamic conditions may transport the permanent offshore population of P. noctiluca inshore, resulting in non-native outbreaks on shores. The study sheds light on the presence of the non-native oceanic mauve stinger in the Cape Comorin coastal waters in the Bay of Bengal, which alters the fisheries and tourism industries because it has a negative interaction with human recreational and coastal fishing activities.

Duke, L.D. and Laakkonen, K., 2024. Managing for sandy coastal habitat in SW Florida: Institutional complexities hinder local agencies' use of best practices. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1111–1124. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

In the United States, many kinds of management for environmental protection are largely vested in local agencies of municipalities but subject to federal- and state-level policies, regulations, restrictions, and guidelines. These policies commonly overlap, sometimes conflict, and in many cases leave gaps with no guidance for important management aspects. This research conducted a close textual analysis of local planning and management documents, including review of permits for specific projects undertaken in 2000–15, as well as detailed analysis of federal- and state-level policies. The objective was to investigate the interactions and limitations of the existing suite of local, state, and federal policies and rules affecting beach management in SW Florida for sea turtles and beach-nesting birds. The research approach was to assess the extent to which stated and adopted procedures conformed to the best available science in protecting beach habitats, particularly in the context of rising sea level and its potentially devastating impact on beach habitats. Findings show that major rules from two federal agencies (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and two Florida State agencies (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Florida Department of Environmental Protection) have important influences. This research shows uneven and local protections that routinely do not incorporate practices known to be supported by best science, in some cases egregiously so. Local policies vary widely in guidance language and specific protections. Analysis of 35 permitted beach nourishment projects during 2000–15 showed several example projects with excellent habitat protections but a strong majority with few or none of the kinds of protection documented by scientific information to be best practices to protect sandy beach habitat. The articulated conceptual policy goals of federal and state agencies have had almost no penetration into localmunicipalities' policies, guidelines, or procedures.

Sumangala, D.; Abhinav, G.; Nagamani, P.V., and Warrior, H., 2024. Enhanced upwelling dynamics simulation in the Bay of Bengal: Integrating ANNs into hydrodynamic models. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1125–1136. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

The Bay of Bengal exhibits a unique upwelling pattern, which is most pronounced during the summer monsoon months. This phenomenon is driven by a combination of open-ocean processes and seasonally reversing winds, leading to the transport of cooler, nutrient-rich waters to the coastal areas. The upwelling process is crucial for the marine ecosystem, supporting a diverse range of organisms that thrive in colder temperatures. To accurately capture the upwelling dynamics in the Bay of Bengal, a combination of the Delft3D model and an artificial neural network (ANN) was employed. The Delft3D model alone was unable to adequately represent the upwelling phenomenon, particularly the vertical velocity component (w). The incorporation of an ANN into the Delft3D framework significantly improved the accuracy of vertical velocity predictions. This modification provided a better capacity to forecast velocities in the Bay of Bengal, with a correlation of up to 0.92 (0.97) for the u (v) velocity components. The findings of this study highlight the importance of incorporating ANNs into hydrodynamic models to accurately represent complex processes such as upwelling. This approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of these critical processes, enabling better management and conservation of marine ecosystems.

Dhanabalan, S.; Neethirajan, N.; Natarajan, J.; Muthupandi, K.; Thangaraji, R.; Sethuraj, A., and Julin, A.S., 2024. Gillnet selectivity for the Coromandel flying fish, Hirundichthys coromandelensis (Hornell, 1923), along the Nagapattinam coast, southeast coast of India. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1137–1143. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

The Coromandel flying fish, Hirundichthys coromandelensis, forms a seasonal fishery along the Nagapattinam coast of Tamil Nadu, southeast coast of India, from March to August. The peak fishing season for this fish in the small-meshed gillnets operated along the Nagapattinam coast was found to be the month of June. Small-meshed gillnets, locally known as “Kolavalai,” with different mesh sizes of 30 mm (net A), 32 mm (net B), and 34 mm (net C) were found to be operated for the capture of H. coromandelensis. Length frequency data collected from March 2023 to August 2023 were used to create gillnet selectivity curves for H. coromandelensis. The length at first capture (L_b) of this species was found to be 149 mm, 160.9 mm, and 172.8 mm for net A, net B, and net C, respectively. The mean selection length (L_c) was estimated as 179.9 mm, 191.9 mm, and 203.9 mm for net A, net B, and net C, respectively. Further, the escapement length (L_d) was found to be 211.8 mm, 223.7 mm, and 235 mm for net A, net B, and net C, respectively. The value of gill selection factor for H. coromandelensis was estimated as 5.99. The mesh sizes for the commercial exploitation of commercially significant length groups (195 mm) and fishable length groups (190 mm) were estimated as 32.5 mm and 31.7 mm, respectively. The selectivity study revealed that among the three different mesh sizes of gillnets analyzed, net A with a mesh size 30 mm needs to be discouraged, as it was found to capture mainly immature and maturing specimens of H. coromandelensis.

McKown, J.G.; Burdick, D.M.; Moore, G.E.; Gibson, J.L., and Ferguson, W., 2024. Evaluation of drainage enhancement for vegetation recovery in New England salt marshes using public domain, high-resolution aerial imagery. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1144–1159. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

Paired stressors of sea-level rise and abandoned ditches and embankments from historic farming practices have exacerbated waterlogging and accelerated replacement of valuable interior high marsh with large pools throughout the United States Atlantic seaboard. High marsh loss has contributed to substantial population declines and the threat of future extinction of the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus), an endemic species of coastal wetlands. Creation of runnels and selective ditch maintenance has been promoted as short- and medium-term solutions to conserve and restore high marsh habitat and restore natural single-channel hydrology. A comprehensive monitoring program was launched in 2020 to evaluate the effect of runnels and maintenance of selective ditches on the hydrology, vegetation, and elevation of interior marshes across 17 marshes of Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, with the explicit goal of habitat conservation for the Saltmarsh Sparrow. The marsh surface was classified from 2010–21 with public aerial imagery to document the change in aerial extent of the vegetated marsh surface and unvegetated:vegetated ratio of tidal watersheds (mean size = 2.12 ± 0.18 ha) associated with specific management actions: runnelling, reference healthy marshes, and no-action pannes and pools. Runnels reversed the expansion of pools and pannes with annual declines of –0.037 unvegetated:vegetated ratio and gains of 1.55% vegetated area. Tidal watersheds gained an overall net 2.08 ha vegetated surface post-restoration, despite continued losses in reference and no-action tidal watersheds. Re-establishing hydrologic paths to allow regular tidal flooding and drainage promotes revegetation of shallow waterlogged pools—a first step toward rebuilding marsh elevation and conserving habitat for saltmarsh sparrows.

Kishorekumar, M.; Jayakumar, N.; Jawahar, P.; Neethiselvan, N.; Padmavathy, P.; Karuppasamy, K.; Sudhan, C., and Chandravanshi, S., 2024. Length–weight relationship of nine elasmobranch species landed along the south Tamil Nadu coast, India. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1160–1165. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

The present study was conducted to establish the length–weight relationship of nine elasmobranch species from the coast of southern Tamil Nadu, India. In total, 2686 specimens of nine species of elasmobranchs belonging to five orders, seven families, and eight genera were collected fortnightly from commercial catches with different fishing gear, such as trawl net, gill net, and deep-sea longline, from the Thoothukudi, Mandapam, and Thengapattanam fishing harbors from December 2022 to November 2023. The results showed that most species exhibited positive allometric growth and that values of b were within the expected range of 2.5 to 3.5. The maximum b value (3.17) was observed for male Pateobatis bleekeri. The total length–weight relationship or disc width–weight relationship showed good fit with r² values, varying from 0.8374 to 0.9969. The calculated b values in the current study showed that all males, females, and combined sexes of P. bleekeri, Aetobatus ocellatus, and Acroteriobatus variegatus showed negative allometric growth (b < 3). In the study, a new maximum total length is reported for P. bleekeri, and this study provides the first estimate,, of the length–weight relationship for the critically endangered species A. variegatus. The study provides baseline information for biological studies, stock assessment and management, and conservation of elasmobranch resources in a sustainable way along this coast.

Cabral, A.P. and Noernberg, M.A., 2024. Morphological characteristics of an open shelf ridge at Rio Grande do Norte continental shelf, NE Brazil. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1166–1181. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

This paper describes for the first time the occurrence of an open shelf ridge (OSR) in the South Atlantic Ocean, evidencing morphological differences with respect to occurrences in other regions. The unique configuration of this OSR derives from the characteristics of the shallow continental shelf frontal to the Calcanhar Cape, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, where it is located. It is a shallow, narrow, stepped shelf with an escarpment corresponding to a drowned shoreline around the 35 m isobath. There are extensive siliciclastic and carbonate sand deposits, sand ribbons, subaqueous dune fields, coral reefs, and calcareous algae patches. The high transparency of the water allows the use of multitemporal optical satellite images from remote sensors in the bathymetric modeling and morphodynamic description, in conjunction with echo sounder surveys, in situ sampling, and modeling. The metocean conditions of the region were determined from current and wind data obtained in situ, as well as data from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) numerical models. Combining these data allowed the identification, characterization, and analysis of the metocean patterns over the OSR. Superimposed onto the OSR, there is a field of asymmetric subaqueous dunes transverse to the ridge axis with wavelengths between 150 m and 2 km and heights between 2.5 m and 9 m, with a tendency for sediment transport offshore northwestward of the OSR crest. The synergistic effect of the dominant NE winds and the North Brazil Current with tidal currents drives the main metocean forcings. The hydrodynamic pattern for the main sedimentary deposit areas is described, and the effect of the OSR on general subaqueous dune field configuration is presented.

Mersin, K. and Mısırlıoğlu, T., 2024. A new approach for calculating ship emissions and energy efficiency of a fleet using the Cobb-Douglas function. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1182–1188. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

This paper delves into the intricate relationship between fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions within the context of maritime transportation, shedding light on a formula developed by Mersin, Misirlioglu, and Alkan for calculating fuel consumption. This formula, which considers factors such as ship displacement and machinery type, offers a nuanced understanding of fuel usage in maritime operations. Furthermore, the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) is meticulously examined, delineating its mandate of setting minimum energy efficiency standards for various ship types and models based on cargo transported per ton/mile. The EEDI formula is analyzed to facilitate a comprehensive comparison with reference EEDI scores to effectively interpret data. Through this analysis, this paper offers invaluable insights into the environmental ramifications of ship emissions and underscores the critical significance of enhancing energy efficiency within maritime transportation practices.

Iyyappan, T.; Santhakumar, R.; Oli, G.A; Padmavathy, P.; Athithan, S.; Subash, P., and Ramkumar, S., 2024. Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and constraints among ornamental fish entrepreneurs along the Tamil Nadu coast: A market-oriented approach. Journal of Coastal Research, 40(6), 1189–1200. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208.

This study assessed the current level of knowledge, attitudes, and constraints towards market-oriented approaches among the ornamental fish entrepreneurs (OFEs) in Tamil Nadu, India. A validated questionnaire was given to 290 OFEs, and SPSS was performed for data analysis after pilot-testing. The results revealed a strong understanding of social media for marketing among OFEs, but with a moderate level of attitude toward market-oriented approaches. Respondents (4.33 mean) agreed on avoiding similar fish species production to prevent price crashes and demand slumps, which depicts their focus on consumer-oriented markets (4.31). Entrepreneurs (4.19) agreed that a successful producer prioritizes quality, attractive, and unique fish varieties in the market. They also agreed that social media is a prominent tool for business (4.3). The industry lacks quality brooders and seeds and struggles with a poor marketing system. A significant (P < 0.05) moderate correlation (r = 0.33) existed between knowledge and attitudes, but not with constraints. This study indicates the current state of market approaches and the access patterns of the OFEs in Tamil Nadu, and the results offer clarity for policymakers, planners, and stakeholders to further consider and develop market-oriented strategies for achieving successful business production and marketing in the ornamental fish industry.