Make your own artificial reef.

[ionature]

I live in Point Pleasant New Jersey, a small beach town on the Mid Atlantic coast in the US. The state of New Jersey has always had one of the most active artificial reef programs in the country until recently. The state is now involved in a fight with the federal government over use of the reef sites by commercial fishermen. The funding rules set down by the the US government says that the federally funded reefs are to be used exclusively for recreation and the use of commercial fishing gear is prohibited. Well, the commercial guys have some powerful friends in the state house that are blocking any attempt to enforcing the existing rules so the federal government had pulled all funding until they do. That means that the artificial reef program here in my home state has been completely halted.
Our state is very densely populated and recreational fishing is extremely popular. If it weren't for the artificial structure created by accidental shipwrecks and artificial reefs, our most popular spearfishing targets would have been fished out long ago. We live on a virtual desert, a 100 mile wide, sandy continental shelf with very little in the way of vertical structure.
Because of recent events I have decided to build my own artificial reefs. The first of which is almost complete and will be ready for sinking after the first of the year. I am a SCUBA instructor, marine biologist, and an artist so this is right up my alley. A local dock builder donated a 50 foot long, steel spud barge that I have built an anatomically correct sculpture of one of our favorite local critters, a horseshoe crab. I chose that shape because it would make great habitat due to its large surface area and cavernous space underneath. It is made of rebar and cement and is welded straight to the barge, so the whole thing will be sunk as one unit. The newly defunded reef program has given me permission to build it and will assist with logistics, but I am funding the whole thing myself.
Thought you all might be interested.
Check out the website www.ArtAsReef.com

 

[ReefTroll]

Mate, that is awesome, thanks for taking the time to share with us. Oh, and welcome to DB!

 

[Bill McIntyre]

I don't pretend to know the science, but for what its worth-

Questions about artificial reefs' effect on fish counts | HeraldTribune.com

 

[cdavis]

Good points on both sides of this issue. On the west Florida shelf, there is lots and lots of natural cover for reef fish, but artificial reefs are so attractive cover wise that they probably do concentrate fish and make'em more vulnerable, increasing overfishing and reducing growth rate. In Louisiana, nothing but mud for miles,thousands of oil platforms unquestionably(IMHO) increase production of reef fish. Don't know New Jersey, but it sounds like Louisiana.

Very cool looking reef. I can't wait to see some underwater pics.

Connor

 

[Spaniard]

I live in Point Pleasant New Jersey, a small beach town on the Mid Atlantic coast in the US. The state of New Jersey has always had one of the most active artificial reef programs in the country until recently. The state is now involved in a fight with the federal government over use of the reef sites by commercial fishermen. The funding rules set down by the the US government says that the federally funded reefs are to be used exclusively for recreation and the use of commercial fishing gear is prohibited. Well, the commercial guys have some powerful friends in the state house that are blocking any attempt to enforcing the existing rules so the federal government had pulled all funding until they do. That means that the artificial reef program here in my home state has been completely halted.
Our state is very densely populated and recreational fishing is extremely popular. If it weren't for the artificial structure created by accidental shipwrecks and artificial reefs, our most popular spearfishing targets would have been fished out long ago. We live on a virtual desert, a 100 mile wide, sandy continental shelf with very little in the way of vertical structure.
Because of recent events I have decided to build my own artificial reefs. The first of which is almost complete and will be ready for sinking after the first of the year. I am a SCUBA instructor, marine biologist, and an artist so this is right up my alley. A local dock builder donated a 50 foot long, steel spud barge that I have built an anatomically correct sculpture of one of our favorite local critters, a horseshoe crab. I chose that shape because it would make great habitat due to its large surface area and cavernous space underneath. It is made of rebar and cement and is welded straight to the barge, so the whole thing will be sunk as one unit. The newly defunded reef program has given me permission to build it and will assist with logistics, but I am funding the whole thing myself.
Thought you all might be interested.
Check out the website www.ArtAsReef.com

I congratulate you on your efforts mate and for putting your hand in your pocket to boot! Hopefully the project pays dividends and I await updates most enthusiastically. I often read about artificial reef projects wherever they may be and their overall impact seems to be positive! Good luck.

 

[Oldsarge]

A great deal of the SoCal coast is sand bottom and could sure use some more artificial reefs for the giant kelp to anchor on. What we really need is a gigantic local fundraiser to start barging really big stone rubble out onto the flats. That would spruce up the fishing no end.

 

[Poida]

So, what they are saying is, if you have an artificial reef, you'll get artificial fish.

 

[ReefTroll]

They're not artificial fish, they're naturally enhanced, at least, that's what my stripper mistress used to tell me

 

[ionature]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the encouragement. Yup reefs are always a bit of a controversial subject but I don't think that anyone can generalize. They maybe good in some areas and not so good in others. I think that they work well here in New Jersey so I'm supporting the program. It's also just a really fun project! I'll post images from the sinking. Probably happening in the spring.
cheers

 

[agbiv]

Watch out for the giant octopus that will move in under that shell! Next thing you know a huge tenticle will whip out, snag you and drag you in to meet a horrible crushing and gnawing death.

I have got to stop replying to threads after working 16 hours and having a couple before bed. :friday

 

[agbiv]

Seriously, I think it's really cool and wish I had the time and discipline to complete a worthy project like that! Can't wait for the emmersion.