This week’s guest is Jim Francesconi, Artificial Reef Coordinator, NC Division of Marine Fisheries.
Question: I recently gave money to CCA in support of the artificial reef program you are helping fund. When can I expect to see results from my donation and where the reef will be established? My other question is how exactly does the artificial reef program work?
Answer: The CCA has been the conduit to raise funds for Artificial Reef Restoration projects. Several projects have been funded through private donations, memorials, and revenue from the CCA Inside/Out Fishing Tournament. The first is the Bayview Reef. This reef is in the Pamlico River just south of Bayview and north of Aurora. Donations earmarked for the Bayview Project should be spent for transportation cost near the end of 2008 and in early 2009. The second reef designated for funds is the Don Willis Reef Project. This reef will be established on the Neuse River. Specific to the New Bern Reef project, the DMF is probably going to use marl, (fossil rock) therefore actual purchase of material will be necessary. The purchase of marl for a fishing artificial reef project is unusual and that makes CCA's participation integral to the success of the project in New Bern. The reef will not be named the Willis reef but will be recognized in his memory.
The funds donated to CCA's own artificial reef enhancement efforts will be used to improve projects throughout the state where CCA and NC Division of Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program can find a good fit for donated funds to either make an existing project more robust or do enhancements project in its entirety. The money collected for artificial reef projects has totaled over $37,000 in three years.
Below is a brief description of a typical project from the infancy stage to completion.
CCA North Carolina covers the cost of overland transportation and perhaps the purchase of material. The Division of Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program (DMF ARP) and Resource Enhancement Section personnel handle material at a staging site, load the state owned vessel, and deploy material at the specified site. DMF ARP covers wages, fuel, per-diem, and may add material to make project more robust and round out vessel loads.
Once the reef has been completed, the DMF will monitor the effects on reef-associated fisheries stocks, correct any problems, maintain the reef, develop an artificial guide for the public, and conduct annual reviews for the public.
Some projects require all state funds as there are no clubs to address reefs in the area. If the project involves reefing a vessel, the club or organization covers the entire cost because a single project is too expensive to be addressed by the state. All vessel reefings have been contracted between the purchasing club or organization and a marine contracting vendor.
For further information, please go the Division of Marine Fisheries website www.ncfisheries.net and click on the Artificial Reef Program.
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