The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently deployed donated concrete culvert, metal chicken transport cages, and steel structures as the latest additions to Artificial Reef SAV – located six nautical miles southeast of Tybee Island. The 80 pieces of approximately three to four foot long concrete culvert were donated by Rayonier Inc., Coastal Resource Unit of Richmond Hill. The donation of 18 metal chicken transport cages by Fieldale Farms of Murrayville, Georgia was facilitated by the Coastal Conservation Association – Georgia. TW3 Transportation of Pooler, Georgia provided reduced-cost transportation of the cages to a staging area at East Coast Terminal Company in Savannah. The East Coast Terminal Companyalso donated two steel structures as reef material. Lastly, Industrial Marine Services, Inc. donated personnel and equipment to load all materials onto a barge that was towed to Artificial Reef SAV, where the materials were deployed at the following coordinates:
31â°54.674 / 80â°47.178.
In their new location on the seafloor, the concrete and metal materials will soon be colonized by barnacles, soft corals and sponges providing the basis of a food web that will attract saltwater gamefish such as grouper, sheepshead, black sea bass and king mackerel. Endangered sea turtles and other sea life also use these manmade reefs as foraging and resting habitat. CRD staff will monitor the site annually using side scan sonar and diver surveys to document the structural integrity of the materials, as well as the fish and invertebrate abundance and diversity.
“Donated materials help us to stretch our limited funds for offshore artificial reef enhancement. Instead of having to use those funds to purchase suitable reef material, we use them to cover the costs of transportation and deployment. Thanks to these donors, saltwater anglers in the Savannah area have a new fishing destination,” commented Spud Woodward, director of CRD.
The CRD offshore artificial reef project is made possible by fishing license funds, Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration, private donations, and partnerships with local organizations interested in enhancing offshore fishing and diving opportunities.
—–
Join ODU Magazine on Facebook here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter fishing site here at this LINK…..
Join ODU Magazine on our Twitter hunting site here at this LINK…..
.