Artificial Reefs Boost Fishing Opportunities

This is what the interior of the soon-to-be reef looked like, and everything had to be stripped out prior to reefing.

Artificial reef sites boost fishing opportunities for everyone. That’s one of the reasons why the TPWD has a public reefing program, which allows citizens, organizations, and corporations to deploy reef materials under TPWD guidance. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a different reefing program, one which was sinking a 50-foot steel hull sailboat, but it gave me a lot of insight into just how big a job reefing a boat can be. Take a look at this:

This is what the interior of the soon-to-be reef looked like, and everything had to be stripped out prior to reefing.

As you can see, there was quite a bit of junk inside – and it all had to go, in order to get the okay for reefing. In fact, it took a half-dozen volunteers most of the day to strip out all the garbage, which over-filled a dumpster even as wood and metal were culled out for recycling. Not only does the junk need to be removed, but also anything that can float such as wood cabinetry, furniture, and hatches. But reefing isn’t always like this. In fact, it can be a cost-effective way to dispose of certain materials like concrete pipes or culverts, the rubble created by removing bridges, and other construction projects that require hauling away a lot of large, heavy concrete or metal items.

Why should you care? The bottom line: artificial reefs hold fish – lots of fish – and benefit anglers all along the coast. And in some cases, reefing (appropriate) materials can be the least costly way to dispose of concrete and steel that would otherwise become trash. The TPWD has had an artificial reef program since 1990 and along with converting rigs to reefs, has been building with the aforementioned materials ever since. CCA Texas also has a healthy reef building program, which can always use a helping hand. So the next time you start pulling snapper up from an artificial reef, remember all the work that went into creating it. And if you ever have the opportunity to volunteer to help build a reef, roll up your sleeves and pitch in – it only means better fishing, for all of us.