Come out on the 15th to help us clean up our beach and learn more about the New Jersey Artificial Reef Program. Get the details here!!
Randy Roash introduced Peter Clarke, a Fisheries Biologist from the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife. The web link is www.NJfishandwildlife.com.
Peter Clarke, who has been with the Division for eleven years, stated that there are fifteen reefs off the NJ coast from Sandy Hook to Cape May. He noted that the New Jersey reef program was reinstated in 2016.
Highlights of his talk included the deployments of 2016.
The “Tobacco Point” was sunk off the Atlantic City reef. Clarke commented that it “literally went down in three minutes.”
The “Ohio Dredge” was placed off Ocean City on Jack Clements’ reef.
The names welded on a plate on the dredge included Jack Clements, Joe Coffey, and Frank Moot. This was sponsored by the SFEC.
Clarke stated that who gets the ship is determined by who sponsors it.
Clarke briefly described how a ship is sunk.
- The location is marked.
- Holes are cut in the sides of the vessel one foot above the water line.
- The stern is sunk first, so that the ship will stay upright.
The F/V Austin was sunk off the Axel Carlson reef off Mantoloking. An
11 ft. by 5 ft. cross was put on the roof in memory of John Grady.
The F/V Lisa Kim was sunk off the Wildwood reef.
Clarke also noted concrete deployments in 2016, stating that each load is 1200 tons. The
Sea Girt reef has 3 barge loads from the Domino Sugar factory.
Clarke also described how this is done.
- The location is marked.
- The concrete is dropped.
- Within a year, it is colonized with fish.
In his closing remarks, Clarke stated that concrete is free. The ships cost money, as they have to be prepared and towed. He remarked that a ship “will last about 75 years, and concrete lasts a lot longer.”
Thanks to our awesome cooks who never let us down!!!