Project may start long-term coastal restoration
Two artificial reefs soon will cover 4 acres of old oyster reefs alongside the long-submerged Independence Island, one of the most popular speckled-trout fishing sites off Grand Isle.
The artificial reefs are expected to help sustain the ecological hot spot for trout for at least several more decades. This spring, about 3,500 tons of limestone will be poured to sustain the dying reef habitat that gradually has been covered by mud from coastal erosion and hurricanes.
Gov. Bobby Jindal announced the move Tuesday in Baton Rouge, along with members of the Coastal Conservation Association -- a nonprofit group that represents the interests of saltwater fishermen -- and Shell Oil Co., which donated the money to make the project possible.
The artificial reef is for habitat, not coastal, restoration. Yet, some state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials did say that if the state can allocate more funds, resurrecting Independence Island in the future would aid long-term coastal protection.
While the current $500,000 reef project only calls for four acres on the east side of the submerged island, Wildlife and Fisheries acquired a 55-acre site permit for future reef development that includes the island's original footprint.
Independence Island, now about 3 to 4 feet under water, once existed north of Grand Terre and just a few miles northeast of Grand Isle.
For several decades -- some say more than 50 years -- the island has rested beneath the surface, housing channels and crevasses that act like a natural reef by encouraging fish to swarm within it. It has been prized for its speckled trout, and to a lesser extent, redfish.
The shells and oyster reefs -- now mainly long dead because of storms, salinity levels and subsidence -- once supported the island and continue to be a draw for trout and redfish between April and September.
And while pouring heavy limestone in an area that's already among the fastest-sinking along the coast might seem suspect, Wildlife and Fisheries officials said the old oyster reef is hard enough to easily sustain the weight.
The artificial reefs will provide shelter for crabs, shrimp and smaller bait fish, that in turn attract pockets of larger fish, which in turn draw the humans who catch them. Because reefs create contours on the bottom, they tend to channel water moving through the shallow bays during tidal cycles and thus also steer and congregate bait.
The artificial reefs are expected to help sustain the ecological hot spot for trout for at least several more decades.
The reefs must provide 3 to 4 feet of clearance to pose no danger to recreational boaters. With the artificial reefs likely standing 3 to 4 feet tall, officials chose the area just east of the island in part because it's about 6 to 8 feet deep compared to the 3 feet of water above the island itself.
Debate exists on whether artificial reefs promote aquatic life or simply attract fish, but all generally agree that they do increase habitat diversity.
And while some shrimpers are against new reefs, which tangle their nets, shrimpers already are prohibited from trawling near the Independence Island site because of the oyster reefs that traditionally lie below, according to Wildlife and Fisheries officials.
To pay for the project, the Coastal Conservation Association donated $250,000, with the state providing $250,000 in matching funds, according to David Cresson, the association's executive director.
Shell recently donated $1.5 million to the association's Building Conservation Habitat Program, and the Independence Island project is the first to use the money, Cresson said.
At the project announcement on Tuesday, Jindal touted the program for helping the marsh, which is "the heart and soul of Louisiana."
"Louisiana's coastal environment has faced many challenges, some man-made and some natural," Jindal said in an e-mail message. "This makes it increasingly important for us to find innovative ways to restore and enhance the coastal areas that support the state's economy."
The governor said these types of partnerships are necessary to help people "get back on their feet after the oil spill" and preserve "the beauty of coastal Louisiana for generations to come."
Louisiana currently has 27 in-shore artificial reefs and 64 off-shore, according to Doug Peter, the state Wildlife and Fisheries artificial reef coordinator.
Benjamin Alexander-Bloch can be reached at bbloch@timespicayune.com or 504.352.2552.