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Artificial reef being lowered into the water -
Mic Cowart with the artificial reef structure model -
The artificial reef group poses outside
Fishing is a popular pastime across the area, and Southeast Texas is known for ample angling opportunities. But, what happens when the fish have no place to live and those opportunities “dry up,” so to speak? A team of concerned conservationists and local leaders have an answer to that question.
A group of partners who have worked together to create marine habitat and improve angling opportunities for Southeast Texans gathered Oct. 5 to celebrate their success in building and expanding the Sabine HI20 Reef off the coast of Sabine Pass – a project that is already showing results since reefing started in 2018. According to John Blaha, CCA Texas assistant director, the area that was “largely devoid of any habitat just a few years ago” is now burgeoning with life.
Mic Cowart, former Sabine Pass Port Authority director and Friends of the Sabine Reefs founder, welcomed industry, community leaders and conservationists to the Sabine Pass Community Center on Oct. 5 to recognize the partners’ efforts in executing the reef project and discuss possible future endeavors.
“The potential for this project to expand and continue to grow is enormous. It’s really almost unlimited,” Cowart described. “It’s just going to take all of us working together to get there. And all of you guys, each one of you, whether you know it or not, has already played a part in the success that we’ve had with the Artificial Reef Program here and up the coast. Without all of you here today, we never would have been able to have this meeting, as well… Your interest, commitment and involvement allow us to take the next step.”
The HI20 Reef site, 9 miles off Sabine Pass, “is rapidly becoming one of the largest artificial reef projects on the upper Texas coast,” reported the Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) in March 2022. Tons of materials have been utilized to build up the reef over the years since the project began. Partners have deployed a “massive array” of objects including a 120-foot barge, concrete culverts, steel structural components, granite blocks and about 150 pyramid structures designed specifically to provide habitat for growing marine ecosystems, in addition to other materials covering more than 160 acres at the site.
The effort continues, and plans to undertake other potential artificial reef projects along the Gulf Coast are also underway, which will create even more marine habitat, encouraging increased numbers of red snapper and other varieties of fish desirable to anglers.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about offshore nearshore reefs or reef structures within our base systems,” described Shane Bonnot, CCA Texas advocacy director. “Those structures provide the environment with three things: refuge, food and habitat – so, a place for critters to hide to avoid predation, a place that offers them feeding opportunities, and a habitat for other marine organisms to grow on those structures.
“When we have an opportunity to engage in habitat projects, it’s something that resonates with CCA membership. We have a membership of about 75,000 anglers in Texas, and when they want to fish, they want an opportunity to catch something – a place to go where they know they’re going to have a good time and be able to catch fish. That’s what these structures provide. Whether it’s a pyramid or a flat oyster reef on the bay bottom, these structures provide habitat, refuge or food for all the things that you care about.”
Industry partners Sempra LNG, Cheniere Energy, Golden Pass LNG, Motiva, Phillips 66, Shell Oil Company, Friends of the Sabine Reefs, Forterra Pipe and Precast, Bo-Mac Contractors, Eldridge Construction and The CCA Music City Chapter teamed up with CCA Texas, Building Conservation Trust (BCT) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to undertake the monumental effort on HI20. CCA Texas’ Blaha and past CCA Texas Chairman Will Ohmstede presented plaques to the industry partners, recognizing their vital contributions to conservation in the community.
During the meeting, several speakers, including Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce President Pat Avery and Dr. Emma Clarkson, TPWD Ecosystem Resource Program Director, described upcoming artificial reef projects, and the importance of those efforts to the environment and angling, as well as the economic impacts of the angling industry on this area.
As the meeting concluded, CCA Texas Chairman of Governmental Affairs Rocky Chase thanked the partners for coming together for the benefit of Southeast Texans.
“I’ve lived in Southeast Texas for a long time… I understand the value of industry here,” said Chase. “It’s the backbone of the whole area. It’s also the backbone of the country. It’s very important for (industry) to give back – and you’ve done it! You have all been unbelievable! I appreciate you.”
Learn more about CCA Texas online at: www.ccatexas.org.
Read more on this story in the November edition of The Southeast Texas Business Journal.