Four new artificial reef sites are underway in Lake Borgne and the Mississippi Sound. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries inshore reef biologist Ashley Ferguson says in total, 880 tons of limestone, 80 cubic yards of oyster shells, and 130 reef balls are being used for the sites.
“About three-feet high concrete perforated domes. If you think of a wiffle ball, cut in half, and made out of concrete and bigger, that’s kind of the idea of what a reef ball looks like,” said Ferguson.
Ferguson says the sites are being constructed in an effort to enhance the fish habitat as well as provide excellent recreational fishing opportunities for inshore anglers.
“Things like barnacles and oysters and the base of that food chain starts building up. Then you’ll have some smaller fish come and you’ll have those bigger fish come that the anglers really like to catch like your speckled trout, your flounder, your redfish,” said Ferguson.
Each of the sites is about ten acres, with one acre of material going into each area. Ferguson says it is important for boaters to steer clear of those sites while the habitat develops.
“We have large, four-foot-high yellow marker buoys. They will be lit up at night with a blinking light that is yellow. They are going to be placed in the center of that 10-acre permit area,” said Ferguson.
