A new artificial reef near Turner's Bay Island, Calcasieu Lake, Louisiana has been completed. The enhancement to the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program will increase the hard bottom-fishing habitat for Louisiana anglers.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in partnership with the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, coordinated this reef project. Funding was provided by Chevron Corporation, Dynamic Industries, and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, In-kind contributions were provided by Matt Durand Construction and NOAA Lafayette.
"Partnerships of this type make up the backbone of LDWF's Artificial Reef Programs," said Mike Harbison, LDWF Marine Fisheries Division biologist manager, Lake Charles.
The reef is constructed of crushed limestone, a material of choice for the creation of low-profile artificial reefs. It minimizes the impacts on other user groups such as shrimping and navigational interests. The reef material was unloaded and placed on the floor of Calcasieu Lake (latitude 30 degrees 03 minutes 20.114 seconds N and longitude 93 degrees 18 minutes 26.509 seconds W).
