NOAA, the State of Alaska and the University of Alaska Fairbanks have cooperated to build two artificial reefs made of stone in the waters of Lynn Canal, in Southeast Alaska just north of Juneau. The reefs are in 18 to 25 feet of water and are designed to enhance near-shore marine habitat for fish and invertebrates.
NOAA Fisheries initiated the project through discussions with the Alaska Department of Transportation, reviewed the research proposal and obtained all required state and federal permits.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks designed the project and study plan and completed extensive surveys of the seafloor and existing local rocky reefs. The Alaska Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration provided engineering expertise, funding, and contracting services for the project as partial mitigation for the planned Juneau Access Improvement Project.
The two structures, each 30 feet wide by 100 feet long, were placed on sandy bottom and incorporate about 30% open space between the rocks to provide habitat for fish and marine invertebrates such as juvenile rockfish, shrimp and eels. The depth and design are intended to support the settling and growth of kelp and other seaweeds that provide ideal spawning habitat for Pacific herring.
