416 



sis, which now rest on bed rock. Early in the year the reef took on a different 

 appearance; the thin barnacle growth that covered the reef the first year was 

 almost completely replaced by a settlement of small mussels. Tautog. dinner and 

 black sea bass replaced the winter-spring fish fauna of ling and ocean pout. We 

 observed breeding behavior and collected ripe specimens of the cunner popula- 

 tion occupying the reef. Later in the summer, juvenile cunner appeared on the 

 reef, darting in among the hydroid growth. Such evidence suggests that artificial 

 reefs can increase fish production as well as afford temporary haven and feeding 

 sites to adult fishes. 



Preliminary trapping efforts to obtain animals for tagging and recapture data 

 were successful. A non-baited ti-ap (modified lobster pot design) caught tautog. 

 cunner and black sea bass. The range of tautog appeared to be confined to the 

 immediate reef site since only traps placed within the reef caught tautog. 



In August we constructed and placed a twenty unit tire reef (12 tires per unit) 

 about a mile south of the existing Monmouth Beach car reef. Black sea bass 

 immediately occupied this reef. 



In November, off Jacksonville. Florida, divers observed a large assemblage of 

 fish on the three-month-old-reef. Over twenty species were counted, manv prime 

 sport fish. Several hundred large amberjack schooled over the top of the reef. 

 Grouper, snapi>er, sheepshead, and black sea bass occurred in and around the 

 culverts and ears. Groups of car bodies, cabled together, were completely hidden 

 from view by dense schools of small porgies and grunts. Of the organisms en- 

 crusting the reef, barnacles dominated, with lesser numbers of hydroids and tube- 

 building worms present. Although we saw many species of fishes in this area be- 

 fore construction of the reef, such dense concentration had not been observed 

 before. This reef is successfully attracting large numbers of adult animals from 

 other areas. 



In Charleston, South Carolina, a similar but much more dramatic change in 

 the local fauna was effected by construction of a car reef on the sand flats off 

 shore. Pre-construction dives revealed a fish fauna of scattered sea robins, razor- 

 fish and jawfish. In December, twelve species of fishes were observed on the first 

 inspection dive on the reef. Principal forms were bluefish, black sea bass, filefish 

 and longspine porgies, with several large sheepshead and black drum. Barnacles. 

 an important food item, were the most numerous encruster on the car bodies. The 

 sediments around car bodies in contact with the sand bottom had been scoured 

 out about one foot, exposing a fossil oyster reef, a stratum which should prevent 

 the reef from settling any deeper. 



We completed necessary plans for a January survey of our artificial reef in 

 Biscay ne Bay, Miami, Florida. 



Larry Ogrek-. 



[Progress in Sport Fishery Research, 1968, p. IT] 



ARTIFICIAL REEF DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT 



In 1968, we added a sixth unit to our series of experimental artificial reefs. 

 This one off Palm Bleach, Fla., is made up of three sunken ships — the 185-foot 

 vessel Mizpah, a 165-foot steel Navy patrol craft, and a 485-foot section of the 

 Greek freighter AmanjUis. It is in 85 feet of water, about a mile offshore ,iust 

 north of Lake Worth Inlet. Observations on the reef have shown a good popula- 

 tion of fishes around the vessels. 



During 1968, we also added to existing reefs. In August we put a small tire 

 reef down on the Monmouth Beach. N.J. site. To minimize preparation costs we 

 tried the simple method of stringing tires on scrap anchor chain and put 1,100 

 tires into a 1,250 square foot area. Our reef off Rockaway Inlet, N.T. was in- 

 creased in October when the New York State Conservation Department deposited 

 200 tons of concrete culvert and approximately 25 three-tire units. 



Our experience shows scrap tires make the best reef material in many areas. 

 Tires are easy to obtain because they are a nuisance to dispose of on land but 

 are easy to handle and can be formed into units of almost any .size. Techniques 

 for handling the masses of tires necessary to cover acres of bottom are under 

 study with funds supplied by the U.S. Public Health Service. The development 

 of an effective disposal technique will have many benefits : it will produce more 

 favorable habitat for coastal fish, help solve a critical disposal problem, and 

 increase the esthetics of the landscape. 



