T 



■ he wake-up weather and 

 traffic forecast is on target. Day 

 breaks crisp and clear, and 

 traffic is heavy on Wilmington's 

 Shipyard Boulevard. 



At the port, the security 

 guard checks our photo 

 identification and matches 

 names and Social Security 

 numbers to her clearance list: 

 North Carolina Sea Grant/ 

 Coastwatch writer and photog- 

 rapher. Check. 



She directs us to a fenced 

 area where we'll rendezvous 

 with Jim Francesconi, coordi- 

 nator of the N.C. Division of 

 Marine Fisheries' Artificial Reef 

 Program. If the weather holds, 

 we'll observe the delivery of 

 130 artificial "reef balls" to 

 Artificial Reef Site #372, about 

 five miles off the Masonboro 

 Inlet Buoy. Members of the 

 Wrightsville Beach King 

 Mackerel Tournament organi- 

 zation, the deployment 

 sponsors, will provide some of 

 the muscle power. 



We're first to arrive at the staging area and have a chance to get a close look at the 

 rows of strange-looking reef balls. These so-called "fish condos" are designed to allow 

 fish and other marine life to move freely through side and top holes. Reef balls receive 

 high grades from recreational fishing clubs that are seeking to create fish habitat on near- 

 shore ocean bottoms. 



In a far corner of the staging area, we spot stacks of concrete sewer pipe acquired 

 by the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association — a principal player in the state's artificial 

 reef program. The pipe sections supplement the placement of 2,700 tons of reef material 

 the organization financed in 2001 as part of its ongoing reef enhancement campaign. 



Both clubs' deployments have been delayed several weeks by unpredictable 

 weather, marked with rough seas and high winds. This is an opportunity to make up for 

 some of that lost time. 



The staging area soon is alive with activity with the arrival of Francesconi and 

 DMF colleagues. Rita and Mike Merritt lead the Wrightsville Beach King Mackerel 

 Tournament volunteer contingent. 



The plan for the nonstop day is to move the reef balls by flat bed truck to Berth 8, 

 where they'll be hoisted aboard DMF's Research Vessel Long Bay, a converted military 

 landing craft. Once loaded, the vessel will move along the Cape Fear River to 

 Masonboro Inlet and open ocean waters bound for AR-372 — if time allows and seas 

 remain calm. 



Francesconi is optimistic on both counts. 



SO FAR, SO GOOD 



Rita Merritt lived with the ocean all her life and understands its fickle nature. 

 Having to wait another day for a safe deployment won't deflate her excitement. 



The organization has been involved with the artificial reef program since its early 

 days, when it supported the deployment of several salvaged vessels. "The idea is to put 

 something back into the community," Merritt explains. "We heard about the new 

 technology and materials, and saw the impressive work the Long Bay Artificial Reef 

 Association is doing in Brunswick County with reef balls. Our board members agreed 

 that investing in reef balls is another way to go." 



It's an investment with tangible paybacks. She explains that reef balls are food 

 chain catalysts. Once the structure is colonized by marine organisms, small baitfish move 

 in — followed by larger fish prized by anglers. 



The initial investment of $15,500 raised from the 2001 tournament was enough to 

 purchase and transport 100 reef balls. Individual donations brought the total to 128, and 

 the Florida-based manufacturer added two to allow for breakage en route. 



"We've already received pledges for our next deployment," she says. "The more 

 good material you can place on the site, the more fish you'll attract." 



There's a lot of room for enhancement at AR-372. The site has been permitted since 

 the mid-1980s. Ten railroad boxcars were sunk in 1986, but nothing more was added 

 until 1990 when two barges and boat molds were deployed. 



Each artificial reef buoy is assigned a Global Positioning System "address" for 

 follow-up monitoring by DMF — and for easy location by anglers. 



"So, if you see a cluster of small fishing boats, and wonder how they know that's 

 where the fish are, it's likely the boats are over an established artificial reef site," Merritt 

 says. "It's a terrific program, with so many possibilities." 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 7 



