Massive Oyster Restoration Slated for Galveston Bay

Governor Perry approves $3.2 million for oyster enhancement project

Houston, Texas - After months of process and effort, Governor Rick Perry has submitted a $3.2 million Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) grant project to US Fish and Wildlife for final approval. This grant request was created by CCA Texas in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). CCA Texas has pledged an additional $500,000 to increase the scope of this enormous reefing project.

“Clearly, this is a high impact project,” said Mark Ray, Chairman of CCA Texas. “We applaud Governor Perry for his support and vision in this effort and look forward to the next steps.”

After Hurricane Ike, more than 8,000 acres of oyster reef were destroyed in the Galveston Bay system. CCA Texas partnered with TPWD, key academic leaders and the oyster industry to create this unique plan for Galveston Bay oyster restoration. The project will restore in excess of 100 acres of oyster reefs in Galveston’s popular East Bay.

“Among Galveston Bay anglers, East Bay has always been known for its thriving and productive oyster reefs,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas Executive Director. “Our hope is that this project will be another step in improving the health and productivity of the Galveston Bay complex.”

CCA Texas’ Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow program has funded more than $400,000 near-shore reef projects and has pledged an additional $500,000 for this enormous reef creation effort.

“The Governor’s approval is a critical step in getting final funding for this important project,” said Ray. “We all know how tenuous federal and state budgets are right now and it is critical that this project goes to completion.”

CCA Texas’ Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow program (HTFT) provides much-needed funds for the restoration and enhancement of coastal marine habitats. The program has supported marsh grass enhancement projects, inshore and offshore reef creation and vital estuary restoration that span from Port Mansfield to Sabine. Through CCA Texas’ successful fundraising and membership efforts, HTFT has grown to become one of the largest programs of its kind.

$500,000 pledge kicks off multi-million dollar fundraising campaign

Aransas County, Texas – The Coastal Conservation Association Texas recently announced a $500,000 matching grant to initiate a new push in generating the funding to open Aransas County’s Cedar Bayou and Vincent Slough.  After decades of negative impacts from siltation and low water flows, an estimated $6.5M effort will be required to open the vital connection from Mesquite and Aransas Bays to the Gulf of Mexico.

“It is not often that there is an opportunity to reopen a vital and iconic pass,” said Robby Byers, CCA Texas executive director. “There is still a lot of money to be raised and a lot of work to do, but CCA Texas kicked off a critical next step with this financial support.”

Cedar Bayou is a natural pass that separates St. Joseph’s Island from Matagorda Island. Dredging efforts date back to the 1930s, but partial efforts, siltation and misplacement of spoil materials have eventually led to the pass and adjacent Vincent Slough being sealed.

Along with the kick-off funding, CCA Texas will partner with Aransas County in providing funds to secure a professional fundraiser to pursue the needed dollars to complete the dredging project.  To date, Aransas County has already secured $500,000 in Coastal Impact Assistance Program funds for the project.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the economic and environmental future of Aransas County and the State of Texas,” said Judge C.H. Mills. “Our partnership with CCA in this important effort is a much-needed boost to push this initiative forward.”

After a protracted application and approval process, Judge Mills signed the dredging permit for Cedar Bayou and Vincent Slough on August 3 of 2011. Although the pass has been dredged numerous times through history, this is the largest and most comprehensive effort slated to date.

“Anytime you can open a pass between the Gulf and bay, you are creating a tremendous benefit for the bay and the anglers who enjoy it,” said Mark Ray, CCA Texas Chairman. “CCA Texas has supported this important effort for decades and this new support will hopefully reopen this vital pass for generations to come.”

Anglers have high hopes for debate over value of artificial structure

A motion made at the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting last week in Mobile, Alabama, could be the first step to protecting what has been regarded as the largest man-made reef in the world – the vast forest of energy-related structures in the offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Bob Shipp’s request to have Council staff clarify the definition of what qualifies as artificial structure could pave the way for rigs and other vital reefs to be classified as Essential Fish Habitat.

“For anglers who have been greatly concerned about the impact of this Administration’s directive to summarily remove all non-producing energy structures, this is a very welcome development,” said Pat Murray, president of Coastal Conservation Association. “This is a chance for the Gulf Council and NOAA Fisheries to take a stand to protect that habitat, and we are grateful to Dr. Shipp for presenting this opportunity.”

In a misdirected response to the Gulf oil spill, the U.S. Department of Interior issued a directive in October of 2010 ordering that all non-producing rigs be plugged and any remaining structure removed within five years of the issuance of that directive. There are approximately 3,500 offshore structures in the Gulf of Mexico and the directive, known as the Idle Iron Policy, would immediately impact roughly 650 structures that have not produced oil or gas within five years of the directive issue date of Oct. 15, 2010.

“Anglers have already noted with alarm the disappearance of some rigs that have been in place for years – sometimes decades – that provided the base for flourishing ecosystems,” said Murray. “It is a completely avoidable tragedy, and we hope that the Council and NOAA Fisheries will do what it can to halt this needless destruction.”

Sen. David Vitter (R-La) and Rep. Steve Palazzo (R-Ms) have filed legislation that would prevent rigs and other structures from being summarily removed from the Gulf of Mexico, but both bills face a difficult road through the current Congress. A decision by NOAA Fisheries to declare artificial structures Essential Fish Habitat would be a significant addition to legislative efforts.

In 2009, Dr. Shipp and Stephen Bortone published a paper on the importance of artificial habitat on the management of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico which credits the deployment of energy structures in the mid-20^th century for greatly increasing the harvest potential of red snapper.

“If the habitat limitation hypothesis is correct, and I believe it is, then it would be necessary to maintain or even increase the amount of artificial habitat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to keep pace with fishing pressure,” said Dr. Shipp. “Taking it out makes no sense whatsoever.”

To learn more about this issue, visit the Rigs to Reefs page on the CCA website, www.JoinCCA.org.

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CCA is the largest marine resource conservation group of its kind in the nation. With almost 100,000 members in 17 state chapters, CCA has been active in state, national and international fisheries management issues since 1977. For more information visit the CCA Newsroom at www.JoinCCA.org.

TRAP DROP OFF SITE LIST

Sabine Lake – Local TPWD coordinator Jerry Mambretti (409) 736-9035

Pleasure Island Marina Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

Galveston Bay – Local TPWD coordinator Bill Balboa (281) 534-0110

Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys)

Facilitated & trap drop-off site

TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab-1502 FM 517 E, Dickinson

Trap drop-off site

Seabrook SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp

Facilitated by Galveston Bay Foundation & trap drop-off site

Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp- FM 2004

Facilitated & trap drop-off site

MATAGORDA BAY– Local TPWD coordinator Leslie Hartman (361) 972-6253

Mitchell Cut Boat (ICWW) Ramp @ Sargent

Trap drop-off site

Matagorda Harbor @ Matagorda

Trap drop-off site

Railroad Park @ Palacios

Trap drop-off site

San Antonio Bay – Local TPWD coordinator Norman Boyd (361) 983-4425

Charlie’s Bait Stand

Facilitated & trap drop-off site

Port O’Connor TPWD Docks

Facilitated & Trap drop-off site

ARANSAS BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Karen Meador (361) 729-5429

Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp

Facilitated & trap drop-off site

North Cove Harbor Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

CORPUS CHRISTI BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Tom Wagner (361) 729-2328

Nueces Bay Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

Port Aransas Public Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

UPPER LAGUNA MADRE – Local TPWD coordinator Todd Neahr (361) 825-3353

Bluff’s Landing Marina

Trap drop-off site

Kaufer Park Boat Ramp

Trap drop-off site

LOWER LAGUNA MADRE –  Local TPWD coordinator Mark Lingo (956) 350-4490

Adolfe Thomae County Park @ Arroyo City

Trap drop-off site

Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp @ Port Mansfield

Trap drop-off site