The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program sank a 55-foot trawler at AR-305 off Cape Lookout….
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program sank a 55-foot trawler at AR-305 off Cape Lookout.
The FV Alexandria Dawn was constructed in 1984 but has been out of use for around a decade. Before sinking, the vessel was cleaned extensively in accordance with EPA requirements. Purchase and sinking of the vessel was funded by Coastal Recreational Fishing License revenues. The Alexandria Dawn is located at 34° 16.653’N, 76° 38.651’W.
The Alexandria Dawn joins three other vessels at AR-305: the 183-foot Spar, the 439-foot Aeolus, and the 105-foot Thomas Dann. The site also contains 1,700 tons of donated recycled concrete that was deployed in July 2023. The site is approximately 28 nautical miles south of Beaufort Inlet, in 105 feet of water, and is a popular site for fishermen and divers.
An artificial reef is a manmade underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom. In North Carolina, artificial reefs serve as crucial spawning and foraging habitat for many commercially and recreationally important fish species.
For more information, contact DMF Artificial Reef Coordinator Jordan Byrum at (252) 515-5481 or Jordan.Byrum@deq.nc.gov.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Marine Fisheries Artificial Reef Program is soliciting public input for the next five years of ocean reef enhancements. The Artificial Reef Program plans to complete one project per year, for a total of five projects, one in each coastal region: Outer Banks, Raleigh Bay, Northern Onslow Bay, Southern Onslow Bay, and Long Bay.
The specific order of enhancements will be determined by material and stockpile availability, Division staff obligations, and timing of the most recent enhancement in the region. The enhancements will occur on established ocean reef sites within 20 nautical miles of shore.
Materials and deployment for the projects will be funded through an annual $500,000 Coastal Recreational Fishing License grant, but advisers are encouraged to offer matching contributions such as funding, materials, and staging areas. Any reef material contributions must meet Division specifications for acceptable materials (concrete pipe, concrete rubble, steel-hulled vessels).
Eligible recommendations for projects will be chosen based on: (1) Scope and merit; (2) Need (considering recent projects in the proposed region); (3) Material suitability; and (4) Matching contributions.
Projects will be selected by Jan. 10, 2025. For more information, email Jordan Byrum or call (252) 515-5481.
