Texas Great Barrier Reef

The Texas Great Barrier Reef Project (TGBRP) is a Public/Private program dedicated to the planning, constructing and monitoring of an artificial reefing corridor on permitted reef sites along the Texas Coast positioned in State Waters from 7.5 to 8.5 miles off of the beach.

Measurable objectives, consistent with the Texas Coastal Management Program and TPWD artificial reef program, are to provide and enhance substrate conducive to improving survival of juvenile red snapper, other finfish, and shellfish species, provide more accessible fishing grounds for Texas anglers, and to provide social and economic benefits to recreational fishing industries in Texas.

This will be a long-term project that will benefit fishery resources while avoiding, to the maximum extent possible, user conflict and be consistent with a stated purpose of NEPA to “encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between people and their environment and to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the Nation.”

To meet the objectives, our deployment of materials will determined by information from research teams of highly qualified research scientists from the Texas A & M University system, TPWD and a TGBRP Advisory Committee (AC) with representatives from the shrimp, gas and oil and recreational fishing industries as well as other fisheries experts that will provide input and guidance as we proceed with the project. Pre-deployment surveys will be done to determine bottom types and best locations for reef material and habitat type needed before any materials are deployed.

The TGBRP will differ from many artificial reef programs in that it will be guided by the above-mentioned research teams and advisors. Before any material will be put on the approved reef sites, a biological, geographical and archeological assessment will be conducted on potential reef material deployment areas. Geophysical and geological surveys will be conducted to determine the location of geological hazards and to determine the location of appropriate substrate to support reefs and determine the distribution of various habitat types within the approved reef sites (those suitable for placement of reef material and those areas that should be avoided such as “live bottom” and natural reefs). Since we will know the type of habitat, we will know how to avoid essential fish habitat (EFH) and in fact how to create EFH and we will be able to provide this information to NMFS. We believe this project will not only be consistent with NMFS EFH conservation recommendations, but will be an important tool to enhance the objectives of the NMFS to restore the red snapper biomass to sustainable levels.

Alabama has been very successful with their artificial reef program and now accounts for 40% of all recreationally caught Red Snapper in the ENTIRE Gulf, even though their coastline is 1/9th the length of the Texas coastline (view image). This success equates into countless of millions of dollars to THEIR Coastal Communities. This was accomplished through the development of permitted reefing areas on a scale that cannot be over-exploited by recreational or commercial fishermen (1,260 sq. miles of reefing areas) and is key to this success story. We need the partnership and vision presented by TGBRP to help prevent the over-exploitation of the fish stocks on the reefs off Texas, and in the long term, loss of Billions of dollars to key coastal communities generated by offshore fishermen. Dick Stone, who headed up the National Artificial Reefing Program, part of our team at TGBRP, provides a wealth of experience and knowledge to help in putting together this Public/Private Artificial Reefing Program.

As stated earlier, this will be a science-driven project and initiation of construction will be based on advice from our scientific team and availability of funding. The TGBRP will be accomplished with goals based on a 20-year plan, with pre-construction surveys, permit acquisition, and initial reef deployments to begin as soon as funds are available. The TGBRP will apply for CIAP funding and pursue other funding sources that will be used to begin the reef research and fund initial reef deployments.