Upper Coast Nearshore Reefing Efforts Continue

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Nearshore Reefing Program recently completed additional nearshore reefing efforts in Sabine HI20 and Galveston’s Big Man and Kate’s sites. TPWD contracted with Laredo Construction to deploy a total of 150 pyramids into the Sabine HI20 site and 1,000 pyramids and 255 slab reefs (low profile) into the Big Man and Kate’s sites. The December 2021 deployment included the 150 pyramids into Sabine HI20, 500 into Big Man’s, and 70 pyramids and 100 slab reefs into the Kate’s site. Laredo Construction is now in the process of constructing the balance of 430 pyramids and 155 slab reefs which will be deployed into the Kate’s site once construction is completed.

The Sabine HI20 site has benefited from multiple material deployments since October 2018. CCA Texas, Building Conservation Trust, and local industry partners have funded $906,000 to these deployments that include: a 120’ barge in October 2018; concrete culverts and granite blocks in November 2018; over 500 culverts in May of 2021; and the latest deployment of 150 pyramids in December of 2021. CCA Texas, Building Conservation Trust, and Friends of Sabine Reefs have worked with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Nearshore Reefing Program to help secure materials and funds to make the nearshore reefing vision a reality. Local industry partners Sempra LNG, Chenier Energy, Golden Pass LNG, Motiva, Phillips 66, Shell Oil Company, Friends of Sabine Reef, Forterra Pipe and Precast, Bo-Mac Contractors, and Eldridge Construction have all been key partners helping to create much needed nearshore habitat for nearshore species, and provide an easily accessible fishing area for local recreational anglers. CCA Texas and Friends of Sabine Reef will continue to work with TPWD to establish new nearshore reefing sites along the Upper Texas Coast that will benefit the resource and local recreational anglers.

The Galveston Big Man’s and Kate’s Reef sites are located roughly 20 miles southwest of the Galveston Jetties. This site permitted by TPWD with input from many local anglers and support from many, most notably Andy Gessner. These two sites are named for Andy’s grandchildren, and honor his support and efforts to bring a nearshore site close to the Galveston area. The Big Man’s site was previously reefed with 180 pyramids in 2018 and 180 slab reefs in 2019, and the Kate’s site was previously reefed with 200 tons of concrete railroad ties and a 45’ vessel in October of 2020.  CCA Texas, Building Conservation Trust and Shell Oil Company have contributed $329,000 to these reefing efforts, and look forward the continued reefing and building of the sites.

Time to Get Involved

After a very successful 2021, CCA Texas and local chapter boards are looking forward to 2022. Local Chapter boards and CCA Texas Assistant Directors are busy planning for upcoming events and looking forward to another successful year. CCA Texas encourages you to get involved with your local chapter and help make a difference for Texas’s coastal resources. Your voice is also important and another way to get involved. With coastal fisheries management issues always at the forefront, it is important for each of us to attend and make our voices heard at TPWD public meetings.  These are held up and down the coast and in most cases online presentations are given, and opportunity for written comment is made available. Being a part of the process is an important step to a conservation-minded approach as a recreational angler.

The 2022 Annual Crab Trap Cleanup is slated for February 18 to February 27, 2022.  The main volunteer cleanup date is set for February 19, 2022 and dumpsters will be placed at different locations along the coast. The Billy Sandifer Beach Cleanup is set for Saturday February 26, 2022. Both of these events are great opportunities to volunteer your time to better the Texas coast.

For more information about CCA Texas, be sure to visit www.ccatexas.org or follow us on social media.