NEWS: 10-acre artificial reef proposed for Hawaii

[sharkdude]

Posted on: Sunday, December 30, 2007
10-acre artificial reef proposed for Hawaii


By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer


CREATED REEFS

Hawai'i has been experimenting with installing artificial shelters since 1957 in an effort to increase and enhance fishing opportunities for fishermen. There are five state-created reefs:

Kualoa Artificial Reef, off Ka'a'awa, O'ahu, was created in 1972. This reef is approximately 1,727 acres in size. This reef consists of two barges, 1,848 Z-modules, 342 cars*, and a catamaran hull.

Wai'anae Artificial Reef, off Ma'ili Point, O'ahu, was created in 1963. This reef is approximately 141 acres in size.

This reef consists of 838 cars*, 4,196 tons of concrete pipes, two barges, two military landing craft units, 31 mid-water fish aggregation devices, 1,500 tire modules, 12,000 Z-modules, a military minesweeper (the "Mahi"), and various other items.

Maunalua Bay Artificial Reef, off Kahala, O'ahu, was created in 1961. This reef is approximately 74 acres in size. This reef consists of 1,593 cars*, 2004 tons of concrete pipes, 2,278 tire modules, five barges, 40 truck tires, 300 table shelters, 15,106 Z-modules, 70 prototype deepwater modules, military landing craft units, 70 concrete anchor blocks, and 6,150 tons of miscellaneous concrete pieces.

'Ewa Deepwater Artificial Reef, off 'Ewa Beach, O'ahu, was created in 1986. This reef is approximately 31 acres in size. This reef consists of two barges, two drydock caissons, 1,073 tons of concrete pipes, 8,000 tons of miscellaneous concrete pieces and a 43-foot ferro cement structure.

Keawakapu Artificial Reef, off Kihei, Maui, was created in 1963. This reef is approximately 54 acres in size. This reef consists of 150 cars*, 2,250 tire modules, 35 concrete slabs, and one vessel (the "St. Anthony").

*At most locations, there are no visible signs of the cars. Cars were put there in the '60s and '70s and have disintegrated over the years. At some artificial reefs, there are steering wheels or axles, but no car bodies.

Source: Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources



PROPOSED REEF

The issue:

The state is seeking a Conservation District Use Permit to create a 108-acre artificial reef offshore from the 'Ewa district. The reef will be between the depths of 60 feet and 120 feet.

The plan:

At least two sets of concrete Z-blocks will be placed on the ocean floor, approximately 50 feet to 100 feet apart. The first increment — 700 to 800 blocks — will cover a seafloor area of about 8,000 feet.

The reason:

The artificial reef is intended to provide shelter and surface area that will improve marine habitat quality, prevent over-fishing and replenish overexploited fish species.

The area off Kalaeloa is a high priority because it is used by many recreational fishing and diving boats and is near several places where small boats can be launched.

Surveys show that the artificial reef can increase the total weight of fish in the area up to 20 times and increase species diversity up to five times.

Source: Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources




The barren seafloor off the coast of 'Ewa could become home to coral and other marine life if an artificial reef project is approved.

The proposed 108-acre artificial reef is a massive expansion of the 1.1-acre reef replacement required for developer Haseko's permit to build the Ocean Pointe Marina.

Haseko instead will spend $150,000 to work with the Department of Land and Natural Resources to build an artificial reef that should provide more protection for the fish.

"We need more artificial reefs. That is an excellent idea," said Joseph "Mac" McNichols, owner of the Ho-nolulu Scuba Company.

McNichols, who lives in Ocean Pointe, said that right now, there's really only one area off the 'Ewa coast that has abundant marine life. "It's kind of devoid of reef down there. There's 'Ewa Pinnacles, but other than that, there's really not too much going on there."

Elsewhere off O'ahu, boats and planes that have been sunk to create artificial reefs have become some of the best diving sites. "They attract lots of life because the fish have somewhere to hide," McNichols said, adding that it's not uncommon to see turtles or spotted rays when he's scuba diving near the wrecks.

The artificial reef proposed by Haseko and DLNR would use concrete Z-shaped blocks to attract coral in an area that now is barren limestone with a thin sand veneer.

Paul Murakawa, an aquatic biologist for DLNR's Division of Aquatic Resources, said that if the permits are approved, the area could become a thriving coral reef with damsel fish, goatfish and surgeon fish, along with predators like papio, ulua and uku.

Some sort of artificial reef is required for a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers because Haseko plans to dredge a channel for their marina and will destroy 1.1 acres of habitat.

However, the Aquatic Resources Division thought that was too small to have much benefit. "We asked that the artificial reef would be harder to exploit and the fish would be protected more," Murakawa said.

In a small reef, "people could go in with nets and take a whole school of fish very easily," he said. "If it's a larger area, fish could run to other parts of the reef and seek shelter."

If approved, the Kalaeloa artificial reef would be the sixth in the state. Four have been created off O'ahu and one off Maui.

Sam Kahng, an associate professor of oceanography for Hawai'i Pacific University, said many people see benefits to artificial reefs, although some will argue that it's not real or that it's replacing a sand environment that is already there.

There also is an argument over whether the artificial reefs just attract the existing fish population or if they support growth of a larger fish population.

"In general, if you're adding additional habitat, you're adding to the productivity and the biomass of the habitat," he said.

At the very least, the reefs have recreational value, since tourists can visit them and see a wide variety of fish.

Kahng said it's likely that a reef community will follow if the state stacks the concrete blocks high enough so they won't be scoured by sand.

The blocks will attract coral, and fish gravitate toward physical structures they can hide next to, hunt or eat algae and hunt invertebrates.

"That's, to some extent, considered a good thing," he said.

Recreational boaters are somewhat ambivalent. The nearest harbor is at Ko Olina Marina, which doesn't anticipate any significant impact.

However, commercial fishers worry that it might interfere with their fishing.

Joe Soares, who operates Hawai'i Offshore Fishing Charter, said he doesn't see much point in an artificial reef in that area. "I think it's doing pretty good by itself. The fishing is pretty decent," he said. "The only reason that nobody dives out there is because it's murky."

Soares said the reef could help commercial fishing in the area if it's in shallow enough water. "Otherwise it's not going to help us," he said.

He worries that the reef would not only attract fish, but also commercial divers. "Artificial reef is not necessarily helping us," he said. "The divers all surround the reef and catch all the fish anyway. It's the netters that are the ones that are killing the coral."

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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[PasadenaReefer]

when they say cars and pipes and aircraft.... Will that not affect the reef, other than help it? maybe im missing something but that doesnt sound too good?