August 11, 2016
The Sandy Hook Reef, located offshore of Monmouth County and part of the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's Artificial Reef Program, will receive 5,000 tons of concrete rubble from a pier demolition in Brooklyn. Five loads totaling 4,631 cubic yards will be deployed.
The concrete pictured below came from a similar project that occurred on the Ocean City Reef in 2002. The first load is slated for deployment on Friday, August 19.
Once the concrete is deployed it will serve as an attachment surface for mussels, barnacles, hydroids, anemones, stony coral and other invertebrates, which will quickly cover the structures with a living carpet, providing the base of a productive marine food chain (picture below). Soon the new reef will be colonized by black sea bass, tautog, scup, triggerfish and summer flounder. It will then become a favorite target of anglers coming out of Sandy Hook.
The deployment locations for the Sandy Hook Reef are:
1) 40 22.300' 73 56.500'
2) 40 22.250' 73 56.450'
3) 40 22.100' 73 56.500'
4) 40 22.150' 73 56.400
The deployment schedule is subject to weather and sea conditions. Anglers should stay clear of hopper scows and deck barges transporting this concrete because they are limited in their ability to maneuver.
For further information contact:
Hugh Carberry, Reef Program Coordinator
NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 418
Port Republic, NJ 08241
609-748-2022
For information on past and planned deployments visit the Artificial Reef Deployments page.
For information on the Artificial Reef Program visit the Artificial Reef Program page.
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