Artificial reefs are man-made structures laid on the sea floor that provide a foundation for the establishment of productive habitat for marine life. They attract fish and other marine organisms from many levels of the food chain. Many marine species, including sheepshead, utilize these structures at various times of the year for spawning grounds, and as such South Carolina’s artificial reef programs have become an integral part of marine fish recruitment.
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources builds artificial reefs out of a variety of recycled steel and concrete materials. Structures like boat hulls are methodically stripped and cleaned before being sunk, leaving only empty steel hulls, in order to protect the marine environment.
The state’s Marine Artificial Reef Program holds federal permits for the continued development of 38 artificial reef sites along the coast, located in waters from 9 to 110 feet deep, ranging from inshore spots to areas as far as 35 miles offshore.
Funding for this project was provided by the Coastal Conservation Association and the Building Conservation Trust, which have played an integral part in helping procure suitable materials with which to construct artificial reefs.
“Already in 2017, we have placed five brand-new reef sites along the South Carolina coast, with plans to place five more in the near future,” said Scott Whitaker, executive director of CCA-South Carolina. “Most of these are in less than 50 feet of water and are readily accessible to a lot of anglers up and down the coastline.”
Whitaker indicated that CCA-SC’s donations to the artificial-reef program were nearly double the state’s budget, indicating that fund-raising efforts by state chapters were going straight to the benefit of saltwater anglers in South Carolina.
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