Martin County’s Artificial ReefsMartin County’s Artificial ReefsDeployed 2000 to 2007Deployed 2000 to 2007

Lee E. Harris, Ph.D., P.E. and Lee E. Harris, Ph.D., P.E. and

Kerry L. Dillon, Sea Rover ServicesKerry L. Dillon, Sea Rover Services

Martin County Artificial Reef SitesMartin County Artificial Reef Sites

•Nearshore Mitigation Reefs – water depths of 10 to 20 feet •Donaldson Reef – water depths of 40 to 65 feet•Ernst Reef – water depths of 55 to 75 feet•Sirotkin Reef – water depths of 75 to over 200 feet

Distances from St. Lucie Inlet Sea BuoyDistances from St. Lucie Inlet Sea Buoy

Reef MaterialsReef Materials• Ships and barges:Ships and barges:

– WickstromWickstrom ship in Sirotkin Reef Site ship in Sirotkin Reef Site– Tree Barge in Sirotkin Reef SiteTree Barge in Sirotkin Reef Site– High Queen and Zeppo tug and barge in Sirotkin Reef SiteHigh Queen and Zeppo tug and barge in Sirotkin Reef Site– Tension Barge in Sirotkin Reef SiteTension Barge in Sirotkin Reef Site

• Bridge materials:Bridge materials:– Evans Crary Bridge in Ernst Reef Site and nearshore Mitigation ReefsEvans Crary Bridge in Ernst Reef Site and nearshore Mitigation Reefs– Frank Wacha Bridge in Donaldson Reef Site (Perry Reef)Frank Wacha Bridge in Donaldson Reef Site (Perry Reef)– Frank Wacha Bridge in Sirotkin Reef Site (Langford Reef)Frank Wacha Bridge in Sirotkin Reef Site (Langford Reef)– Deep Ernst Lyons Bridge Site (PCL Deep reef)Deep Ernst Lyons Bridge Site (PCL Deep reef)– Shallow Ernst Lyons Bridge Site (PCL Shallow Reef)Shallow Ernst Lyons Bridge Site (PCL Shallow Reef)– PCL River Reef from Ernst Lyons BridgePCL River Reef from Ernst Lyons Bridge

• Concrete railroad ties: Concrete railroad ties: – RR tie single stack in Sirotkin Reef SiteRR tie single stack in Sirotkin Reef Site– RRtie four patch reefs in Sirotkin Reef SiteRRtie four patch reefs in Sirotkin Reef Site

• Concrete waste materials (culverts, pilings, etc.): Concrete waste materials (culverts, pilings, etc.): – KD Select Reef in Sirotkin Reef SiteKD Select Reef in Sirotkin Reef Site– 3 New reefs in Ernst Reef Site3 New reefs in Ernst Reef Site

• Rock from St. Lucie Inlet dredging:Rock from St. Lucie Inlet dredging:– rocks in Donaldson Reef Site (Texas Reef, not covered in this report)rocks in Donaldson Reef Site (Texas Reef, not covered in this report)

• Custom designed artificial reef units:Custom designed artificial reef units:– Tetrahedron single stack reef in Sirotkin Reef SiteTetrahedron single stack reef in Sirotkin Reef Site– Tetrahedron patch reefs in Sirotkin Reef SiteTetrahedron patch reefs in Sirotkin Reef Site– ReefMaker Florida Specials in Donaldson and Sirotkin Reef SitesReefMaker Florida Specials in Donaldson and Sirotkin Reef Sites

New SouthernNew Southern Reef Site (2008 Reef Site (2008 Deployments)Deployments)

Reefs Deployed 2000 to 2004Reefs Deployed 2000 to 2004

Reef Name Materials Site Deployment Dates

Mitigation Site A bridge pieces Nearshore July-Sept. 2000

Mitigation Site B bridge pieces Nearshore July-Sept. 2000

Mitigation Site C bridge pieces Nearshore July-Sept. 2000

Evans Crary Bridge bridge pieces Ernst Summer 2000

Tetrahedron Stack Reef concrete tetrahedrons Sirotkin April 4 and April 25, 2001

Tetrahedron Patches concrete tetrahedrons Sirotkin March 28 & June 28, 2002

Tree Barge 140’ barge Sirotkin April 19, 2002

Wickstrom Ship 168’ cargo ship Sirotkin January 21, 2003

Railroad Tie Stack concrete RR ties SirotkinMar 13, May 9, and June 23,

2003

High Queen and Zeppo tug & 120’ barge Sirotkin August 7, 2003

Five Peaks RRtie Patches concrete RR ties Sirotkin June 2 & 28-29, 2004

Tension Barge 140’ barge Sirotkin July 17, 2004

Reefs Deployed 2005 to 2007Reefs Deployed 2005 to 2007ReefMaker Triangle Reef concrete & steel units Donaldson May 18, 2005

ReefMaker Texas Reef concrete & steel units Donaldson May 20, 2005

ReefMaker Cement Barge concrete & steel units Donaldson May 20, 2005

ReefMaker Traffic Barge concrete & steel units Donaldson May 20, 2005

ReefMaker Upside Down Barge concrete & steel units Donaldson May 20, 2005

ReefMaker Inlet Barge concrete & steel units Donaldson May 20, 2005

ReefMaker Patch N concrete & steel units Sirotkin May 21, 2005

ReefMaker Patch C concrete & steel units Sirotkin May 21, 2005

ReefMaker Patch S concrete & steel units Sirotkin May 21, 2005

ReefMaker Tree Barge concrete & steel units Sirotkin May 21, 2005

Clifton Perry Memorial bridge pieces Donaldson Jan to May 2005

Frances Langford Memorial bridge pieces Sirotkin Feb to Aug 2005

PCL Deep Site bridge pieces Sirotkin October 2006

PCL Shallow Site bridge pieces Donaldson Nov.– Dec. 2006

PCL River Reef bridge pieces IR Lagoon Nov. 2006 – Jan. 2007

KD Select Reef concrete pieces Sirotkin

3 New Reefs in Ernst Site concrete pieces Ernst

Nearshore Mitigation ReefsNearshore Mitigation ReefsFish Species

Identified:

Barracuda

Porkfish

Sailors Choice

Grey snapper

Beaugregory

Spottail pinfish

Blue runner

Common Snook

Atlantic Spadefish

Doctorfish

Black Margate

Red Porgy

Dwarf Goatfish

Highhat

Gray Angelfish

Lane Snapper

A

B

C

Gag Grouper

French Angelfish Intermediate

Cardinalfish

Spotted Moray Eel

Blue Angelfish

Fry(unidentified species)

Spiny Lobster

Goliath Grouper

King Mackerel

Stripped Croaker

Southern Flounder

Sheepshead

Scorpianfish

Cubbyu

Tomtates

Hairy Blenny

Nearshore Mitigation ReefsNearshore Mitigation Reefs

Benthic Species Benthic Species IdentifiedIdentified

Green Algae

Caulerpa mexicana

Bryopsis pennata

Codium spp.

Red Algae

Gracilaria mammillaris

Gelidium americanum

Bryothamnion triquetrum

Botryocladia occidentalis

Brown Algae

Dictyota spp.

Padina spp.

Sponges

Pseudaxinella lunaecharta

Unidentified orange sponge

Encrusting sponges

Yellow encrusting sponge

Cnidarians

Aglaophenia latecarinata

Leptogorgia hebes

Leptogorgia virgulata

Carijoa riisei

Oculina diffusa

Phyllangia americana

Worms

Tubeworms

Phragmatopoma spp.

Tunicates

Eudistoma obscuratum

Ascidia niger

Globular tunicates (Styela spp. – like)

White colonial tunicate

Sea Urchins

Arbacia punctulata

Echinometra lucunter

Nearshore Nearshore Mitigation ReefsMitigation Reefs

Donaldson SiteDonaldson SitePCL Shallow

ReefMaker Units at Texas ReefReefMaker Units at Texas Reef

Marine Species Identified:

Black Seabass

Blenny

Porkfish

Sheepshead

Spadefish

Cubbyu

Goliath Grouper

Tomtate

ReefMaker Units at Cement BargeReefMaker Units at Cement Barge

Marine Species Identified:

Tomtate

Baitfish (2 Types)

Belted Sandfish

Black Seabass

Goliath Grouper

Hairy Blenny

Highhat

Crevalle Jack

Southern Sennet

Porkfish

Sheepshead porgy

Perry ReefPerry ReefMarine Species Identified:

Tomtate

Amberjack

Barracuda

Beau Gregory

Belted Sandfish

Black Margate

Black Seabass

Blue Runner

Doctorfish

Fry (unidentified species)

Gag Grouper

Goliath Grouper

Lane Snapper

Porkfish

Puddingwife

Round Scad Cigar Minnows

Sergeant Major

Sheepshead

Sheepshead porgy

Snook, common

Spotfin Butterfly

Ernst SiteErnst Site

3 New Reefs along Northern Ernst Site3 New Reefs along Northern Ernst Site

Evans Crary BridgeEvans Crary Bridge

Sirotkin SiteSirotkin Site

PCL Deep

ReefMaker Sirotkin DiamondsReefMaker Sirotkin Diamonds

Tetrahedron & RRtie Stacks and PatchesTetrahedron & RRtie Stacks and Patches

NE Corner Sirotkin SiteNE Corner Sirotkin Site

ObservationsObservations• MC has created several new stable reefs with increased

marine habitat (30+ new reefs in past 8 years)• Increasing benthic growth and fish populations found

on the reefs• Noticeable increase in sportfish populations (Red

Snapper, groupers, etc.)• Notable fish species include snowy grouper • Some damages to ships from 2004-05 hurricanes• Only slight decreases in structure elevations of stacked

reef materials• Benthic growth includes Sabellariid worm reef in

shallow depths and Oculina vericosa in deeper depths