A Word From Our Artificial Reef Committee Chair

Wendy Tochihara…

For the past two years CCA California’s Artificial Reef Committee along with our Executive Director Wayne Kotow have been working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to advance the possibilities of new artificial reefs in California. In order to start building artificial reefs the first requirement from CDFW is to first survey existing artificial reef sites in Southern California. I am happy to say we have our pilot survey going on right now and we should be ready to have anglers participate this March.

 

The survey will help the California Department of Fish and Wildlife understand how and why the artificial reefs
(excluding jetties, break walls, and piers) are used by the public and qualitatively describe the fishes and invertebrates living on the reef. This survey will also help with the development of the statewide artificial reef plan, and in particular, it will help guide strategies for possible future reef developments in California. Data collected from this survey will be used in combination with other data streams to provide a better picture of artificial reefs along the California Coast. This survey should only take around five minutes. No personal information will be collected except your home zip code.
Please participate in the Artificial Reef Survey, and please share with your friends. I would love to see new artificial reefs and expand existing artificial reefs in California.
Wendy Tochihara
Artificial Reef Committee Chair
Coastal Conservation Association California

Artificial reefs are a big cornerstone of what CCA California is all about.original_oil_rig_reef

We are always continuing to fight for building and restoring artificial reefs off of our coast, but there’s quite a bit of work to do in the Golden State.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife has currently halted any progress on building artificial reefs off of our coast for now. However, there is still work to be done!

CCA California has been asked to collaborate on and distribute a pilot artificial reef survey to our member anglers.

CDFW_logoThe California Department of Fish and Wildlife is in the preliminary stages of planning an approach to developing a statewide artificial reef management plan. A baseline assessment on existing artificial reefs has been identified as a primary data need to inform what the physical parameters are, what the biological composition is of those reefs, and how the reefs are being utilized by the public.

The Artificial Reef Survey is intended for people who visit artificial reefs and will capture site-specific information about both their non-consumptive (e.g., recreational diving) and consumptive (e.g., fishing) activities. This survey will compliment other statewide surveys that collect broader recreational fishing information used in fisheries management.

To be a part of this survey, please click here.