The Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana and Chevron, in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), will begin construction later this week on a new artificial reef in Bay Ronquille, near Four Bayous Pass.
The new reef, to be called “Four Bayous Reef,” will be just North and East of Four Bayous Pass, in about 6 feet of water, and will be easily reachable from places like Grand Isle, Lafitte, Port Sulphur and Empire. CCA will deploy more than 2,000 tons of recycled crushed concrete over roughly 5 acres. The placement of the material will be designed to optimize bottom contours and water conditions. In these depths, it is likely that a diverse range of species could call the reef home, especially oysters, which have been diminished in the area in recent years. Other species like specks, reds and flounder are sure to follow.
Funding for this project is provided by CCA Louisiana and Chevron, along with matching funds from LDWF’s Artificial Reef Trust Fund. Additional funding will be provided by members of CCA’s REEF Club. In-kind labor and materials will be provided by Madere & Sons/Deep South Construction.
This will be the 31st individual reef project CCA has completed since 2007, comprising 37 unique reefs. In the past year alone, CCA built the Green Monster Reef in Plaquemines Parish, the Bay Marchand Block 3 Reef, the South Timbalier Block 51 Reef, the Z.T. “Jack” Cart Reef in Vermilion Block 69, West Cameron Block 45 Reef and Finfish Reef in Calcasieu Lake.
The project should take less than a week to complete. Once construction is done, CCA will publish the reef coordinates. For more information on CCA or our REEF Louisiana Program, and a GPS listing of all our projects, see here.