Onslow Bay Artificial Reef Association For Immediate release: 01/17/14
PO Box 922 Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
www.NCreefs-OBARA.org
910-231-9730
Wilmington, NC: Today, The Onslow Bay Artificial Reef Association (OBARA) has recently received a CRFL (Coastal Recreational Fishing License) funding grant in the amount of $637,500.00 to enhance the size and functionality of three artificial reefs off the New Hanover County coastline (Onslow Bay). The three reefs include AR 364 (Billy Murrell Reef), AR 370 (Meares Harriss Reef) and AR 378 (Phillip Wolfe Reef). OBARA is a non-profit 501c (3) organization with a history of community service and artificial reef deployment.
OBARA Executive Director Rita Merritt said “we are honored to be partnered with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) on this, and future projects. Onslow Bay has great need to maintain our artificial reefs, and we plan to explore other funding options, in addition to CRFL funding, in the future. Artificial reefs have a positive impact on many different levels in our area”.
OBARA Board of Director Capt. Tim Barefoot said “I am very pleased the NCDMF has chosen this CRFL grant application for funding, as it will be a huge step in the right direction to assist the southern flounder stock rebuilding process. Artificial reefs benefit other species such as grey trout, both black and red drum, sheepshead and more. This is not a ‘magic bullet’ that will solve our flounder issues, but it’s a great start. Projects of this size have the ability to rapidly improve nearshore recreational fishing and diving.”
Over the past 19 years the number of people fishing and diving on Onslow Bay artificial reefs has consistently increased. Consequently, the pressure on the nearshore reef systems has increased to the point where reef enhancement has become viewed as a major key to long-term health of our reef systems.
OBARA plans to begin the manufacturing of the reef balls during the third quarter of 2014, and deployment to follow shortly after that. This will be the largest artificial reef project ever funded in the state of NC.
For more information, please visit the OBARA website or call (910) 231-9730.
Revenues from the N.C. Coastal Recreational Fishing License will pay nearly $2 million in the coming year toward projects to help provide coastal fishing access and fisheries and habitat research.
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission, in December, approved 14 grants, totaling $1.78 million, for the 2014 cycle.
The grants are sorted into three focus areas. Grants that fall under the People Focus Area include public education and public water access projects. Grants that fall under the Fish Focus Area are fisheries research projects. Grants that fall under the Habitat Focus Area are projects that enhance, protect or research fisheries habitat.
People Focus Area – Six grants totaling $1,177,798 were awarded:
Wildlife Resources Commission, Rose Bay Boating Access Area – $250,000
One-year grant to upgrade the existing boating access area off U.S. 264, southeast of Scranton in Hyde County.
Onslow Bay Artificial Reef Association, Enhancement of Three Artificial Reefs in Onslow Bay – $637,500
One year grant to add materials to the Billy Murrell, Meares Harris and Phillip Wolfe reefs.
Wildlife Resources Commission, Dawson’s Creek Boating Access Area – $95,000
One-year grant to upgrade the existing boating access area off Janiero Road, northeast of the Minnesott Beach Ferry in Pamlico County.
Wildlife Resources Commission, Turkey Creek Boating Access Area – $130,000
One-year grant to upgrade the existing boating access area on Turkey Point Road in Onslow County.
Town of Morehead City, Newport River Beach Access Ramp Restrooms – $49,431
One year grant to complete a waterfront access project on Radio Island.
Town of Carolina Beach, Freeman Park Hatteras Ramp and Signage – $15,867
One-year grant to construct a Hatteras ramp to provide better access at the entrance of Freeman Park.
Fish Focus Area – Five grants totaling $428,815 were awarded:
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Multispecies Tagging Program – $109,357
Multi-year grant to tag striped bass, red drum, spotted seatrout, and southern flounder, which will provide independent estimates of abundance and biomass, as well as data on migration rate.
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Carcass Collection Program – $17,300
Multi-year grant to continue funding a coast-wide carcass collection program.
N.C. State University, Stock Structure of Spotted Seatrout: Assessing Genetic Connectivity at Northern Latitudinal Limits – $111,507
Multi-year grant to study population structure of spotted seatrout, which will allow researchers to accurately delineate stock boundaries.
East Carolina University, Maturation and Fecundity of the Central Southern Management Area Striped Bass Stock – $40,035
One-year grant to continue research on striped bass and provide the Division of Marine Fisheries and Wildlife Resources Commission with the ability to differentiate between the wild and hatchery reared striped bass stock.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Estimating Mortality for Southern Flounder Using Combined Telemetry and Conventional Tagging Approach – $150,616
Multi-year grant to tag southern flounder providing data to be incorporated directly into future stock assessments.
Habitat Focus Area – Three grants totaling $176,500 were awarded:
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Mapping Along the Southern North Carolina Coast – $16,500
Multi-year grant to complete mapping submerged aquatic vegetation along the North Carolina coast.
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Monitoring of Oyster Sanctuaries and Fish Habitat with Underwater Environmental Equipment – $145,000
One-year grant to purchase underwater camera and equipment to monitor and study oyster sanctuaries and fish habitat.
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Recycled Oyster Shell Collections: Shell as a Critical Habitat – $15,000
One-year grant to provide additional shell material needed for oyster habitat restoration projects through continued collection of shell from recycling sites.
For more information on these grants or the Coastal Recreational Fishing License grant program, contact Beth Govoni, Coastal Recreational Fishing License grants coordinator, at 252-808-8004 or Beth.Govoni@ncdenr.gov.
