Corps, partners create experimental oyster reef off Governors Island
A Corps of Engineers crew drops mollusk shell (loaded into the white bags) into the water as part of an artificial oyster reef being created off of Governors Island. The artificial oyster reef, one of six planned for throughout the New York and New Jersey Harbor Estuary, is part of an experiment looking at the the possibility of once again having a thriving, healthy oyster population in the estuary. (photo by Dan Desmet, New York District public affairs)
The Corps of Engineers, in collaboration with several partners in the New York and New Jersey Harbor community, is working on creating new experimental artificial oyster reefs as part of ongoing ecosystem restoration efforts throughout the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, which includes the harbor.
Corps crews worked on creating an artificial oyster reef off of Governors Island October 6 (click here to check out several more pictures on Flickr). The Corps’ Patrol Boat Hudson, operated by its captain, Mike Marcello, and his mate, Ray Ryan, pushed a barge with loaded with a crane truck into the shallow waters off the northeast corner of Governors Island where the artificial reef was created from rock and mollusk shell also loaded onto the barge.
The crane, operated by Tim Lafontaine of New York District’s Operations Division, was then used to lift and place the artificial reef materials into the water. Lafontaine was assisted by three Corps deckhands on the barge, Melissa LuCante, Mike Pretty and Eric Gunderson, who normally work on other New District vessels working in and around the harbor.
Governors Island is one of six sites in the harbor estuary designated for new experimental artificial oyster reefs, which aim to provide three main, important ecosystem services: 1) habitat for other species, 2) augmented fish production, and 3) water quality improvements.
This graphic explains the concept of the experimental oyster reefs being constructed throughout the New York and New Jersey Harbor and its estuary.
The Corps is working in collaboration with several partners on the oyster reefs, including the Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research, Inc., NY/NJ Harbor Estuary Program, NY/NJ Baykeeper, Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, The Harbor Foundation, The Trust for Governors Island, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation – Hudson River Program, Bay Ridge Flats Oyster Project, NOAA Restoration Center, Rocking the Boat and the Bronx River Alliance.
You can read more about the artificial oyster reef creation effort by clicking here.
For several more pictures of the artificial reef creation on New York District’s Flickr site, click here.
Posted by inDistrict Vessels, Environmental Stewardship, In the Community, NY/NJ Harbor, Partnership
