50TH ARTIFICIAL REEFS, 1: Improving marine habitat in the 
gulf one artificial reef at a time ... details on Passport to 
Texas.

This is Passport to Texas

All year long we're highlighting milestones achieved by 
TPW during its 50 year history as an agency. Today, we 
recognize the Artificial Reef Program. 

09 -- The program officially started in 1989 when the Texas 
Legislature tasked Parks and Wildlife to preserve marine life out in 
the gulf of Mexico.

Program leader, Dale Shively, says the Artificial Reef 
program started in earnest following approval of its 
management plan in1990. 

14 -- An artificial reef is an environment where we take manmade 
materials like concrete and steel, ships and oil platforms ... and 
position those within a reef area to mimic a natural reef 
environment.

Artificial reefs provide hard substrate otherwise lacking in 
the gulf. The materials immediately attract marine life.

16 -- In most cases, marine organisms will attach and create an 
ecosystem within a few days. In some cases such as oil platforms, 
those platforms have been out there for thirty some years. So, 
they're pretty well covered with marine life before we do anything 
to them.

Artificial reefing benefits sport fishing and the Texas economy 
- that's tomorrow.
 
The Sport Fish restoration program supports our series and is 
funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motorboat 
fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti. 





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