CCA Louisiana uses material from old sugar mill to create 8-acre reef near Cypremort Point
Coastal Conservation Association Louisiana will begin construction on a brand new 8-acre reef Friday about one mile off the shoreline from Cypremort Point State Park. The reef is being built using about 10,000 tons of recycled concrete and brick taken from the Adeline Sugar Factory in Baldwin, according to CCA.
“As we lose more and more of our coastline, this is a great way that we can create fishing habitat,” said CCA’s David Cresson. “It’s especially fitting since Adeline holds a special place in the hearts of locals in that part of the state.”
Dubbed the “Leon and David Ortemond Reef,” it will commemorate a father and son who died in an Iberia Parish boating accident last year.
“Our entire family grew up fishing and boating in Vermilion Bay, so it is very fitting that we can honor my dad and my brother in this way,” Lance Ortemond said in a news release. “The chance to be part of this project while helping to enhance the bay’s habitat and create fishing opportunities for other families is very special to us.”
Cresson said barges are scheduled to begin loading material this afternoon, with construction set to start Friday morning.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the final location,” Cresson said. “It will be spread over an 8-acre area, with six mooring buoys along the perimeter. The name of the reef will be clearly marked on each buoy, and each buoy will feature a cleat that boats can tie onto. The location is accessible to regular bay boats and fishing boats, as well as non-powered boats like canoes and kayaks.”
The official reef coordinates will be 29° 44’ 19.7” N, 91° 52’ 45.8” W.
Cresson pointed out that D&L Salvage and Marine, owned by the Ortemond family, is donating much of their time and manpower to make the reef a reality.
“It’s only through their in kind donation that we’re able to make this happen,” he said. “They’re donating a lot of their deployment services, and because of that, we’re able to afford to make this one of the largest reefs we’ve every built. It’s a great project for Vermilion Bay, and we’re really excited to be able to honor this wonderful family.”
Other participating in the project include Shell Oil Company, The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Roadrock Recylcers.
“We’re pleased to team up with Shell, Wildlife and Fisheries and our other partners on such an important effort,” CCA’s Conservation and Habitat Chairman John Walther said. “The opportunity to honor the Ortemond family with this reef, while using material from a historic landmark, makes this an exceptional project. We are thankful to everyone who made this possible.”
Depending on weather, Cresson said construction could be wrapped up in a couple of weeks, and Walther said he expects marine life to begin appearing on the reef in a matter of months.
This is the twelfth artificial reef constructed by CCA Louisiana since 2002, and the sixth one to be built using recycled material taken from roadways, damaged buildings or bridges.
