2006 EditionNew Jersey’s new wrecksalready teeming with lifeDeep in the Atlantic Ocean, several miles off New

Jersey’s famed coastline, an amazing assortment oftiny marine animals are transforming a trio of newlysunken wrecks into habitat for marine life and havens ofrecreation for divers and anglers alike.

At the wrecks, deployed last year as part of thes t a t e ’s Coast 2005 initiative, mussels, barn a c l e s ,anemones, sponges, coral, hydroids and bryozoa attachto metal surfaces and begin to gro w. By the end of sum-m e r, a 3-inch-thick living carpet will cover the vessels.This biological shag rug offers an abundance of foodand shelter from predators for a diverse community ofmobile invertebrates, including crabs, shrimp, worm s ,snails, starfish, urchins and amphipods. Fishes com-monly found on reefs, such as sea bass, tautog, pout,t r i g g e rfish and porg y, also will find homes within andnear the wrecks, feeding on both the encrusting gro w t hand the mobile invertebrates. Fluke, bluefish and sharkswill visit the wrecks, too, looking for an easy meal.

The DEP acquired the three vessels—a tanker, af e rry boat and a tug with a $100,000 appropriation top romote the value of the state’s ocean re e f - b u i l d i n gp ro g r a m .

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Division of Fish and Wildlife

–continued p. 2–

Lisa P. Jackson, Commissioner Jon S. Corzine, Governor

Helis (above and below).

Elizabeth (left and right).

Objectives of theReef Program

New Jersey’s Reef Program is administered by theDepartment of Environmental Protection’s Divisionof Fish and Wildlife. The objectives of the programare to construct hard-substrate, reef habitat in theocean for certain species of fish and shellfish, newfishing grounds for anglers, underwater structuresfor scuba divers and economic benefits to the fish-ing industry.

In constructing and managing reefs, the goal is tospread the benefits of reef resources to as manypeople as possible. The intent of the program is notto change New Jersey’s marine environment, butrather to enhance a small portion, less than one per-cent of the sea floor, to benefit 150 species ofmarine life that prefer structured habitat.

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engine was removed and donated to a museum. Sunkon the Cape May Reef Site, the ferry features unob-structed access through its car and passenger decks.With its upper deck situated only 30 feet below the sur-face, the ferry should become a premier location fordiving.

Last November, the Bay Jack, a 60-foot tugboat,became the first structure sunk on the Townsends InletReef Site. The vessel was sunk in a depth of 60 feet.(See related story on p. 9.)

The sinkings demonstrate New Jersey’s commitmentto enhancing its marine environment. Shipwrecks notonly provide vital habitat for marine life, they also are animportant resource in coastal communities, benefitingfishermen and divers and boosting the state’s fishingindustry.

The first vessel deployed a 170-foot tanker obtainedfrom the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, was sunk on theGarden State North Reef Site last May. The vessel wasbuilt for the Navy during World War II. Only five daysafter the sinking, local divers reported that sea bassand tautog were living on the wreck. The vessel, for-merly designated YO-153, was renamed Helis, after thebeluga whale that wandered up the Delaware River dur-ing spring last year.

A 194-foot ferry boat, dubbed Elizabeth, was thesecond vessel sunk. Built in 1901, the steam-poweredship spent its first 50 years ferrying cars and passen-gers between Jersey City and Manhattan. It laterserved as a floating information center and finally, wasa restaurant. It had to be raised from a dock inPhiladelphia, where it had sunk three years earlier. Thevessel then was completely gutted, and its steam

New Jersey’s Artificial Reef Network.

Bay Jack (left and right).

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Bomber’s Ridge

A rock ridge on the Axel Carlson Reef Site was spon-sored by Bobby and Hannah Helbig and Callie and AndreaWilber, in memory of Raymond and Hilda Rodweller.

The following reefs were constructed on Sept. 22, 2005:

M.T. Foster’s ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by Linda Foster, was con-

structed on the Little Egg Reef Site.

Ballinger/Liss ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by the Ballinger and Liss

families, was constructed on Little Egg Reef Site.

John V. Slowe ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by Carrie Zipf Slowe, was

constructed on the Little Egg Reef Site.

Patrick F. Madison Memorial ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by family and friends and

friends at Mar-Vel International, was constructed on theLittle Egg Reef Site.

Charles A. Blumenfeld ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by Alan, Helen, Hana and

Joey Blumenfeld, was constructed on the Little Egg ReefSite.

Bassbarn ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by the bassbarn.com, was

constructed on the Little Egg Reef Site.

Thomas MankowskiA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by family and friends, was

constructed on the Little Egg Reef Site.

FRTC South ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by the Forked River Tuna

Club, was constructed on the Garden State South ReefSite.

Joe Marshall ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by Joseph and Jay

Gemberling and James R. Slim, was constructed on theGarden State South Reef Site.

Michael C. Pluta ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by family and friends, was

constructed on the Garden State South Reef Site.

Billy da Butch ReefA Reef ball reef, sponsored by the Wednesday crew of

the Mary M III and Captain Sam Rascigno, was construct-ed on the Garden State South Reef Site.

Fishin’ Hole ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by members of Barnegat

Fishin’ Hole, was constructed on the Garden State SouthReef Site.

Shawn Dilkes ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by the Beach Haven Marlin

and Tuna Club, was constructed on the Little Egg ReefSite for the recipient of the Ed Hall Service Award.

Kurt Horensky ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by the Beach Haven Marlin

and Tuna Club, was constructed on the Little Egg ReefSite for the recipient of the Ed Hall Service Award.

Captain Ken Keller ReefOn June 9, a reef, sponsored by family and friends, was

constructed of concrete castings on the Axel Carlson ReefSite.

Anthony T. D’AlessioA rock ridge, sponsored by Patrick D’Alessio, friends of

Dr. D’Alessio and staff of Dover Hospital and St. Clares,was constructed on the Axel Carlson Reef Site.

Drifter’s ReefOn June 9, a reef, sponsored by the Greater Point

Pleasant Charter Boat Association, the Manasquan RiverMarlin and Tuna Club and the Ann. E. Clark Foundation,was constructed of concrete castings on the Axel CarlsonReef Site.

Sean’s ReefA reef of concrete castings, sponsored by friends of

John and Rhonda, was constructed on the Barnegat LightReef Site in memory of Sean Beatty.

Remo’s MountainA rock mountain, sponsored by friends in memory of

Remo Montella, was constructed on Shark River ReefSite.

Woody’s ReefA Reef Ball reef, sponsored by close friends of Robert

Woodring, was constructed on the Garden State SouthReef Site.

Joseph W. Ertle ReefA rock mountain, sponsored by George Ertle, was con-

structed on the Axel Carlson Reef Site in memory of hisfather.

2005 Reef Habitat Sponsors• The Rainbow Rod and Gun Club sponsored the Frank

J. Krzos Reef• Capt. Dave Haines.

2005 Reef Adoptions

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thebassbarn Maelstrom—a 71-foot commercialfishing boat was sunk on the Wildwood Reef onApril 16, at DGPS coordinates 3857.4127441.346. The vessel was sponsored by thebassbarn.com.

Pair of Kings—a 132-foot tanker barge wassunk on the Wildwood Reef on August 10 atDGPS coordinates 3858.03 7441.07. The vesselwas sponsored by the Ann E. Clark Foundationand thebassbarn.com.

Ed Hall—a 62-foot excursion boat was sunk onMay 4 on the Garden State South Reef Site atDGPS coordinates 3933.661 7406.204. The ves-sel was sponsored by the Beach Haven Marlinand Tuna Club in memory of Ed Hall.

Jet Trader—a 170-foot tanker was sunk on theAtlantic City Ref Site on September 2 at DGPScoordinates 3913.85 7412.51. The vessel wassponsored by Cleanwater of New York.

MRMTC Members Memorial Reef—a 100-foottug was sunk on January 9 on the Axel CarlsonReef Site at DGPS coordinates 4003.1877359.283. The vessel was sponsored by theManasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club and theAnn E. Clark Foundation.

New Wrecks in ’05

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Four of Clubs—a 75-foot tug was sunk onJanuary 9 on the Axel Carlson Reef Site at DGPScoordinates 4003.181 7359.310. The vessel wass p o n s o red by the Ann E. Clark Foundation,Manasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club, DVDDivers and Ocean Wreck Divers.

Shamrock—a 48-foot deck barge was sunk onSeptember 12 on the Ocean City Reef Site at DGPS coordinates 3909.935 7433.940. Thevessel was sponsored by Shamrock MarineTowing.

Donna’s Star—an 82-foot trawler was sank onDecember 20 on Townsends Inlet Reef Site atDGPS coordinates 3906.36 7406.30. The vesselwas sponsored by friends of Donna and AtlanticCapes Fisheries.

New Wrecks in ’05

Accomplishments,1984-2005

Since the inception of the Division of Fish and Wi l d l i f e ’sReef program in 1984, 3,608 patch reefs have been built onNew Jersey’s network of 15 ocean reef sites. A patch re e fis a several-square - y a rd to several-acre reef created bysinking a ship or placing a barge load of other material onthe sea floor. In 2005, 228 patch reefs were constru c t e d .

Reef Material Patch Reefs Total Patch ReefsBuilt in 2005 Built 1984-2005

Rock 183 1,968Concrete 15 236Reef Balls 17 137Concrete Castings 2 44Vessels 11 139Army Tanks - 397Other - 500

____ _____Total 228 3,608

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When it comes to ocean reefs, there is a lot moredown there than just fish.

In terms of numbers and weight, also referred to asbiomass, fish represent only a small portion of themarine life on a reef. In a nine-year study of marinelife colonization of reef structures, Fish and Wildlifebiologists found that fish account for 4.5 percent ofthe biomass of the marine life community inhabitinga reef. Young-of-year fish represent 1.2 percent andadult fish are 3.3 percent of the total.

The most abundant group, forming the base of thefood-chain pyramid, comprises sessile invertebratessuch as mussels, barnacles, anemones, bryozoans,hydroids, tube worms and coral. These animalsspend their entire lives anchored to reef structures.

The Reef Food Chain

They carpet the reef in abundance and account for84.5 percent of total reef biomass.

Inside the living carpet is a wide variety of mobilei n v e rtebrates such as crabs, shrimp, starf i s h ,urchins, snails, worms and isopods, accounting for11 percent of reef biomass. These animals seek shel-ter within this living carpet.

Fish feed on both the attached and mobile inverte-brates. In a healthy habitat, the food-chain pyramid’slower levels, composed of forage organisms, aremuch larger than the top level, which consists ofapex predator fish. To use a land-based comparison,you can’t have more lions than antelope.

These findings suggest that New Jersey reefs pro-vide a productive habitat for use by marine fish.

A p p roximate food chain relationships among fish, mobilei n v e rtebrates, and sessile/sedentary invertebrates on NewJersey reef habitats.

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In just a dozen years, the Axel Carlson Reef Sitehas grown from a patch of bare sand to more than280 reefs for use by anglers and divers. The rapiddevelopment of this site is largely due to the gener-ous donations of many sports clubs, organizationsand individuals who paid the costs of preparing anddelivering reef materials to the site. Notable contrib-utors included Greater Pt. Pleasant Charter Boat

The Growth of the Axel Carlson ReefAssociation, Manasquan River Marlin and Tuna Club,Ann E. Clark Foundation, Jersey Coast SharkAnglers, Ocean Wreck Divers, Bay Head ShoresFishing Club, New York Sea Gypsies, New JerseyCouncil of Dive Clubs, Norma K, Herb Segars, NorthEast Mako Owners Club, Riviera Beach Boat Club,New Jersey Grady White Mariners Club, JohnVisceglia, DVD Divers and many others.

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Exelon Corporation, new owners of the OysterCreek Nuclear Generating Station, provided a grantto construct a 46-acre reef on the Barnegat LightReef Site.

Exelon ReefMore than 1,000 tons of concrete castings are slat-

ed to be spread out on the sea floor to create addi-tional drift fishing opportunities for anglers.

Bill Figley catches a tog that was tagged andreleased.

Ana Taboada, 6, caught her first sea bass on the SeaGirt Reef.

The New Jersey Department of EnvironmentalProtection announced it would build a new reef siteoff the coast of Cape May County to enhance itsnationally recognized network of 15 artificial reefswhile strengthening marine re s o u rces, impro v i n grecreational opportunities and boosting the state’seconomy.

Recently approved by the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers, construction of the reef, to be situateda p p roximately 3.8 nautical miles southeast ofTownsends Inlet in Cape May County, will be fundedalmost entirely through private donations. Some 800reef-ball habitats are scheduled for deployment thissummer on the Townsends Inlet reef site.

The reef site measures slightly more than one-halfsquare mile with a depth between 49 feet and 66feet. Its inshore portion will be used as a drift fishingarea; the offshore portion will be reserved for vesselsto accommodate diving. The new reef will becomepart of the state’s Artificial Reef Program, adminis-tered by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Artificial reefs play a key role in supporting NewJersey’s marine fishing and diving industries, andcontribute more than $50 million to the state’s econ-omy every year. These reefs also benefit the environ-ment by providing new habitat for marine life. In fact,one out of every five fish reeled in by recreationalanglers in New Jersey’s salt waters during 2000 wascaught on a reef site.

Coordinates for the Townsends Inlet Reef are:

Corner Latitude LongitudeNE 39º 06.700’ 74º 36.000’NW 39º 06.700’ 74º 37.500’SE 39º 06.250’ 74º 36.000’SW 39º 06.250' 74º 37.500'

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Fishing and diving clubs throughout New Jerseyprovide financial assistance to make scheduled reef-material deployment a reality. Divers, anglers andother outdoor enthusiasts interested in helping toenhance fishing grounds in the Garden State areencouraged to learn about the DEP’s Adopt-A-ReefProgram.

For more information on the Artificial ReefP rogram, visit www. n j f i s h a n d w i l d l i f e . c o m / a rt re e f .htm. Or call the Artificial Reef Program at (609) 748-2020 or write to the Division of Fish and Wildlife atP.O. Box 418, Port Republic, NJ 08241, Attn: ReefAdoption Program.

DEP adding new reef siteoutside Townsends Inlet

The new TI Reef is expected to be a premier flukedrifting area.

What’s in Storefor 2006

Rock 500,000 cubic yards

Reef Balls 600

Concrete Castings 300

Vessels: 65' Commercial trawler178' Tanker barge90' Deck barge

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Bill Figley, whose name is synonymous with reefbuilding in the Garden State, retired in Decemberafter 30 years of dedicated service as a fisheries biol-ogist for the New Jersey Department of Environ-mental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife.

During his 22-year tenure as Reef Coordinator,Figley supervised the construction of more than3,600 ocean reefs from 14 million tons of reef mate-rial, making New Jersey’s Artificial Reef Program thelargest in the nation.

In addition to his reef-building activities, Figley isrecognized nationally as a leader in temperate waterreef research and conducted numerous studies bothon reefs and on the kinds of people who frequentthem.

Between 1979 and 1991, he conducted NewJersey’s big-game fishing survey, collecting statisticson the sport catch of marlin, tuna and sharks. Hedocumented the locations of New Jersey’s primefishing grounds, which the DEP now uses to protectthese areas from environmental degradation. He alsopublished many informational pamphlets on partyand charter boats, boat liveries, fishing access, salt-water fish and fishing.

Anglers, charter-boat captains and divers fromSandy Hook to Cape May have benefited immense-ly from Figley’s work. He regarded his profession asan “awesome responsibility” and worked every dayto improve New Jersey’s marine environment andenhance recreational opportunities for sportsmenand sportswomen throughout the Garden State.

After putting New Jersey’s artificialreefs on the map, Figley and Preimchart new courses

During retirement, Figley plans to do a great deal offishing and hunting. So, if you see him on the fishinggrounds, say hello and thank him for all his goodwork.

Another member of the reef team, Barry Preim, afisheries technician, re t i red after 35 years with theDivision of Fish and Wildlife. In addition to work at seaduring reef-building activities, he was responsible forp reparing the charts, which now guide anglers anddivers around the reef sites, and other publishedgraphics that promoted the Reef Program and madeit into success that it is today.

Side scan sonar image of the Veronica M tug sunk on the Axel Carlson Reef Site ( C o u rtesy of Vince Capone,Enviro Scan)

Bill Figley’s last deployment.

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Please mail to: Reef Program, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Marine FisheriesP.O. Box 418, Port Republic, NJ 08241, or Fax: 609-748-2032.

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REEF PROGRAMNEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OFENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONDIVISION OF FISH AND WILDLIFEP.O. BOX 418PORT REPUBLIC, NJ 08241

Reef-Related Web and E-Mail Sitesnjfishandwildlife.com

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife,Reef program information

njscuba.netReef construction, reef studies, photos

gotosnapshot.comReef shipwrecks, reef structures,

underwater photos.

wreckvalle@aol.comDiving, current events

subanj.orgNJ Council of Dive Clubs

Realfish-underwater.comDiving, video, marine art

Get Reef Updates Via E-mailIf you would like to receive periodic updates about

New Jersey’s reef-building activities, including pho-tos and coordinates, send us your e-mail address.

PRINT CLEARLY

NAME: _____________________________________

PHONE: _____________________________________

E-mail: _____________________________________

I am (check all that apply):□ angler □ diver □ charter captain□ party boat captain □ commercial fisherman□ researcher □ marine industry representative

Mail to: Reef Program, Division of Fish and Wildlife,P.O. Box 418, Port Republic, NJ 08241

New leader namedfor artificial habitat program

Hugh Carberry, a 17-year veteran of theDEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, has beenselected to serve as the new coordinator ofNew Jersey’s innovative Artificial ReefProgram.

B e f o re becoming coord i n a t o r, Carberryserved as a supervising biologist for the Fishand Wildlife’s Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries,heading up its Research and ManagementSection.

During his care e r, Carberry documentedspawning locations of river herring andAmerican shad, wrote fisheries managementplans for lakes and reservoirs, and coordinatedFreshwater Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program.He also worked as a laboratory technician forthe Bureau of Shellfisheries and as a boat cap-tain of a 32-foot research vessel. He earned ab a c h e l o r’s degree in Marine Science fro mStockton State College in 1988.

A devoted marine angler, Carberry lives tofish on New Jersey’s inshore and offshore fish-ing grounds.