Artificial Reefs Anyone?

[HarveyS]

Hi,

Working with others in California to make the state into the world's premier wreck diving destination. We have a long way to go, as folks here have "missed the boat" literally while states like Florida and provinces like British Columbia have made great inroads for the ecology and their local economy.

I'm particularly interested in making alliances with people that are seriously involved and knowledgeable about the artificial reef process to share information and successes. I'm a DM and Tech Diver, Master Chief (President) of Sunken Treasues Society of Los Angeles, and Senior Vice President of California Ships to Reefs. I own a large consulting company and that's where I make my bread and butter. The Ocean, diving and this project are my passions and where I spend my time and money.

Love to hear from anyone who shares this quest of bringing ecological and economical benefits of reefing to the world.

Best,
Harvey Schmiedeke
Los Angeles

 

[AmyJ]

http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=148738

See this thread and you will find some people to talk to...

OOPS! I see you're already over there.... alrighty then.

 

[drbill]

Welcome to SB.

As a marine ecologist, I do not mind the creation of artificial reefs but personally do not see them as necessarily advantageous to the local or regional ecology. I have the same feeling re: oil rigs. While they unquestionably attract certain species of marine life, they are often somewhat unnatural assemblages of species with many "missing ecological links."

Recently there has been a proposal in SoCal to add a $1 charge to each tank fill and dedicate the revenue to the State to develop artificial wrecks. I am decidedly opposed to this approach.

One reason? I do 250-350 dives a year so that would end up costing me $250-350 year. Pure self interest motivation there.

Other reason? I think if such a fee were ever seriously considered, it should go instead to protecting our natural reefs, mitigating the negative impacts on them, and implementing effective restoration methods to bring the systems back to a reasonable level of health.

An alternate proposed by others was an annual fee assessed to divers in the range of $30 to fund such projects for the natural reefs. Of course if such a fee were implemented for divers, similar fees scaled to the level of impact should also apply to fishers, personal and commercial watercraft, swimmers, jet skiers, surfers, freedivers, members of the five fathom club (just wanted to make sure you all were still reading this), etc.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Welcome to :sblogo:
:wave-smil :wave-smil

 

[snepdiver]

Hello to you. Good to have you here. Welcome to ScubaBoard. There are many great scuba divers here. They are very willing to help.

 

[DandyDon]

If you haven't yet, click Forums above and start going thru the list - looking for those of interest to you, especially your local dive club. Always good to try a Search before starting a new thread, tho and be careful about posting Replies without reading the Stickies for each forum. Click the link in my Sig below to PM me if I can help you around here..

don