By Rita Shirley LeBleu

No boat is needed to fish near a new, artificial reef recently completed in Lake Charles. This, and a second project at Cutoff Point on Big Lake in Cameron Parish, marks the 65th Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Louisiana REEF Project.

The projects were announced in Lake Charles Monday, Apr. 27 behind Port Wonder, the lakefront facility that houses the Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF).

Rad Trascher, CEO of CCA Louisiana said the project was made possible through partnering with the LDWF and CITGO.

Tyler Bosworth, Sec. of LDWF, said the partnership between the Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries and the CCA Louisiana REEF program is second to none. The artificial reefs create near shore habitat for recreational fisherman. Louisiana is first in the world in land loss and habitat loss.

CCA partners with NGOs to leverage the dollars that LDWF has in its artificial reef program to pull in corporate sponsors.

CITGO donated $160,000 for the Lake Charles and Big Lake projects over a two-year period.

CITGO looks for projects that make lasting impressions on the environment and recreational opportunities in states where it operates, according to Sterling Neblett, Vice President and General Manager of the Lake Charles refinery. So far, CITGO’s plant employees in Lake Charles and other locations have planted over 1,000,000 trees and grasses on 19,000 acres of land and racked up 300,000 volunteer hours.

John Walther, CCA VP explained the moving parts, a two-year process that involves site selection, a look at potential hazards, project design, permitting which is done by Wildlife and Fisheries and then work with contractors.

The artificial reef is constructed using concrete blocks that are 3D designed and produced in Amelia. Tyler Ortego, general manager of Natrx, said these structures were being called exoforms. Today the blocks, which are exported all over the world, are called Cajun Coral. He said 464 blocks of Cajun Coral will produce 5,000 square feet of surface area for “all your little critters to get on here to form the basis of a food chain to lure bigger fish in.”

Danos is the general contractor. Russ Trosclair noted this is the first project close to a peer, and a boot would not be needed to enjoy the fishing.