Tilghman Island Reef Ball Project Photos

Tilghman Island Reef Ball Project: Placement of 15 Reef Balls occurred on Nov. 12, 2004. These were Reef Balls that had been produced at the first production pour in April 2004. The Robert Lee placed the Reef Balls at the Tilghman Island artificial reef site off Tilghman Island, Talbot County, Md. Costs were covered by the Constellation Energy and CBT/FAF grants and MES project development funds. The project was done in cooperation with local sport fishermen and charter captains. Following his visit to the Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project, Maryland Comptroller William Donald Schaefer joined Conway Gregory, Deputy Director of the Maryland Environmental Service (MES), for a tailgate Reef Ball demonstration. Wayne Young, MES Artificial Reef Coordinator, discussed the state’sartificial reef program. He explained unique features of Reef Balls using a cutaway model and reported thatmold systems for smaller Reef Balls provide a user friendly resource for environmental education and public outreach to help improve awareness of environmental restoration needs in the region. Schaefer assisted inremoving the fiberglass mold from a 50 pound “Oyster Ball.” The surface layer was washed off to create ahighly variable texture and recessed attachment points for colonization by marine organisms once deployed.MES is working on several reef development projects and will deploy more 375 Reef Balls at various artificial fishing reef sites. Grant support for Reef Balls and their deployment has been provided by the Abell Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust and Fish America Foundation. Organizations involved in these projectsand similar reef development projects include Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chesapeake BayFoundation, Coastal Conservation Association Maryland, Magothy River Association, Maryland Charter Boat Association, Oyster Recovery Partnership, Solomons Charter Captains Association, the Maryland SaltwaterSportsfishermen’s Association and others. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Isproviding fisheries management, policy and technical guidance, and coordination support for reefdevelopment.