American Fisheries Society Symposium 86:187–196, 2018 © 2018 by the American Fisheries Society The Charleston Deep Reef: Creating an Artificial Reef Marine Protected Area to Enhance Fisheries Resources ROBERT M. MARTORE* AND MELVIN BELL South Carolina Department of Natural Resources 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA Abstract.—In support of the Magnuson–Stevens Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006, which tasked regional fisheries management councils with ending overfishing of numerous marine finfish species, the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council established 8 deepwater (90–150 m [300–500 ft]) type II marine protected areas (MPAs) along the coastline of the southeastern United States. At the request of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), one of these MPAs was established on an undeveloped sand-bottom area previously permitted by SCDNR for artificial reef development. After monitoring the production potential of unfished artificial reefs for several years on shallower experimental reef sites, SCDNR staff proposed that a deeper location had the potential to become a highly productive spawning site, particularly for deepwater grouper species. Development of this permitted site began in 2014 when two 79-m (260 ft) barges with nearly 30 m (100 ft) of added profile were deployed. Subsequent monitoring of the site through remotely operated underwater vehicle video revealed coloniza- tion by several target species, including Warsaw Grouper Hyporthodus nigri- tus, Snowy Grouper H. niveatus, and Misty Grouper H. mystacinus. Due in part to the success of this deepwater MPA, the SCDNR was also granted spawning special management zone designation for its two previously es- tablished, undisclosed experimental artificial reef sites in federal waters off South Carolina in 2017. Introduction developing fishery management plans to pre- vent overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks The Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conserva- (U.S. Department of Commerce 2007). The tion and Management Act, first enacted in act was strengthened with the passage of the 1976, is the primary law governing marine Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and fisheries management in U.S. federal waters. Management Reauthorization Act of 2006. This act established eight regional fishery This amendment added new requirements management councils that are responsible for on regional councils to establish annual catch * Corresponding author: [email protected] limits and accountability measures to achieve 187 188 MARTORE AND BELL species-specific goals to eliminate overfish- SAFMC designate an additional site consist- ing. In 2007, to assist in meeting the manage- ing primarily of flat, featureless sand bottom ment goals of these new requirements, the as a type II MPA. This site, called the Charles- South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council ton Deep Reef, was previously permitted for (SAFMC) established eight deepwater type II deepwater artificial reef development by the marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Atlantic state. After monitoring the production poten- Ocean along the southeastern United States tial of unfished artificial reefs for several years coast, specifically to protect populations and on shallower experimental artificial reefs, spawning sites of deepwater snapper and SCDNR staff believed that a deeper location grouper species (Figure 1). had the potential to become a highly produc- Designation as a type II MPA prohibits tive spawning site, particularly for deepwater bottom fishing or the possession of snapper/ grouper species of management interest. This grouper species while within the designated belief was also supported by the experiences boundaries of the MPA; however, surface of numerous commercial fishermen over the trolling for pelagic species such as dolphin years who have encountered large populations or billfish is allowed. Most sites designated as of grouper on newly discovered shipwrecks. MPAs encompassed areas of naturally occur- ring hard/live-bottom or rocky ledges inhab- Background ited by populations of snapper and grouper South Carolina Department of Natural Re- species of management interest. Consequent- sources staff began researching the poten- ly, the South Carolina Department of Natu- tial benefits of developing artificial reefs as ral Resources (SCDNR) requested that the Figure 1. Deepwater marine protected areas (MPAs) established by the South Atlantic Fish- eries Management Council in 2007. THE CHARLESTON DEEP REEF 189 marine reserves with the creation of an un- compared to 21 m (70 ft) for Area 51. In ad- disclosed research reef in 1998. The experi- dition to dart tags used in Area 51 to track mental artificial reef site, designated “Area fish movement and site fidelity, acoustic tags 51,” was initiated to investigate the feasibil- were also implanted in numerous fish of sev- ity of using artificial reefs as small-scale but eral species on Area 53. Receiver arrays were potentially valuable MPAs. By monitoring established on all four corners of the experi- and documenting the fish populations of mental site to better monitor site fidelity on an unfished artificial reef area over time and the reef over time. comparing their population parameters to Observations from Area 53 were similar those on regularly fished artificial reef areas to those from Area 51, indicating the total of identical design, the potential value of abundances of Black Sea Bass, Gag, Scamp nonexploited artificial reef MPAs as a sup- Mycteroperca phenax, and Gray Triggerfish plement to traditional methods of utilizing Balistes capriscus, were significantly greater at artificial reefs could be evaluated. To more unfished sites. Also, spawning activity within accurately measure the productivity potential the reef complex was observed as well as of this newly created reef, it was necessary to an indication of high site fidelity for some eliminate unmeasured public fishing pressure species. In addition, protected reef sites had on it by limiting public awareness and, con- significantly larger-sized individuals and fast- sequently, public use of the site during the er growth rates for some species (Kolmos study period. The U.S. Army Corps of En- 2007). Both sites clearly demonstrated that gineers allowed SCDNR to utilize a special artificial reefs could be designed, permit- permitting process to bypass the standard ted, and deployed to function specifically as public comment period normally required MPAs and that this concept could be par- for artificial reef permitting. Several years ticularly useful in increasing the reproductive of monitoring revealed that MPA reef sites potential of designated species of manage- indicated significantly higher abundances of ment concern. commercially and recreationally important While neither experimental reef site had species (i.e., Black Sea Bass Centropristis stri- governmental regulatory protection from ata, Gag Mycteroperca microlepis), recruitment fishing during the study periods, the general of juveniles and subadults, spawning activ- public was unaware of the reef sites or the ity in several species, and minimal movement ongoing research activities. Although exploi- among nearby sites once populations became tation of the areas was certainly possible, established (Gold 2001; Kauppert 2002). there were no indications of public discovery Due in part to the results obtained from of the sites from normal indicators of fish- investigations at Area 51, the SAFMC pro- ing activity, as evidenced by unexpected de- vided funding in 2003 to replicate that study creases in fish abundance, lost fishing tackle, design in deeper water to specifically target or fouled boat anchors. other species of interest within the SAFMC’s Snapper Grouper Management Unit. The The Charleston Deep Reef permitting process and all reef parameters Observations from the Area 51 and Area 53 for the new site, designated “Area 53,” were research sites led SCDNR staff to conclude identical to those from Area 51 except that that much deeper artificial reefs that excluded water depth for this site was 32 m (105 ft) fishing might successfully function as habitat 190 MARTORE AND BELL for large numbers of deepwater species and off the central South Carolina coast (Figure potentially serve as supplemental spawning 2). The construction permit was approved in locations to assist in the rebuilding of stocks March 2005. deemed overfished. Additionally, there have The original permit application for the been documented experiences of commer- Charleston Deep Reef indicated that the reef cial fishermen harvesting large numbers of construction materials would be the steel deepwater grouper species from previously trusses of two major bridges that spanned undiscovered shipwrecks offshore. For ex- Charleston Harbor. The Grace Memorial and ample, a large shipwreck found 195 m (640 Silas Pearman bridges were scheduled for ft) deep off North Carolina was estimated to demolition at this time, and the steel spans, have an initial biomass of 31.3–32.9 metric each nearly 2 mi (3.2 km) long and more than tons (mt; 34.5–36.3 tons) whole weight of 30.5 m (100 ft) high, were specifically recom- Snowy Grouper, with an estimated density mended for offshore reef deployment in the of 11 kg/m2 over the entire ship. Following bridge demolition study (Dial Cordy and As- its discovery by commercial fishermen, 17.2 sociates 2001). mt (19 tons) of Snowy Grouper were har- As the time for actual bridge demoli- vested in approximately