Jeremy-
I didn't realize this was you when I first read your email after work on
Friday evening. I apologize that it took me this long to follow up. I hope
you are doing well. I tried calling you a little while ago.
Let me try and answer your questions in order...
Funding for the new Brad Vincent Reef will come from the CCA Building
Conservation Trust along with one-to-one matching funds from The LDWF
Artificial Reef Trust Fund. This is 100% restricted money and can only be
used for reefs- so we are not using money here that could otherwise be put
towards advocacy. The total funding will be $450,000.
10,000 tons of recycled concrete (loaded onto barges) will cost us
$200,000. This price includes a generous in-kind donation from our
materials provider. The transport and deployment of the materials will
cost us $230,000. This also includes a generous amount of in-kind service
from our deployment contractor. We also budgeted $20,000 for follow up
survey work. In all cases, our Habitat Committee volunteers and staff
spend great time and energy finding the best price for the best material
and service. Our volunteers take this very seriously and do an amazing
job getting the absolute most "project for the buck."
As for the protection of this reef and other reefs from commercial
harvest, perhaps you have not seen pending legislation (making its way
through session as we speak) by Representative Hunter Greene (HB 406) that
would make artificial reefs off limits to commercial harvest. As you can
imagine, The CCA Louisiana Government Relations Committee (made up of
volunteers from around the State) has worked closely with the Author and
LDWF to craft this legislation and to monitor it throughout. We feel very
optimistic about it. I did talk about this bill at a LC committee meeting
in February.
As for the oyster tonging bill we worked on with Blade Morrish last year,
I'm sure you know that the bill "morphed" a good bit through session last
year and ended up limiting the number of permits on the Lake to 126. That
is roughly half the number of boats that were oystering Big Lake in 2010.
It also adjusted some language to limit the number of sacks that were
allowed per licensed harvester and per vessel. In other words, while the
bill was not what we originally intended, it has succeeded in
significantly limiting the oyster harvest pressure on the Lake. That said,
our GR committee continues to monitor this ever-evolving situation very
closely and are considering options moving forward. Like you, our goal
here is to protect the resources in that Lake. We will do what it takes
to achieve that goal, and we appreciate your support in helping us get
there.
Please know that you are welcome to call me anytime with questions. My
cell number is *** *** ****.
Hope the fish are biting for you. See you soon.
David
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