06/16/2026
Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi is deploying a new Artificital Reef!!
We, as members of the Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi, are excited to announce that we will deploy a new reef structure in the Mississippi Sound by the end of June. The project restores a derelict shrimp boat recovered from Biloxi Bay. It has been cleaned and refurbished to remove grease, oils, and other harmful materials, and is now ready for deployment.
By bringing the boat in, cleaning it up, lowering the profile, and raising the structure to an allowable height, the placement will be a little closer inshore. It will still be deep enough that even big boats can pass over it safely, including commercial sh*****ng boats.
CCA had letters cut and placed on top of the boat, and with the help of over 500 children from local schools across the coast, glued oyster shells to the structure. These oyster shells will serve as the foundation for future marine life to grow. Algae, worms, larvae, and maybe even other oyster shells will grow on this habitat and hard structures. This process will then provide a habitat for fish, allowing them to hide from predators and obtain food. This process will start almost immediately when the boat hits the bottom.
Placing this reef in the water will allow us to immediately create habitat and support conservation in the Gulf. Behind this old, ugly boat is a story, and we need to give it some credit. It worked for many decades out in the Gulf, providing food and a livelihood for families across the coast, and served us well. Now, after she worked for all those years catching shrimp, she will retire to become an artificial reef, helping to grow shrimp while continuing to serve the same families, just decades later, with even more benefits and for decades to come.
The project has been underway for over a year, and after much effort and hard work, it has finally come to fruition. This project is not just the placement of a new reef for fishing; it shows how important conservation is to not only our community but to the entire Gulf. The Coastal Conservation Mississippi volunteers funded the purchase of this derelict shrimp and the deployment process.
The funds to pay for this project were raised and donated by CCAMS members and their many activities throughout the state. We teamed with Mr. Will Ladnier, National Fisheries Restoration, and their team to help get the project accomplished. The structure will be deployed at FH 9/11, about 10 miles due south of I-110, or around coordinates 30° 15.375'N / 88° 53.687'W.
Thank you to all of our schools, volunteers, and supporters of our conservation efforts. If you would like to help or join CCA, please reach out at www.cca.ms or [email protected]
