The Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association (BHFCA) launched their Junior Mate Reef Project in 2019, and what a year it has been. “We have been embraced and supported by the fishing and business community and quite frankly our fundraising to date has been greater than anyone would have anticipated,” said BHFCA president, Capt. John Lewis.
In response to the often deteriorating condition of the nearby reefs, by the natural degradation of the metals, sinking into the sand and getting covered by the sand due to storms like Superstorm Sandy, Capt. Lewis said the BHFCA’s goal has been to maintain and expand the existing reefs off Long Beach Island to build habitat while increasing the local fishing opportunities.
“Last year we told you we were planning to deploy two tug boats on Little Egg Reef and that was what we were fundraising for,” Capt. Lewis said, adding “As we progressed and showed the state and the non-profits that we had a viable program and enthusiastic donors, they presented other potential projects to us and that gave us more options as well as the ability to maximize the value of your donations.”
“We changed course, as one opportunity would give us double the material for the same cost, and today we are waiting for the delivery of a 140-foot barge, a 52-foot crew boat and a 45-foot tugboat with an expected arrival soon,” Capt. Lewis said in March, who said the project will be paid through donations to the BHFCA with dollar for dollar matching funds from the Ann E. Clark foundation and the Sport Fishing Fund, long time financiers of artificial reefs in New Jersey.
Since then, the association has been looking at several vessels a next project, which Lewis believes they may have found. “Two 210-foot scows that can have concrete rubble loaded in them giving them much more fish attracting habitat. These would greatly increase the amount of material we will deploy, placing one on Little Egg Reef and the other on Garden State South,” he added.
The state of New Jersey does not put money into the artificial reef materials, but instead those items are either donated or paid for by sportsmen’s groups and private contributions. Deployment is expensive as materials need to be procured, cleaned and inspected then transported to the desired location and the towing vessel, and crew still needs to return to their home port. Capt. Lewis said the projects they’re looking at currently would run about $180,000.
“The good news is that we have $160,000 raised in cash and matching funds as of today,” he said as of late May. “Only $20,000 to go.”
Like many other fishing clubs, groups and associations, the BHCFA is an IRS approved 501C3 non-profit, so contributions to the cause should be tax deductible. “An investment in the future of the fish stocks, an investment in the local marine related businesses, an investment in tourism, and most importantly an investment in the future of fishing so that your children and your children’s children will be successfully fishing and diving on the artificial reefs off of this island we so dearly love when they reach my age,” Capt. Lewis added.
For more information about the BHCFA and their Junior Mate Reef Project, contact Capt. John Lewis at 609-670-5980 or via email at [email protected].
