One of the mandates of Pacific Marine Imaging is to assist and photograph conservation and marine restoration projects around the Pacific Northwest. Promoting healthy marine ecosystems is essential for generations to come.
Ogden Point Reef Balls
The breakwater is no longer the only artificial reef located at Ogden Point.From June 27th to June 30th 2009, 92 cement dome-shaped structures, each weighing 136kg, were dropped east of the Ogden Point breakwater from a WWII landing craft.The cement structures, which have been described as looking like flower pots, are called Reef Balls (www.reefball.org).Reef Balls are designed to restore habitat and support growth of marine life.They were designed by the Reef Ball Foundation and constructed by a local company called the Artificial Reef Structures Ltd. located in Sidney, BC.Each Reef Ball is 1m in diameter, 0.75m tall and was made by pouring pH neutral cement over a fibreglass mould.The Reef Balls were donated by Ralmax Developments Ltd. (www.ralmax.com), which is a local Victoria company that specializes in everything from site development to recycling.
The organization overseeing this project, is the Veins of Life Watershed Society (VOLWS), headed by John Roe. VOLWS is a community-based environmental organization operating from Victoria, focusing on habitat restoration projects, shoreline & stream garbage removal, environmental education programs, and public outreach activities. The goal of VOLWS is to establish a healthy and sustainable environment in which watersheds support fish and wildlife, along with recreational use. Goals are achieved through consultation and cooperation with government agencies, businesses, local environmental groups, and the public.
As part of this project, VOLWS, working in conjunction with the University of Victoria, has commissioned a masters student, Valerie Mucciarelli, to conduct scientific studies on the reef balls. Anyone interested in helping with this project can contact Val at vmucciar@uvic.ca.
