Healthy Fisheries Start With Healthy Habitat
CCA NC has long recognized that building healthy, sustainable fish stocks in North Carolina cannot be achieved without first protecting and restoring the health of the habitat fish need to thrive. CCA NC has supported numerous projects over the years that will make a positive impact on marine habitat creation and restoration. The Building Conservation Trust (BCT) is CCA’s National Habitat Program that was created to provide vital funding for grassroots driven projects that achieve one or more of five key objectives: Restore degraded habitats; Create new habitats; Advance the science of coastal habitat and marine fisheries conservation; Foster habitat stewardship; and Educate coastal communities on the value of conservation.
Highlighted Projects
Pamlico Point Artificial Reef Project – AR 293
In October 2023, CCA NC organized the deployment of almost 300 reef structures onto a 15-acre site in the Pamlico Sound to create North Carolina’s newest artificial fishing reef, AR-293. The new reef will boost…
Bayview Artificial Reef Improvement Project – AR 291
In May, 2022, a 3-D printed artificial reef, designed to provide a thriving habitat for fish and other marine life, was submerged in the brackish water of the Pamlico River near Bayview, N.C. Eight years…
New River Oyster Highway, Phase 1
CCA NC provided financial and volunteer support for the New River Oyster Highway project. The project involved the building of new oyster reefs in the New River to provide a “stepping stone” approach to the…
UNC IMS Oyster Reef Research Project – Dr. Joel Fodrie
CCA North Carolina and the Building Conservation Trust, CCA’s national habitat program, partnered to fund $100,000 for innovative oyster research conducted by Dr. Joel Fodrie at the University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Science…
