Source: NCDENR, 5/10/21
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries’ Artificial Reef Program, in
partnership with the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee, sank a 108-foot
tugboat Friday off Oregon Inlet. The Valley
Forge joins two other tugboats, the America, and
the American at
AR-165. The site, which is located about 7 miles southeast of Oregon Inlet,
also contains approximately 7,200 tons of recycled concrete pipe. The site was
established, and all materials placed, as part of a Coastal Recreational
Fishing License grant awarded to the Oregon Inlet Artificial Reef Committee. The Valley
Forge is a 108-foot firefighting tugboat, originally commissioned by
the U.S. Army and constructed in 1954. It served for many decades, undergoing a
refit in the 1990s. The tug was later decommissioned and put up for auction in
2012. The tug was cleaned of environmental pollutants in accordance with
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers regulations prior to reefing. Its placement leaves a navigational
clearance of approximately 20 feet. The division plans to sink some large reef
balls and concrete pipe at the site later this year. GPS coordinates for AR-165 are: 35° 41.672’ N, 75° 26.313’ W. An artificial reef is a manmade underwater
structure, typically built to
promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom. In North
Carolina, they serve as crucial spawning and foraging habitat for many
commercially and recreationally important fish species. The division maintains 68 artificial reefs,
located from estuarine waters to 38 miles from shore. They are situated so that
they can be reached from every maintained inlet in the state. For more
information, about the program or the vessel sinking, contact Artificial Reef
Program Coordinator Jordan Byrum at 252-808-8036 or Jordan.Byrum@ncdenr.gov. Click here to download photos of the
sinking.
Click here for a short video clip of the
sinking.
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