Used Tires as artificial reef

[Precht,Bill]

I am in total agreement with Mark.  However, I would not limit this to
specific depths etc..
We need to stop using reef areas as a dumping ground for trash,
especially old tires!  I dont want to get into the ethics of what should
or should not be used in artificial reefs.  The agencies responsible for
permitting these structures must evaluate the pros and cons of these on
a case by case basis.  The lesson learned in south Florida (Dade County)
from Hurricane Andrew (Aug. 24, 1992) should tell us to avoid artificial
reef structures altogether in these habitats.  Of course the exception
would be in cases of reef restoration (damage repair), where the
employment of "artificial" structures are 'woven' into the 'fabric' of
the reef.  This integration must be done to design specifications that
can withstand a 1/100 yr. storm.  

It's time to stop using coral reefs and associated areas as a landfill
and confusing this with the creation of "new" habitat for divers and
fisherman. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Mark Eakin [SMTP:eakin at ogp.noaa.gov]
> Sent:	Tuesday, June 16, 1998 11:23 AM
> To:	Recipients of coral-list
> Subject:	Re: Used Tires as artificial reef
> 
>                            Subject:                         Time:
> 10:36 AM
>                            RE>Used Tires as artificial reef Date:
> 6/16/98
> 
> I strongly recommend that tires NOT be used for artificial reefs
> unless you are in an area where you can garantee that there will be no
> storm surge that reaches reef depth.  Tropical cyclone generated waves
> can readily rip apart the tire mats, allowing individual tires to be
> readily moved about.  A tire reef I know of in Florida was torn apart
> by a Hurricane near miss in the late 1970s.  The tires were
> transported from 500 - 1500 m off shore, onto the beach.  Most were
> cleaned up subsequent to the storm, but some had been wedged into
> boulder rip-rap and remain to this day.
> 
> Artificial reefs need to rely on materials too heavy to be transported
> by storm waves.
> 
> Cheers,
> Mark