Artificial Reef Projects in Costa Rica

The artificial reef project in Costa Rica started in the 1980’s where used tires are bundled together forming a huge underwater structure for corals to attach. But most of the structures failed as the tires get loose over time and was not able to hold together. As Costa Rican reefs dwindled its coverage from 90% during the 80’s to about 5%, the need to provide areas for new corals to thrive has become an important matter for the Government, as well as concerned people, artificial reefs have become the preferred project to address the need for reef conservation.

The Curu Artificial Reef Project

This one of the first artificial reef projects in Costa Rica where their early accomplishments involve the deployment of over 6,000 used car tires and two wooden boats at the bottom of Curu Bay. During the 1990’s, this project was able to install plastic-based structures, fallen trees and rocks which are all placed in an area with poor or no existing marine life. Today and with funding support from Turismo Curu, the project continuously monitor and renew the structures with the addition of other materials such as concrete.

For more details, you can check their website at www.turismocuru.com/eco-projects-in-curu

The Grupo ICE Artificial Reef Project

Tons of waste material coming from the national electrical grid has been planned to be made into an artificial reef. Being the primary component, porcelain insulators will be joined together to form a small cylindrical shape which can be further attached and expanded in to a larger module.

Still being at the research stage, a modular design has been made measuring 6 meters in diameter and 1.3 meters high and was already deployed in Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste. With promising data observation and if the model proves to be efficient, the second phase of the project will use all the waste porcelain insulators just being stocked in warehouses and storage facilities.

For more information, you can read our related article http://www.costarica-scuba.com/is-it-possible-to-make-an-artificial-reef-out-of-costa-ricas-electrical-grid-waste/

Condo Fish: The Playa Hermosa Artificial Reef Project

artifical-reef-hermosa-19Sanctioned by the Costa Rican government, this artificial fish habitat nicknamed as Fish Condominiums uses cinder blocks piled underwater to form an igloo shape. Based on monitoring reports, the structures are functioning well as fishes and plants are taking well to their new home and several have already begun laying eggs on the concrete structure.

Since their old method employs manual carrying of the cinder blocks from land to the sea through a boat and is considered labor intensive, phase 2 of the project now involves structural steel frame where cinder boxes are just easily inserted. Further, the installation is only done once during low tide and with the help of large buoy drum, the heavy structure will just float during high tide which can now be easily towed to the targeted site.

If you want to join this environmental cause, you can support them through their Adopt a Reef Program. For only $150, you can adopt a reef for a period of 2 years. The sponsor’s name is usually written in a sign infront of the structure where you can take a visit anytime of the year.

For more details, you can email them at condofish@gmailo.com or visit their website at www.condofish.wordpress.com

The Paquera Students Artificial Reef Project

A modular design of Reefballs. Photo courtesy from Reefball.org

Thirty-two eleventh year male students from Paquera were fortunate enough to study biology not in the classroom but also in the big and actual laboratory of the ocean. Sponsored by the Costa Rica – United States Foundation (CRUSA) and Universidad Nacional, this school project named “Learning Biology through Artificial Reef” allowed the boys to make 90 units of artificial reef inspired by the design made by Reefball. These cylindrical artificial reefs made out of concrete were deployed at Bay Shrimp off the Gulf of Nicoya.

The school project was targeted to counter-act the deterioration of marine environment by providing artificial substrate for corals to grow and to generate information for future studies. This academic endeavor also taught other young people on the importance of marine ecosystems that are thriving around these artificial reefs.

Students were quite interested in the project were most of them have cooperated. Some students have appreciated the classroom training which was later applied to the actual environment. To quote one reaction of a student: “We use the reef as a laboratory, brought samples back to our school and studied it”. The teachers were also glad as it has built solidarity between the students which you seldom see in school, as solidarity is often only achieved in sports activities. Since its inception last 2003, the project continues to exist with the collaboration and help of Puntarenas Marine Park, Ministry of Public Education, Reef Ball Foundation and Paquera Diver’s Association.

The 1984 Nicoya Used-Tire Artificial Reef Project

In April 1984, there was a massive project to convert used tires into artificial reefs. This artificial reefs were deployed in the Gulf of Nicoya which is considered as the most important fishing center in Costa Rica. Based on the study conducted by Guzman et al. (1986), areas deployed with artificial reefs showed to yield a higher fish biomass compared to areas with natural substrate. Their study also found out that there is a variation of fish species where its pattern of abundance is directly linked to environmental factors.

While it is true, in general, that areas with artificial reefs can be loaded with a good population of fish species, it does not mean that it can already produce on its own. Remember, fishes thrive in artificial reef for the purpose of taking temporary refuge. Not unless the structures can last a relatively longer span of time, then we can say that artificial reefs can now start functioning as a true reef while it is being colonized by corals and other reef-associated species. But this is not the case of artificial reefs made out of used tires where the entire structure and colony can collapse due to material deterioration.

The Proposed Cabuya – Montezuma Artificial Reef Project

Despite the prior granting of legal permits to pursue this environmental endeavor, this planned project was not realized for reasons that local fishermen were worried that the project can negatively affect their means of livelihood rather than bringing in positive effects. One of their worries was that the artificial structures may disturb the surrounding fish population or their fishing nets might get entangled. But now, with public knowledge that artificial reefs can truly bring positive effects, not just to the marine environment but also to their livelihood as well, fishermen are now pushing through to bring back the project in hopes to increase the fish population, provide nesting grounds for fishes and reef associated species and to bring tourism in Cabuya.

Currently, permits are on the process and work will commence the minute this environmental project is once again approved. For donations and further information of the project, you can contact Jonathan, also known as Rocky, who is the overall in-charge of this undertaking.

Tristan Paylado

a.k.a. TRIX, is a Marine Biologist, CMAS 2 Star Dive Instructor and a proficient writer that thinks like an octopus but acts like an Orca.

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