Artificial Reef Deployments in New Jersey

Since 1984, the New Jersey Bureau of Marine Fisheries (BMF) has coordinated and held the permits for an intensive program of artificial reef construction and biological monitoring off the coast of New Jersey. The purpose is to create a network of artificial reefs in the ocean waters along the New Jersey coast to provide a hard substrate for fish, shellfish and crustaceans, fishing grounds for anglers, and underwater structures for scuba divers. Within each reef site, which range in size from one-half to over four square miles, numerous deployments or "patch reefs" have been constructed. A patch reef is an area within a reef site boundary where material has been deployed. In total, over 4000 patch reefs have been constructed on the state's 17 reef sites since the program began. Reefs are used extensively by anglers and divers who catch summer flounder, winter flounder, ling, black sea bass, tautog, scup, and lobster along with a myriad of other species.Deployments most often consist of three material types; concrete, rock, and metals. These deployments are frequently old bridges, dredge rock, or ships which have all been repurposed as artificial habitat. Over time, these materials become encrusted and a living reef matrix envelopes the structure. This matrix can be several layers thick as different types of encrusters compete for an available toehold, often growing on top of each other. At this stage of reef development, a multitude of minute organisms take up residence in this protective matrix and form an important component of the food chain. Deployed reef structure not only leads to more food for marine fish, but also increases the energy efficiency of reef feeding by dissipating underwater currents. The structure acts as a baffle, reducing current along the bottom, which allows energy from food to be used for growth rather than exertion. Additionally, as water flows over and around reef structure, eddies form, which carry food to waiting fishes.The DGPS coordinates upon which this GIS data is based were obtained through direct observation, i.e. by finding each structure at sea and then recording its exact location from LORAN C and DGPS receivers. Older patch reef coordinates were obtained using LORAN C devices. More recent reef drops were recorded with DGPS machines. To convert the earlier reef deployment coordinates that were obtained solely from LORAN C devices into DPGS, two techniques were used. Most of the conversions were obtained by on-site observations. If an on-site observation was not possible, mathematical equations were used to convert from Loran C into DGPS. Unfortunately, while close, these conversions are usually not accurate enough to find reef structures. The exact locations of structures can usually be found by using a wreck search patterns.This dataset includes all deployments located at reef sites and installed between 1905-2016 as well as deployments installed after 2016 which were sponsored.自1984年起，新泽西州海洋渔业局（New Jersey Bureau of Marine Fisheries, BMF）便牵头协调并持有新泽西州近岸集约化人工鱼礁建设与生物监测项目的相关许可。本项目旨在沿新泽西州近岸海域搭建人工鱼礁网络，为鱼类、贝类与甲壳类动物提供硬质附着基底，为垂钓者提供垂钓场地，为水肺潜水爱好者提供水下构筑物。各礁区面积介于0.5至4平方英里不等，每个礁区内均搭建了大量部署单元，即“斑块礁”。斑块礁指礁区边界内投放了硬质材料的区域。自项目启动以来，该州17个礁区累计搭建了超过4000个斑块礁。垂钓者与潜水者频繁利用这些鱼礁，可在此捕捞夏季鲽、冬季鲽、绿鳕、黑鲈、真鲷、铜盆鱼以及龙虾等诸多物种。部署单元的材质主要分为三类：混凝土、岩石与金属，常见的有经改造再利用的旧桥梁、疏浚岩石或退役船舶，用作人工栖息生境。随着时间推移，这些材料表面会逐渐被附着生物覆盖，形成活的礁体基质包裹原有结构。由于不同附着生物会竞争附着空间，往往层层叠叠生长，该基质可厚达数层。在鱼礁发育的这一阶段，大量微型生物会在该保护性基质中栖息，构成食物链的重要组成部分。投放的礁体结构不仅能为海洋鱼类提供更充足的食物，还可通过消散水下水流提升礁区摄食的能量利用效率：该结构充当导流挡板，降低海底沿线的水流速度，使食物携带的能量更多用于生物生长，而非消耗于克服水流的体力消耗。此外，水流流经或环绕礁体结构时会形成涡流，将食物输送至等候觅食的鱼类。本地理信息系统（Geographic Information System, GIS）数据所依托的差分全球定位系统（Differential Global Positioning System, DGPS）坐标，均通过实地观测获取：即出海定位每一处人工结构后，借助罗兰C（LORAN C）与DGPS接收机记录其精确位置。早期的斑块礁坐标仅通过罗兰C设备获取，近期投放的礁体则使用DGPS设备记录坐标。为将仅通过罗兰C设备获取的早期礁体部署坐标转换为DGPS坐标，研究团队采用了两类方法：多数转换通过实地观测完成；若无法开展实地观测，则通过数学公式将罗兰C坐标转换为DGPS坐标。但遗憾的是，此类转换结果虽精度相近，通常仍不足以直接定位礁体结构，通常需借助沉船搜索模式方可精准找到目标礁体。本数据集涵盖1905年至2016年间部署于各礁区的所有人工单元，以及2016年后获资助部署的相关人工单元。