A New Artificial Reef in the Florida Keys
The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg to Sink off Key West
May 7, 2009
After more than 10 years of lobbying and fund raising, supporters of this artificial reef project have finally succeeded in bringing the 17,250 ton ship to Key West. The ship is tentatively scheduled to sink between May 21 and June 1, 2009. But will the sinking of "the Vandy" help or harm the Keys' fragile marine environment?
The Ship
At over 520 feet and 17,000 tons, this will be the second largest ship ever intentionally sunk for this purpose, and the largest wreck in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Supporters hope that "the Vandy" will become a world-class diving destination, as well as a habitat and breeding site for countless marine species. The chosen spot is hard barren ocean floor with no coral and no other submerged wreck, between Western Sambo and Sand Key, about 7 miles offshore from Key West.
Built in 1943, the ship served as a World War II troop transport ship, and later became a missile range instrument ship in the 1960s. The ship was retired in 1983, and was used in the Universal Pictures movie “Virus,” released in 1999, starring Donald Sutherland and Jamie Lee Curtis.
On April 12, 2009, she departed from Norfolk, Virginia, pulled by five tugboats, and arrived in Key West on April 22.
Artificial Reefs
There is no doubt that the barrier reef off the Florida Keys has been decimated by pollution, overfishing and global warming, but is sinking a massive warship the answer to the problem? True, the shipwreck may act as a host for corals, as well as ease human activity such as diving and fishing on the natural reef. On the other hand, artificial reefs may lure existing fish populations away from natural habitats, and concentrate them in unnatural ways, making them more vulnerable to overfishing.
According to a recent article in Newsweek, research shows that artificial reefs only enhance fish populations when habitat is already limited. However, In many cases, artificial reefs become popular fishing spots, exacerbating the problem of overfishing. Ultimately, artificial reefs are no replacement for natural ecosystems. Establishing more protection for natural coral reefs and maintaining plenty of marine reserves is proven to restore overfished populations, even if they don't spur the same economic gains for local tourism as artificial reefs.
Then, there is the question of durability. The federal government is still cleaning up an ill-fated 1970s artificial reef consisting of 2 million tires fastened together off the coast of southern Florida. The tires came loose during a string of tropical storms, and have been crashing around the ocean floor, destroying natural reefs and polluting the water. Wooden ships in Florida and junk cars in Alabama have caused similar problems. Recently, after prodding by the New York City Transit Authority, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey have teamed up to sink hundreds of discarded subway cars in 2008 and 2009, despite the fact that the cars have a projected underwater lifespan of only 30 years. Though leaders of the subway project admit that there are more durable materials available, they argue that the subway cars attract tourist dollars.
So far, Navy vessels and oil rigs have fared better, but what happens when the Vandenberg inevitably degrades and collapses? Only time will tell.
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