Deployment of 3D-printed artificial reef underway near mouth of Pamlico River

RALEIGH (WWAY) — On Friday, October 20th deployment of 3-D printed artificial reef structures from Raleigh-based climate technology company, Natrx, went underway near the mouth of the Pamlico River.

The concrete ExoForms, designed and produced by Natrx in Raleigh, provide refuge for important fish species such as red drum, sheepshead, black drum, striped bass and speckled trout, as well as oysters, mussels, crustaceans, invertebrates and other organisms – promoting “biodiversity and vibrancy” within the river ecosystem.

The reef deployment just south of Pamlico Point near Hobucken is the second Pamlico River reef project for Natrx in partnership with Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina (CCA NC) and the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF). A similar artificial reef was deployed upstream, near the mouth of Bath Creek, in May of last year. Natrx said that improving fish stocks “provides an economic boost to the local community through increased recreational fishing activity.” It, also, creates new fishing spots, minimizing the pressure put on popular ones.

“These reef projects have been supported by popular demand from the local community as well as among sportsmen traveling here,” added CCA NC Executive Director, David Sneed. “This project dovetails with local efforts by the state Wildlife Resource Commission to improve access for recreational anglers to this part of the Pamlico which is more remote than other areas of the state with more development.”

“The Pamlico Point reef project is a terrific example of collaboration between a conversation-minded non-profit, public resource agencies and an innovative climate tech company providing advanced coastal resilience solutions,” CEO Leonard Nelson shared. “These estuarine reef installations represent significant milestones in the use of adaptive infrastructure technology in North Carolina.”

The new fifteen-acre reef site will be one of twenty-five artificial reefs in North Carolina maintained by the DMF. The department’s reef program receives funding from the North Carolina General Assembly, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sport Fish Restoration Program and the North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License Grant Program. The deployment was also made possible by financial contributions from the CCA Building Conservation Trust and Starborough Wine, a New Zealand-based wine brand.