7-26-11

Action News Jacksonville Interviews TISIRI's Joe Kistel regarding upcoming Jacksonville artificial reef creation project.

Below from Action news Jacksonville Tracy Collins:

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- One man's trash is another man's reef. That's exactly what the non-profit TISIRI - Think It Sink It Reef It - is going to do this week 12 miles off the coast of Ponte Vedra. Seven hundred tons of scrap concrete is about to be turned into a marine oasis.

"(It's) basically taking projects, finding materials we can recycle, and take it offshore and create a marine habitat," said TISIRI Executive Director Joe Kistel.

The project has multiple benefits.

"We recycle materials. This material is otherwise trash," Kistel said. But to fish and coral, it becomes home. "It's an environmental benefit. It's creating a fish habitat. Over time, we have a congregated amount of life that accumulates over these things."

And that creates recreation.

"Since the fish and everything are out there, now we have a reason for people to go offshore and utilize it," he said. And that could potentially create economic benefits, too.

"Artificial reefs get a lot of attention," Kistel said. "Scuba divers, fishermen from all around the world will actually go to the areas that have significant reef sites, so this can then bring in a lot of tourists to the area."

This reef is being funded by city and state grants, but you can have your own reef starting at $50,000. And TISIRI will even name it after you.
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