News
Divers In Houston Get Behind Multi Million Dollar Reef Project
Houston’s scuba diving community has launched a massive online campaign in an effort to get approval to sink a 200 foot ship off the coast of Galveston to become an artificial reef and diving hot spot.
More than $4 million worth of funding has already been secured to pay for the project, which would be the first of its kind this close to the Bayou City. It would sit just 67 miles from Galveston.
“This would be fantastic,” said Roger Veteto from the City of Houston Underwater Mariners. “There are thousands of divers in the Houston area and a ship reef would bring more from accross the state and the country.”
The closest project of it’s kind right now is the Texas Clipper, a 500 foot maritime marine training vessel, which was sunk as an artificial reef off the coast of South Padre Island in 2007.
Divers say the Clipper is just too far away to make day trips possible, so this new project would fill a gap in Texas’ coastal tourism and bring big economic benefits to the area.
“A wreck like this would be a destination type wreck like those sunk for divers off Key Largo and Pensacola,” said Captain Randy Smith, one of the owners of Sport Divers of Houston Inc. in Webster.
The Pensacola reef, the USS Oriskany, or the Mighty ‘O’ as it is known locally, is a World War II aircraft carrier sunk in 2006. That generated an extra $6m for the local economy in it’s first year according to a 2007 study by the National Center for Environmental Economics.
Capt. Smith was at a public meeting about the Galveston project held by Texas Parks and Wildlife back in January. He says $1.8 million has been secured from BP restoration money after the Deep Water Horizon Disaster. Another $2.4 million is coming from the Texas Artificial Reef Fund.
“What we need now are public comment cards saying, ‘Yes, we want the ship reef,'” Smith said.
The issue is the amount of work it takes to clean up a ship and get it ready for sinking, which can take several years. There’s also the added challenge of finding a ship in the first place.
An alternate plan proposes putting concrete fishing reefs near Corpus Cristi, a much smaller and simpler idea, but less spectacular. Captain Smith says Texas Parks and Wildlife want to know if people in Houston think this project is worth the extra effort.
Divers estimate about 2 to 3 percent of the population are certified scuba divers and say dive trips available now out to oil rigs that have been sunk as reefs in the past are popular.
“It would absolutely work,” said Roger Veteto of the City of Houston Underwater Mariners, “Four or five boats run trips out every weekend to the oil rigs, we are looking for public support, we are trying to mobilize our members to get in touch with Texas Parks and Wildlife, we think the ship reef project would have a big positive impact.”
The deadline for public comment is 19th February. More details about the project can be found here.
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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