SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION
TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
December 16, 2008
My name is Dana Larson. My company The Rigs To Reefs Co. was incorporated in 1984. I do not represent any organization today but I believe my almost 40 years of involvement in the Gulf of Mexico warrants your attention. In the early 70's, while working on a Masters in Oceanography, Exxon made me its Oceanographer. I was a founder of the National Oceans Industry Association and was its Secretary for 13 years. In 1972, Representative Ray Lemmon and Senator Babe Schwartz created the Coastal and Marine Affairs Council, long since sunsetted. They presented me with an Honorary Legislative Aide Award for my efforts to help convert 12 Liberty Ships into our Liberty Reefs. At the Cousteau Society's requ est, I helped organize the Captain's first dive on a platform. I have been a member of the Gulf of Mexico's Fishery Management Council's Texas Habitat Advisory Committee since 1981. I am also on the Flower Gardens Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee.
I have spent a fair amount of time on boats and platforms in the Gulf. Besides making many dives, I spent 40 hours in a submersible, once going down 500'. On my very first platform dive in 1971, I was enraptured by its marine life’s beauty and abundance. Perhaps my MBA kicked in as I also recognized the multiple losses of decommissioning them. The concept of Rigs To Reefs was born. Contrary to Parks and Wildlife's claim that Texas was the first state with Rigs To Reefs, then Governor Bob Gramm of Florida enthusiastically arranged it back in 1978. In 1984, then Rep. John Breaux invited me to testify at his Fishing Enhancement hearings. After Congress passed it unanimously, I was placed on the first Artificial Reef Materials Committee. In 1984, the Secretary of Interior presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation for being The Father of Rigs to Reefs. In 1985, the Louisiana Congress unanimously passed its Fishing Enhancement Act and I became its first consultant. Louisiana's first two Rigs to Reefs conversions came from Texas waters after Parks and Wildlife refused them. In 1986, I introduced the National Fishing Enhancement Act to Buster Brown. He and Eddie Lucio got it passed unanimously. Approximately 1000 individuals, organizations, and businesses provided input or votes on the National, Louisiana, and Texas bills. The only entity that totally opposed any of the three bills was TPW. They opposed it twice.
Once the Texas bill was enacted, I was retained to convert the first platform. Rather than comply with the mandate to enhance our marine environment, Coastal Fisheries continued their opposition. I remember that on one day, I had to have Commission Chairman Chuck Nash intercede three times. Despite the Department’s "Kill it with faint praise" approach, we have converted about 100 platforms and received about $13 million in contributions. For a win-win no-brainer idea, we should have several hundred conversions. About $3 million has been expended from the Texas Artificial Reef Fund on boats that don't venture to these reefs and compensations averaging $75,000 each for 5 employees. These 5 employees produce about one half of their single Louisiana counterpart. Despite these impediments, the Offshore Energy Center and the Offshore Technology Conference have recognized the Department, Jim Morrison, a few others, and myself for our accomplishments.
I do not know of any studies done by the Department on the economic benefits of the conversions but Alabama and Florida agree that each cubic yard of artificial reef gene rates some $100 of new economic activity for each year of the reef’s existence. Unfortunately, the “Near Shore and Public Funding” amendments to the Fishing Enhancement Act recently prepared by the Department absolutely kills the opportunity that Ike has presented the state to create more near shore reefs with rubble.
For about 60 years, the Federal Sports Fish Restoration Act has refunded certain taxes to the states with the proviso “user pay/user benefits”. Many coastal states have created impressive artificial reefs offshore with these funds. Alabama has converted its offshore biological desert into habitat where 40% of all recreational red snapper in the Gulf are caught. By comparison, Texas catches only 6%. It appears that none of the $250 million dollars returned to Parks and Wildlife over 60 years has been spent on any projects from the shoreline out. Despite mandates for annual audits, TPW apparently has no records of where this money has gone or what has been accomplished.
Because of these and other apparently permanent irregularities, I urge that Coastal Fisheries, or possibly the entire TPW Department, be placed on probation. Only after they prove that they can be honest, comply with the law, and produce results comparable with other states should this probation be lifted.
Thank you.
Dana Larson
182 Lilac Ridge
The Woodlands, TX 77384
936 273-0984
rigs2reefs@aol.com
TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
December 16, 2008
My name is Dana Larson. My company The Rigs To Reefs Co. was incorporated in 1984. I do not represent any organization today but I believe my almost 40 years of involvement in the Gulf of Mexico warrants your attention. In the early 70's, while working on a Masters in Oceanography, Exxon made me its Oceanographer. I was a founder of the National Oceans Industry Association and was its Secretary for 13 years. In 1972, Representative Ray Lemmon and Senator Babe Schwartz created the Coastal and Marine Affairs Council, long since sunsetted. They presented me with an Honorary Legislative Aide Award for my efforts to help convert 12 Liberty Ships into our Liberty Reefs. At the Cousteau Society's requ est, I helped organize the Captain's first dive on a platform. I have been a member of the Gulf of Mexico's Fishery Management Council's Texas Habitat Advisory Committee since 1981. I am also on the Flower Gardens Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee.
I have spent a fair amount of time on boats and platforms in the Gulf. Besides making many dives, I spent 40 hours in a submersible, once going down 500'. On my very first platform dive in 1971, I was enraptured by its marine life’s beauty and abundance. Perhaps my MBA kicked in as I also recognized the multiple losses of decommissioning them. The concept of Rigs To Reefs was born. Contrary to Parks and Wildlife's claim that Texas was the first state with Rigs To Reefs, then Governor Bob Gramm of Florida enthusiastically arranged it back in 1978. In 1984, then Rep. John Breaux invited me to testify at his Fishing Enhancement hearings. After Congress passed it unanimously, I was placed on the first Artificial Reef Materials Committee. In 1984, the Secretary of Interior presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation for being The Father of Rigs to Reefs. In 1985, the Louisiana Congress unanimously passed its Fishing Enhancement Act and I became its first consultant. Louisiana's first two Rigs to Reefs conversions came from Texas waters after Parks and Wildlife refused them. In 1986, I introduced the National Fishing Enhancement Act to Buster Brown. He and Eddie Lucio got it passed unanimously. Approximately 1000 individuals, organizations, and businesses provided input or votes on the National, Louisiana, and Texas bills. The only entity that totally opposed any of the three bills was TPW. They opposed it twice.
Once the Texas bill was enacted, I was retained to convert the first platform. Rather than comply with the mandate to enhance our marine environment, Coastal Fisheries continued their opposition. I remember that on one day, I had to have Commission Chairman Chuck Nash intercede three times. Despite the Department’s "Kill it with faint praise" approach, we have converted about 100 platforms and received about $13 million in contributions. For a win-win no-brainer idea, we should have several hundred conversions. About $3 million has been expended from the Texas Artificial Reef Fund on boats that don't venture to these reefs and compensations averaging $75,000 each for 5 employees. These 5 employees produce about one half of their single Louisiana counterpart. Despite these impediments, the Offshore Energy Center and the Offshore Technology Conference have recognized the Department, Jim Morrison, a few others, and myself for our accomplishments.
I do not know of any studies done by the Department on the economic benefits of the conversions but Alabama and Florida agree that each cubic yard of artificial reef gene rates some $100 of new economic activity for each year of the reef’s existence. Unfortunately, the “Near Shore and Public Funding” amendments to the Fishing Enhancement Act recently prepared by the Department absolutely kills the opportunity that Ike has presented the state to create more near shore reefs with rubble.
For about 60 years, the Federal Sports Fish Restoration Act has refunded certain taxes to the states with the proviso “user pay/user benefits”. Many coastal states have created impressive artificial reefs offshore with these funds. Alabama has converted its offshore biological desert into habitat where 40% of all recreational red snapper in the Gulf are caught. By comparison, Texas catches only 6%. It appears that none of the $250 million dollars returned to Parks and Wildlife over 60 years has been spent on any projects from the shoreline out. Despite mandates for annual audits, TPW apparently has no records of where this money has gone or what has been accomplished.
Because of these and other apparently permanent irregularities, I urge that Coastal Fisheries, or possibly the entire TPW Department, be placed on probation. Only after they prove that they can be honest, comply with the law, and produce results comparable with other states should this probation be lifted.
Thank you.
Dana Larson
182 Lilac Ridge
The Woodlands, TX 77384
936 273-0984
rigs2reefs@aol.com