NOW, A NEW ARTIFICIAL CORAL REEF WAS INSTALLED OFF THE COAST OF GRAND ISLE TODAY. NOW, THIS REEF IS THE LARGEST INSHORE REEF COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION THAT LOUISIANA HAS INSTALLED IN SIX YEARS. WDSU FIRST WARNING METEOROLOGIST DEREK SIBLEY TELLS US WHAT THIS MANMADE REEF WILL DO FOR THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND THE BENEFITS IT PROVIDES TODAY. A NEW ARTIFICIAL CORAL REEF WAS INSTALLED RIGHT HERE OFF OUR COAST. WE SPOKE TO COMPANIES AND AGENCIES, AND HERE’S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE PROJECT. WHEN YOU CAN PROTECT THE HABITAT, BUILD A RESOURCE THAT PROTECTS THE HABITAT, ALLOW THE SMALL FISH TO GET BIGGER, THEN IT’S A WIN WIN. COASTAL CONSERVATIONISTS TOUTING THE INSTALLATION OF ARTIFICIAL REEFS. EXPERTS SAY THE MANMADE STRUCTURES WILL BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE ECOSYSTEM FOR YEARS TO COME. THE ORGANISMS GROW, IT ATTRACTS THE SMALL FISH. IT ALSO PROVIDES SAFE A SAFE HARBOR FOR THE THE FRY FISH TO GROW A MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT. THIS BIG REQUIRED THE HELP OF OTHER AGENCIES AND BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES. WE’RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE RAISING CANE’S HOTEL PROJECT HERE IN LOUISIANA. BEING ABLE TO HAVE ARTIFICIAL REEFS ARE A HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT. LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES SAY HAVING THE NEW REEF INSTALLED WILL HELP WITH FISHING IN THE AREA. TO BE ABLE TO GET FOLKS OUT FISHING ON OUR WATERS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. AS YOU ALL KNOW, GRAND ISLE IS THE HOME OF SOME OF THE BEST FISHING IN THE WORLD AND WE WANT TO PROMOTE THAT AND PROVIDE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR ANGLERS AS WE CAN. BUT PERHAPS THE BIGGEST ACQUISITION FOR THE PROJECT IS A $100,000 DONATION TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. I WAS FIRST A FISHERMAN, THEN I BECAME A CONSERVATIONIST, AND I REALLY LOVED THE FISH AND I LOVE OUR COAST AND THIS IS A SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE. TODD GRAVES, OWNER AND FOUNDER OF RAISING CANE’S CHICKEN FINGERS. HE SAYS AS OIL RIGS GET DECOMMISSIONED AND REMOVED, WE ARE LOSING THE STRUCTURE OF ECOSYSTEMS AND MARINE LIFE. SOMETHING HAD TO FILL THAT VOID, OR THOSE ECOSYSTEMS JUST GO AWAY. BUT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT. TODD ALSO MENTIONS THAT THIS WILL BENEFIT THE LOCAL ECONOMY, JUST AS EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IT WILL DO TO SUSTAIN LOCAL ECONOMY. YOU KNOW, WE’RE THE SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE. PEOPLE COME IN FROM ALL OVER THE STATE. THEY COME IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO COME HERE. AND FISH AND ANGLERS SPEND MONEY, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED FUEL. THEY THEY BUY BAIT, THEY STAY IN HOTELS, GO TO RESTAURANTS, BUY GROCERIES AND SO ON. AND THESE LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE NEED THIS TO TO THIS INCOME TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. NOW, THIS REEF, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CAJUN CORAL REEF, WILL CREATE OVER 10,000 PLUS SQUARE FEET FOR ALL MARINE ORGANISMS, FOR FORE