en.Wedoany.com Reported - CCA Louisiana, in partnership with ConocoPhillips and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), has launched a habitat restoration project on Pelto Island in Lake Pelto. The waters, known to generations of Terrebonne Parish anglers as the "Sulphur Mine," saw the removal of old pilings and metal structures this summer, with remaining rocks reshaped into a reef base and officially named the "ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef." This week, 650 ExoForm reef modules designed by Natrx were installed on the base to support spotted seatrout and the giant redfish for which these waters have long been renowned. Natrx is headquartered in North Carolina, and the modules were manufactured at Natrx's facility in Amelia, Louisiana.

Pelto Island is a V-shaped island in Lake Pelto, with its most prominent landmark being the bright pink two-story crew quarters known as the "Pink Palace," visible for miles across open water and long serving as a waypoint for anglers turning from Cocodrie to Dulac toward Sister Lake or returning to Cocodrie after fishing nearshore off the barrier islands. Generations of Terrebonne Parish families have fished from camps and docks on the island, set personal bests, and weathered summer storms. As storms and coastal subsidence continue to erode the island, it is gradually sinking, with structures that once stood well above the waterline now submerged. The project's early planning incorporated months of discussions among CCA Louisiana, ConocoPhillips, LDWF, Natrx, and implementation partner Danos, with the design directly incorporating the expertise of local fishing guides: the placement of old materials and the positioning of each ExoForm module were determined by how fish actually use the structure in these waters, rather than by engineering theory.

ConocoPhillips is the project's lead partner and sponsor, and its subsidiary Louisiana Land and Exploration Company (LL&E) owns the land on Pelto Island. ConocoPhillips is also the largest private wetland landowner in Louisiana, holding approximately 636,000 acres of predominantly wetland properties across eight parishes. In 1997, LL&E donated 1,630 acres of the barrier islands of the Denis Islands—including East Island, Trinity Island, Whiskey Island, and Raccoon Island—to the state of Louisiana for permanent protection; the Pelto Island project continues this legacy of coastal conservation. The reef is part of the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program, coordinated by LDWF, which has partnered with CCA Louisiana for years to convert retired structures and other suitable materials into fish habitat in state nearshore waters.

Project construction oversight is provided by Danos, headquartered in Gray, Louisiana, within Terrebonne Parish, covering everything from initial site work to final ExoForm placement. Since the modules were manufactured at Natrx's facility in Amelia, Louisiana, and installation was completed in state waters, the reef qualifies as a Louisiana-native project. Local fisheries were unaffected during construction, with anglers continuing to report strong catches of spotted seatrout at Pelto Island throughout the summer.

Rad Trascher, Executive Director and CEO of CCA Louisiana, said this water body is part of the cultural fabric for parish residents, and the reef design incorporates local guide input while targeting both spotted seatrout and redfish. John Harrington, Surface Land Manager for ConocoPhillips Coastal Wetlands, said ConocoPhillips hopes this project will improve fish habitat in Terrebonne Parish and carry on the legacy of a historic fishing spot; Jeff Bacon, Field Environmental Coordinator for ConocoPhillips Coastal Wetlands, said the project reflects the shared values of the partners, and that anglers continued catching trout at the site during construction gives him confidence in the reef's future benefits.

LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth said he has been based in Cocodrie for years and frequently fishes these waters, making the project important both for local families and for the fish that depend on this habitat. Terrebonne Parish President Jason Bergeron said he grew up frequently limiting out on trout at the "Sulphur Mine," and had worried it might disappear; now, with ConocoPhillips, Danos, CCA, Natrx, and the state working together to preserve and enhance a habitat he has fished since childhood, the project holds great significance for the parish. Ryan Page, Chief Marketing Officer of CCA Louisiana, and John Walther, Chairman of the Habitat and Conservation Committee, are both Terrebonne Parish natives whose earliest memories on the water come from the "Sulphur Mine"; Page said knowing future generations will catch their first big trout there is the most personal part of this work; Walther said CCA's mission is to preserve habitat for future generations, protect marine resources, and maintain a healthy fishery ecosystem. Eric Danos of Danos and Leonard Nelson of Natrx each noted that this project demonstrates coastal restoration can be accomplished through the combined efforts of conservation organizations, industry leaders, and local partners, with Natrx expressing pride in bringing its restoration technology and engineering expertise to the project.