Building the RGV Reef: What a Fisherman and His Many Friends Can Do

On this episode, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham check in with Gary Glick, President of Friends of the RGV Reef, a coastal-citizen-led 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to building and restoring fish habitat, including nursery reefs, with the clear eyed goal of increasing the Gulf's fish stocks. Founded in 2015, the RGV Reef is now one of the largest artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, thanks in large part to the Gary's leadership in assembling a broad coalition of community supporters, including an inventive approach to sourcing donated reefing materials and suitable deepwater port frontage, and fostering science and research partnerships with The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and Texas A&M's Harte Research Institute. We talk to Gary about how it did it, what he has learned along the way, and where the RGV Reef goes from here. Hint: there's plenty of room to grow!