Eagle Scout project will filter millions of gallons of seawater

The mini reefs are two feet tall, two feet wide and three feet long with multiple tiers of corrugated board, giving the design optimal surface area for ocean wildlife such as shellfish and barnacles to create habitat, which naturally contributes to the ocean water filtration cycle.

Shell, who is the son of Jeb and Emily Shell, is a rising junior at St. Paul’s Episcopal School where he competes in cross-country and volunteers in the school’s science department. He has been involved in The Boy Scouts since he was in fifth grade and has been working progressively toward his Eagle Scout rank. The award is earned after Scouts advance through multi-rank levels, obtain enough merit badges, complete various civic requirements and plan and lead a community service project.

Being a Mobile native, Shell said he chose the project based on his love for fish, wildlife and the water. These reefs are a great way to encourage higher-density populations of fish and crabs to an area, Shell explained, and simultaneously provide protected habitat space for shellfish to filter water without disturbance.

“We all can do a better job of taking care of our bay and rivers, and I wanted to do something that would help to both clean our water and improve the fish and crab population,” Shell said.

Shell was alerted to artificial reefs after researching and finding a biologist in Florida who was constructing the units himself. Shell said he contacted the biologist, who provided instructions on how to build the reefs.

The project has received praise from local environmental officials, including Alabama Department of Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship and University of South Alabama Chair of Marine Sciences Dr. Sean Powers, who serves as the chief marine biologist for the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

Joined by Blakenship and Powers, Shell installed the first two reefs at the Sea Lab’s docks last Monday. At that location, Sea Lab student volunteers will be able to monitor and study the ongoing impact of the reefs. 

Once installed and inhabited by sea life, each reef will filter and clean an estimated 1.1 million gallons of water per year and attract an estimated 500 fish and crabs per unit. It takes approximately six months for the reefs to be fully inhabited.

Shell’s vision for his project is to have 100 reefs installed by September. Once all 100 reef units are installed, they will filter a combined 110 million gallons of water a year and support 50,000 fish and crabs, Shell said.

Each unit costs $300, putting Shell’s total material costs at $30,000. The Hearin-Chandler Foundation stepped in to match each donation made to Shell’s project and he said his fundraising goal was quickly met. Shell has recruited 13 volunteers thus far to help during the execution phase of his project. These volunteers are being coined “reef captains” and are scouting various locations to identify 10 to 20 wharves and piers for reefs. They will assist in the installation process.

Shell has created a website, theeaglereef.com, where he details his project at length and shows a map of potential locations. He said developing the website was a huge undertaking. However, once it went live, he said, support for his project surged as supporters shared his page on social media.

Shell believes his project will grow beyond him. He said he is currently in discussions with a nonprofit organization about launching a 1,000-reef challenge.

Those interested in partnering with Shell’s project may email him at theeaglereef@gmail.com.