So Cal Edison has started expanding a 174-acre man-made reef near San Clemente to attract more fish. Project Manager Jenny McGee says the 20-million dollar project requires dumping 150-tons of rock onto the ocean floor strategically, which will expand the reef more than 200 acres to Dana Point Waters.
The Wheeler North Reef currently extends past the end of the San Clemente Pier south to Seal Rock.
McGee says that the reef will be more than doubled to make up for damage caused by the now closed San Onofre power plant.
"The intent of the artificial reef and the intent of replacing the giant kelp habitat is to replace resources that were lost or impacted during the operations of the San Onofre nuclear generation station (SONGS)."
Right now, there is an intake and discharge pipe that was used to cool the power plant as it was in operation which led to impacts on fish eggs, juvenile fish, and adult fish.
"The habitat will come back pretty quickly," McGee tells KFI's Corbin Carson.
She says the rock will continue to be pushed off a barge about a half mile offshore of San Clemente until lobster season starts at the end of next month. Crews will resume the 20-million dollar project next year.
Check out Corbin Carson's visit to the project below.