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Seized freighter scuttled as artificial reef

Surrounded by well over 200 boats, the "Voici Bernadette" was scuttled on June 23, 2019, at a water depth of 100 feet to become St. Lucie County’s newest artificial reef. The vessel had been seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection after it was found running drugs. The government arranged to transfer it to St. Lucie County in June 2018 so it could be stripped and cleaned before being sunk. She will serve as a new dive site for recreational divers. The top of the ship sits at a 60-foot depth. The freighter was expected to quickly become new habitat for a variety of fish and marine life. Wheelhouse coordinates — Longitude 80*02.985' and Latitude 27*23.870'Bow coordinates — Longitude 80*02.970' and Latitude 27*23.865' Reports with photos and video: https://eu.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/st-lucie-county/2019/06/26/county-reveals-coordinates-artificial-reef/1571294001/ http://veronews.com/2019/06/24/180-ft-freighter-voici-bernadette-now-sleeping-with-fishes/ https://brobible.com/culture/article/sinking-voici-bernadette-freighter-fort-pierce-florida-footage/

Freighter towed to Fort Pierce for cleaning before being sunk

The "Voici Bernadette" which was acquired this week by the St. Lucie County Artificial Reef Program, was taken in tow by tugs of the McCulley Marine Services in Fort Pierce from its mooring in the Miami River, up the coast and into the waters near the Port of Fort Pierce in the morning of June 7. The ownership of the freighter was donated to the county by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency. The federal agency seized the freighter in June 2016 when it was involved in a cocaine smuggling bust. The Bolivian freighter docked in Miami after leaving Haiti and was found to have 800 bricks of cocaine totaling 2,000 pounds worth an estimated $35 million street value. Recently, acceptance of the vessel was unanimously approved by The St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners. Extensive cleaning and deployment will be completed by the county’s artificial reef contractor, McCulley Marine Services, Inc. St. Lucie County Coastal Resources . In a "best-case scenario, the sinking of the vessel could take place late in summer on the county’s permitted Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club artificial reef site and will help increase recreational opportunities as well as provide essential fish habitat in the region. The 501(c)3, MMPS Environmental, Inc. has already started raising funds for deploying this ship and will organize further events throughout the summer. Costs to prepare the ship for deployment as a reef, meeting permit requirements established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Best Management Practices and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Artificial Reef Plan guidelines, were estimated to be about $147,000 total. Deployment will occur on the county’s permitted Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club artificial reef site and will help increase recreational fishing and diving opportunities, as well as provide essential fish habitat in the region. The hull of the ship combined with the bridge and tower could be as much as 100 feet tall, which might require the ship to be deployed in waters at least 150 feet deep. Not long after deployment, it was expected that fish like mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, red snapper, gag grouper, red grouper, amberjacks and a variety of other reef fish would make the ship their home. The "Voici Bernadette" will be the first vessel deployed by the county since sinking the 75-foot long tug "Kathleen" in September 2016. Underwater video taken by divers showed the tug teeming with sea life less than two months after its deployment in 147 feet of water. Report with photos: https://eu.tcpalm.com/story/news/2018/06/07/freighter-180-feet-long-and-may-placed-180-feet-water/680122002/

Freighter will become artificial reef

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency has donatedthe "Voici Bernadette" to the St. Lucie County’s artificial reef program. St. Lucie County commissioners recently approved the acceptance of the vessel unanimously. Towing, cleaning and deployment of the "Voici Bernadette" will be completed by the county’s artificial reef contractor, McCulley Marine Services this summer. MMPS Environmental has started raising funds for deploying the ship. The freighter will be towed to Fort Pierce to be cleaned and deployed, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Best Management Practices and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Artificial Reef Plan guidelines. Towing, cleaning and deployment of the Voici Bernadette will be completed by the county’s artificial reef contractor, McCulley Marine Services, Inc., summer 2018. Deployment will occur on the county’s permitted Fort Pierce Sportfishing Club artificial reef site and will help increase recreational opportunities, as well as provide essential fish habitat in the region. For more information about the St. Lucie County artificial reef program, call 772-462-1713 or email oppenbornj@stlucieco.org. For a detailed list of the county’s artificial reefs including GPS coordinates for fishing and diving, as well as videos of past projects, visit: www.stlucieco.gov/reefs. Report with photos: https://eu.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/st-lucie-county/2018/06/06/180-foot-freighter-coming-st-lucie-county-future-artificial-reef/677656002/