Alarmed by the death of many dolphins and manatees, and in particular the death of 11 humans to harmful algal blooms, Lee Shepard took action as a River Warrior on a bus to Washington. In DC, River Kidz gave oyster shells to legislators demanding clean water once more.

Lee Shepard of IntraCoastal Eco Systems talks with Rob about creating artificial reef communities to save Indian River Lagoon. Lee builds unique and custom-designed fish shelters to protect smaller fish from apex predators (Snapper, Trout, Redfish, Snook, Tarpon, and Grouper), as well as habitats for the predators.

Lee’s artificial habitats include oyster shells so those oyster sprats are quick to catch on and swell the structure. Recent systems feature hide-away spots for cleaner fish and LED lights in 200 colors.

Lee is succeeding, structure by structure, to reverse the damages and injustices that have been done to our precious estuaries, lagoons, and Intracoastal Waterways in the last 50 years.

Biography

Lee Shepard is creator of Intracoastal Eco-Systems. Lee lives in Palm Beach County near the shoreline of Lake Worth Lagoon and where natural mangrove forests once thrived before seawalls were built for the sake of the million dollar views. The natural mangroves were never to be replanted. There was always shrimp for bait and eating, clams and oysters, blue crabs and large resident bait schools from herring to sardines and mullet.

Snapper, Trout, Redfish, Snook, Tarpon, and Grouper, including the amazing Goliath Groupers were aplenty. When used together, Lee’s eco-friendly products will help return the barren seawalls and semi-barren areas under docks to once again healthy, self-sustaining and thriving intracoastal ecosystems. If we all work together, we can obtain these goals through natural restocking.