CCA Louisiana, ConocoPhillips and LDWF Launch Habitat Restoration at Historic Pelto Island "Sulphur Mine"
CCA Louisiana, ConocoPhillips and LDWF expanded the footprint of historic Pelto Island and installed 650 Natrx reef modules, manufactured in Amelia, to build one of the Louisiana coast's most ambitious speckled trout and redfish habitat projects
COCODRIE, La., July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CCA Louisiana, in partnership with ConocoPhillips and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), announced the launch of a major habitat restoration at Pelto Island in Lake Pelto, known to generations of Terrebonne Parish anglers as the "Sulphur Mine." This summer, crews removed decades-old pilings and metal, and reshaped the rock left on site into the footprint of what is now officially named the ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef. This week, crews installed an engineered array of Natrx ExoForm reef modules across that footprint, built to support speckled trout, along with the trophy redfish this water has always produced.
The project reflects months of planning between CCA Louisiana, ConocoPhillips, LDWF, Natrx and implementation partner Danos, built on direct input from the local guides who fish this water for a living.
A Legendary Spot Slipping Beneath the Waves
For decades, Pelto Island has been one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Louisiana coast, a V-shaped island in Lake Pelto that anglers from Cocodrie to Dularge simply call "the Sulphur Mine." Its most famous feature was a large two-story crew quarters painted bright pink, known to locals as the "Pink Palace." Visible for miles across open water, the Pink Palace became a guidepost for generations of mariners, marking the turn toward Bay Ste. Elaine and guiding boats back home to Cocodrie after a day fishing the barrier islands or offshore.
Generations of Terrebonne Parish families have fished it, catching personal bests and, more than once, riding out a summer squall in the camps and docks that used to stand on the island.
Anglers have watched Pelto Island slip beneath the waterline a little more with every storm season, and kept fishing it anyway, because the trout never left. CCA Louisiana has heard from dozens of families over the years, sharing photos and stories of a spot that taught them to fish, fed their families, and gave them shelter more than once. That deep, decades-long attachment is exactly why this project exists. Not to let a beloved piece of Terrebonne Parish fishing history disappear, but to give it a future.
Time and tide have not been kind to what's left, though. Storms and coastal subsidence have steadily eroded the island, and structure that once stood well above the waterline has slowly settled beneath it.
A Reef Footprint, Built in Two Phases
This summer, crews completed the first phase: removing the old pilings and metal structure, and strategically reshaping the rock left on site into the footprint of the ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef.
This week marked the second phase. An array of 650 Natrx ExoForm reef modules, three-dimensional structures designed by Natrx, an N.C.-based resilience and restoration company, and manufactured at their facility in Amelia, Louisiana, went in off the south point of the original island footprint. Every stage of the layout, from where the old material was strategically spread to where each ExoForm was placed, was shaped by direct input from local fishing guides, so the finished reef reflects real-world knowledge of how speckled trout and redfish actually use structure here, not just engineering theory.
Notably, the fishery hasn't skipped a beat during construction. Anglers have continued to report solid catches of speckled trout at Pelto Island throughout the summer's work, proof that even mid-restoration, this water is still doing what it has always done best.
Danos, headquartered in Gray, Louisiana, within Terrebonne Parish and just miles from the project site, provided strategic construction guidance throughout the reef installation process, from initial site work through final ExoForm placement.
"This isn't just a fishing spot to the people of this parish. It's part of the fabric here. ConocoPhillips came to us looking for strategic input on how to make this location the best possible fishing destination for the future, and that's exactly what we brought to the table. We designed a reef built with input from the guides who fish it every week, for speckled trout and for the big redfish this spot has always held too." — Rad Trascher, Executive Director/CEO, CCA Louisiana
ConocoPhillips: Decades of Stewardship in These Waters
The project is anchored by ConocoPhillips, which serves as lead partner and sponsor of the Pelto Island restoration. Through its subsidiary, The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company (LL&E), ConocoPhillips is the current landowner of Pelto Island and the largest private wetlands owner in Louisiana, holding approximately 636,000 acres of predominantly wetlands across eight parishes.
ConocoPhillips' involvement at Pelto Island continues a long history of coastal stewardship in this stretch of Terrebonne Parish. In 1997, LL&E donated 1,630 acres across the nearby Isles Dernières barrier islands, East, Trinity, Whiskey and Raccoon, to the State of Louisiana to ensure their permanent protection. The Pelto Island project reflects that same commitment. ConocoPhillips invested in expanding the footprint of this historic site and adding new habitat structure that will benefit the fishing community and the coastal ecosystem alike.
"ConocoPhillips is excited to collaborate with CCA Louisiana to enhance fish and other marine life habitat in Terrebonne Parish. We are proud to be part of developing the ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef that will continue the legacy of this historical fishing spot for future generations." — John Harrington, Manager, Company Owned Surface Lands, Coastal Wetlands, ConocoPhillips
"This project is a true feat of collaboration between CCA, LDWF and ConocoPhillips. The ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef reflects ConocoPhillips' commitment to our values and our responsibility to conduct business the right way. I was delighted to hear reports of anglers catching fish here even while work was underway, and I'm excited to see the benefits this reef will provide for years to come." — Jeff Bacon, Field Environmental Coordinator, Coastal Wetlands, ConocoPhillips
LDWF and the Louisiana Artificial Reef Program
The Pelto Island reef is being developed in coordination with LDWF as part of the state's ongoing Louisiana Artificial Reef Program, which has worked alongside CCA Louisiana for years to convert decommissioned structure and other suitable materials into productive fish habitat across the state's coastal waters. The partnership reflects a shared goal: improving fisheries habitat and keeping Louisiana's coastal waters productive and accessible for the public.
"This restoration project is particularly special to me as I am proud to call Cocodrie home base for me and my family and have regularly fished this location for many years. Historic projects such as this matter not just to me, my family, and fellow anglers, but the many fish species who will come to depend upon it. We are proud to partner with organizations like CCA who work every day to help preserve and protect Louisiana's iconic fisheries." — Secretary Tyler Bosworth, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Danos: A Terrebonne Parish Partner, Built at Home
None of this work would have been possible without construction partner Danos, which provided strategic guidance across the entire reef installation process. Danos is headquartered in Gray, Louisiana, making this a Terrebonne Parish company helping restore a Terrebonne Parish landmark. The Natrx ExoForm units installed at Pelto Island were manufactured at Natrx's facility in Amelia, Louisiana. From design to fabrication to installation, the reef taking shape in Lake Pelto is a distinctly Louisiana-built project.
"Danos is proud to support the Pelto Island Reef project and the collaborative effort to strengthen Louisiana's coast. By contributing our coastal restoration expertise and working alongside CCA Louisiana and other partners, we're helping create habitat that supports marine life and strengthens the resilience of our coast. We're proud to be part of an effort that will benefit Louisiana's fisheries and communities for years to come." — Eric Danos, Danos
"Projects like Pelto Island demonstrate what's possible when conservation organizations, industry leaders and local partners work toward the shared goal of saving Louisiana's coast and marine habitats. Natrx is proud to lend our restoration technology and engineering expertise to this project and partner with so many organizations like CCA Louisiana working towards building a more resilient state." — Leonard Nelson, Natrx
Community Support
"As long as I can remember, there's been great fishing at the Sulphur Mine. I've limited out on trout here many a time. There were real concerns about this place going away, so to see ConocoPhillips, Danos, CCA, Natrx and the state all step up and come together to maintain the habitat we grew up fishing, while making it safer at the same time, means everything to this parish. The same people working in these areas are the ones fishing and hunting in them, and who better to take care of the coast than our own people? I can't wait to get out there myself as soon as it's ready." — Jason Bergeron, President, Terrebonne Parish
A Personal Connection for CCA Louisiana
For CCA Louisiana Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Page, the Pelto Island project is more than an organizational milestone. It's personal. John Walther, CCA Louisiana's Chairman of Habitat and Conservation, and Page are both Terrebonne Parish natives who grew up fishing the Sulphur Mine themselves.
"John and I are both Terrebonne Parish natives, and some of our earliest memories on the water are right here at the Sulphur Mine. Half of this parish has a story like ours. Helping lead this project, knowing future generations will catch their first big trout here, is about as personal as this job gets. I'm proud of what CCA, ConocoPhillips and LDWF have built together, and proud to work alongside the Terrebonne Parish team at Danos." — Ryan Page, Chief Marketing Officer, CCA Louisiana
"We're hoping to continue the legacy of great fishing here at Pelto Island. That's what we do here at CCA: preserve the habitat for future generations, conserve our marine resources, and make sure we all have a healthy ecosystem for our fisheries." — John Walther, Chairman of Habitat and Conservation, CCA Louisiana
What's Next
Construction crews installed the Natrx ExoForm array across the reshaped ConocoPhillips Pelto Island Reef footprint this week. CCA Louisiana documented the installation live on its Facebook and Instagram channels throughout the day, with additional interviews and B-roll captured on site for a full produced video recapping the project.
Media are welcome to view photos and video from the installation at facebook.com/CCALouisiana and @ccalouisiana on Instagram, or contact Ryan Page directly to arrange an interview or access to raw footage.
CCA Louisiana is also collecting historic and personal photos of Pelto Island, including anglers, trout, camps and memories spanning decades, to help document the site's history alongside its restoration. Photos can be submitted to [email protected].
About CCA Louisiana
Coastal Conservation Association Louisiana is a nonprofit marine conservation organization representing more than 25,000 members across 30 chapters statewide. CCA Louisiana works to protect and enhance Louisiana's saltwater fisheries through science-based advocacy, habitat restoration and legislative action. For more information, visit: https://ccalouisiana.com
About ConocoPhillips
Through its subsidiary, The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company LLC, ConocoPhillips is the largest private wetlands owner in Louisiana, holding approximately 636,000 acres of predominantly wetlands across eight parishes. The company has a decades-long history of collaborating with public and nonprofit partners on projects to protect and restore Louisiana's coast. For more information, visit: https://www.conocophillips.com
About the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
LDWF manages and protects Louisiana's wildlife and aquatic resources, including the state's Artificial Reef Program, which develops and maintains reef habitat in Louisiana's coastal and offshore waters to benefit recreational and commercial fisheries. For more information, visit: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov
About Danos
Danos is a Louisiana-based service and construction company headquartered in Gray, Louisiana, providing engineering, construction, fabrication and operational services to the energy industry and coastal restoration projects across the Gulf Coast. For more information, visit: https://danos.com
About Natrx
Natrx delivers category-defining resilience and habitat restoration technologies to global asset protection challenges. Natrx solutions create positive outcomes anywhere land meets water setting a new standard for sustainable resilience, restoration, and positive economic impact. Natrx solutions are designed for the performance requirements of large-scale public and private asset owners and are recognized for delivering real-world results. For more information, visit: https://natrx.io/action/Pelto-Island/
Media Contact
Ryan Page, Chief Marketing Officer
CCA Louisiana
[email protected] | 225-952-9200
SOURCE CCA Louisiana
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