Artificial Reefs: the Florida Sea Grant Connection

Artificial reefs in Florida have been especially popular since the 1970s. With the advent of State Legislative funding in the 1990s, numerous local government and private interests have been able to develop reefs. The principal purpose is to enhance recreational fishing opportunities. But there are an increasing number of reefs being built as scuba diving sites and also to repair or mitigate damage to ocean habitat such as coral reefs. While there has been a historical reliance on so-called “materials of opportunity,” which were available free or at low-cost to volunteer or governmental interests, more recently some use of designed structure is happening. Establishment of a state agency office to coordinate reef deployment — now in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission — has fostered a loose network of reef builders, users, managers, scientists and other interests. Research, education, extension and communications efforts concerning artificial reefs have been a part of the Florida Sea Grant College Program3 for a number of years. As interest continues to grow, both in the public and private sector, Sea Grant continues to support investigators and activities in this area. Today Florida coastal waters are home to about half of all artificial reefs in the United States.