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Florida has one of the most active artificial reef programs in the Gulf and the Atlantic states.

In addition to increasing habitat, artificial reefs improve fishing and diving opportunities, provide socio-economic benefits to local communities, minimize user conflicts and facilitate reef research.

There is an elaborate process involved in the construction of artificial reefs.

As with any issue dealing with the marine environment, there are several rules and regulations in place that dictate where reefs can go and what type of materials can be used. The days of individuals randomly dumping refrigerators, car frames, bath tubs or whatever else they could find to create a reef are long gone. I think most people would agree this is a good thing, but nonetheless the process to construct new reefs can be long and tedious.

Multiple permits are required for artificial reef construction. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) is the permitting authority for reefs in federal waters, while both the ACOE and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) assume permitting responsibility in state waters. This rigorous permitting process can take anywhere from six months to a year to complete. While the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) consults with these agencies during the permitting review process, they do not issue permits for artificial reef sites. They do provide funding for reef programs through construction and research grants.

Although individuals and independent organizations such as fishing clubs were able to submit proposals in the past, FDEP and the ACOE now restrict applicants to local governments and academic institutions because of environmental concerns and liability issues. In some of the panhandle counties, there are still some private entities involved in the permitting process, but even these groups are designated by local governments.

Proper site location is a critical factor in the reef development process. Before permit requests can be submitted to the ACOE and FDEP, a thorough bottom survey of the typical quarter mile by quarter mile square site must be conducted. Surveys are done to ensure bottom substrates are suitable to handle reef materials and that minimal settling and shifting will occur once reef materials are placed there. Ideally, managers look for shallow layers of sand over a limestone substrate that can support the weight of reef materials. Surveys also ensure there is no sensitive habitat such as live hard bottom or submerged aquatic vegetation present that could be impacted by reef materials.

Managers incorporate their survey findings into a management plan that is submitted to authorities for review. Management plans must demonstrate that new reefs will have minimal impact on biological and cultural resources. They also take into account socio-economic factors such as proximity to passes, boat ramps and other access points as well as the likelihood of use by stakeholder groups such as recreational and commercial fisherman, guides, and/or diving operations. Equally important are navigation and safety considerations. Artificial reef are prohibited from being placed in shipping lanes. Current regulations also state that an artificial reef’s height cannot exceed one half the total water column depth at mean low water to ensure safe passage of recreational and commercial vessels.

Another essential component of artificial reef development is the type of materials used. Due to environmental and public safety concerns, allowable materials now focus on heavy, stable, durable and non-polluting materials. FDEP will only allow clean concrete or rock, clean steel boat hulls, other clean, heavy gauge steel products with a thickness of a quarter of an inch or greater and prefabricated structures that are a mixture of clean concrete and heavy gauge steel. Whatever materials are used, managers must demonstrate that substantial shifting of the reef materials will not occur.

Management plans must outline how reef materials will be laid out within a site including the types of spaces and crevices that will be created for potential habitat. Typically deployments consist of numerous small piles within a site rather than one large pile depending on the type of fish species targeted. Several research studies suggest that smaller deployments with adequate spacing increase overall production of an artificial reef compared to a single large deployment.

Every pile within a permitted site must be surveyed at least annually to monitor species diversity and ensure reef materials remain stable. New deployments may only be added to sites that have open permits. Permits from FDEP last for five years and ACOE permits last ten years. After this time period, managers must submit requests to renew permits to both FDEP and ACOE if additional deployments are desired within permitted sites.

In Collier county, artificial reefs are managed by the Coastal Zone Management Department. The county’s reef management team only consists of two full-time employees who are also responsible for the management of derelict vessels and county channel markers. Due to limited resources, the management team collaborates with local charter captains and dive shops, the Collier Sea Grant Agent, and other local partners to help manage the program.

Currently the county manages approximately 23 quarter by quarter mile reef sites with over 90 deployments among them. Of these sites, only two have open permits, but the county is working on permitting two new sites and hopes to get a least one open permitted site outside of each of the area’s major passes to increase the number of near shore reefs within the county.

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Bryan Fluech is the Collier county Sea Grant Extension Agent with the University of Florida Extension Service. He can be reached at Fluech@ufl.edu