Historic and Modern Use of Artificial Reefs in Northwest Florida

Historic and Modern Use of Artificial Reefs in Northwest Florida

by | Nov 21, 2012


Photo Courtesy of NOAA – Car bodies and other thin metal materials such as appliances were once used to create artificial reefs. Monitoring revealed these materials deteriorate quickly.

History of Artificial Reefs and Materials
Ancient mariners observed large numbers of fish inhabiting areas near sunken vessels. Our first sailors quickly realized objects placed in the sea are almost immediately colonized by marine life.

 

Based on these early observations, the first artificial reefs were constructed from materials purposefully put underwater to enrich marine life. New reefs were mainly constructed from deteriorating vessels or “materials of opportunity”.

In the 1830s, artificial reef pioneers in South Carolina experimented using log huts, which they discovered deteriorated in a few short years. Locally, in the Florida Panhandle, as early as the 1950s and 60s, railroad cars, school buses, car bodies, white goods (stoves, refrigerator, washer, etc.), tires, and even porcelain fixtures were used to create artificial reefs.

 

Modern use of Artificial Reefs and Materials

Today’s artificial reef materials are no longer the “underwater junk yards” of the past but marine resources that are carefully deployed and calculated to last at least 20 years without harm to wildlife or the environment. Decommissioned steel hulled ships, military surplus, nested concrete culvert, and durable “materials of opportunity” are still utilized today. Additionally, new engineered concrete artificial reef modules that support specific species and various life stages of fish have been developed. Current fisheries research seeks to refine materials, design, and placement of artificial reefs to maximize conservation through planned monitoring activities.

 

Courtesy of Florida Sea Grant. In total, it takes about 3 – 5 years for reefs to reach a level of maximum production for both fish and invertebrate species.

Within hours of sinking a vessel or concrete reef, baitfish move into their new home. This initiates a “parade” of marine life over several months. The hard structure of an artificial reef is slowly colonized by soft corals, sponges, plants, and barnacles.  Baitfish will soon have new neighbors, as snapper and grouper take residence. Nearby sand sediments come to life with sea stars, sand dollars, and other invertebrate species.

Attraction vs. Production
Almost as old as the history of artificial reefs is the question of attraction vs. production. Do artificial reefs actually increase the fish population or merely increase the number of fish being caught? Researchers struggled with this question for decades producing seemingly conflicting results. Today’s consensus is that the answer to the question is both yes and no – it depends.

When fishing pressure and mortality exceed the number of fish produced, artificial reefs can end up as expensive fishing equipment. It’s in everyone’s interest to avoid this situation and create productive resources.

 

Photo Courtesy of Okaloosa County Sea Grant and Joy Brown. Engineered concrete reefs with limestone rock. Modules are easily stacked for transport and then deployed by crane to create patch reefs.

Fisheries Management Tools
Artificial reefs are best used as a fisheries conservation tool that disperses fishing pressure and promotes healthy fish stocks. Reefs are strategically deployed so that the exposure to fishing pressure is limited by either time or by geographic location. The ultimate goal when using artificial reefs is for fish production to exceed any fishing or natural mortality.

Economic Benefits of Artificial Reefs
Our artificial reefs support more than just fish. They support jobs and people that earn a living from tourism associated with diving and fishing. In 1998, Florida State University researchers, estimated fishing and diving activities supported nearly 8,136 jobs and 84 million dollars in salary each year in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties. Despite the age of the study, it provides an idea of how vital artificial reefs and marine recreation are to Northwest Florida.

 

 

Photo Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife and Bill Horn. Different types of modules are now being deployed together. Innovations like this narrow spaced ecosystem reef help expand the diversity of fish species and ages supported in today‘s reef designs.

How to Access Northwest Florida’s Artificial Reefs

Escambia County

Okaloosa County

Bay County

Florida Fish and Wildlife

Local Artificial Reef Associations

Emerald Coast Reef Association

Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association

 

 

 
Creating Marine Habitat Videos produced by Florida Fish and Wildlife with narration from Mark Sosin  

 

 

Apalachicola Oysters: Importance and Decline

Apalachicola Oysters: Importance and Decline

by | Nov 7, 2012

Worldwide, oysters and their habitats have declined in population. National concern over the reduced oyster populations and potential failure of the Oyster fishery in Apalachicola Bay have been recently featured in the news.

In September, Jack Payne, University of Florida IFAS Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources announced the formation of the UF Oyster Recovery Task Force.  This group, now called the UF Oyster Recovery Team, includes members from various stakeholders including scientists, industry, public health representatives and more. Florida Sea Grant is leading the team and director Karl Havens is the Chair.

“The recovery team has multiple priorities, including learning why oyster populations declined, finding ways to help them bounce back, and identifying solutions for social and economic impacts”, Havens said. A firm date has not been set for the recovery team’s final report, but the team is hoping to deliver some results to the community by early 2013.

Oysters on the half shell

Courtesy of Florida Sea Grant

Eastern oysters are more than just a tasty treat!  They provide a variety of functions to the bays and estuaries.   They are a staple to the health and wellness of our bay.  These organisms are hearty and tolerant of a wide range of salinity conditions from fresh to full-strength seawater.  However, they are most “happy” when they are living in brackish water (a mixture of fresh and salt water).

Oysters are considered an important keystone species because of the variety of functions they provide for the areas they inhabit.  Considered biofilters, oysters have the ability to filter up to 24 gallons of water per day.  They help to control algal blooms, lower the amount of suspended sediment, silt and nutrients, and improve water quality/clarity.  Oysters also provide critical food and habitat by creating solid three dimensional structures, referred to as reefs in the areas they grow. This reef structure provides habitat to many other fish and invertebrate species that live in the estuary.

Historically, the oysters harvested from Apalachicola Bay represent approximately 10 percent of the U.S. oyster harvest and about 90 percent of Florida’s harvest.  This oyster fishery is an icon of our state and many jobs are dependent on this industry. The future is uncertain.  However, the members of the Oyster Recovery Team are hopeful that by working together, the oyster resources will rebound and that a sustainable oyster management plan will be in place to insure the future of this vital fishery.

Follow news for the UF Oyster Recovery Team’s efforts at the UF-IFAS Franklin County Website or http://franklin.ifas.ufl.edu

To help with support of seafood workers and disaster relief efforts in Franklin County visit the BAYAID website or Franklinspromisecoalition.org

UF/IFAS scientists and UF Oyster Recovery Team Members, Bill Pine and Peter Frederick, have been studying oyster communities along the Big Bend of Florida and hope that by studying these un-impacted oyster beds, they can help restoration efforts in Gulf and around the world be more efficient and effective.