Plans for a new artificial reef in state waters off St. George Island are moving forward

 Plans for a new artificial reef in state waters off St. George Island are moving forward.

The proposed reef site is about 8 and a half miles due south of the Bob Sikes Cut; The reef will be called the Buddy Ward Memorial reef.

The project was first proposed last January.

The proposed reef will be in 40 feet of water so its easy for fishermen and divers to access.

The site is about one mile by one mile so there is plenty of room, it's hoped that by completion there will be 5 or 6 separate reefs within the approved area .

The reef will allow most fishermen to target a number of species that can't be found in the bay like grouper, snapper and king mackerel and the more reef material that's out there, the more fish will be there.

The county's role in the process is to serve as the government body to sign off on permits as each section of the reef is created.

This month the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a first-time out letter which says that the Corps has completed the review and evaluation of the permit application and is now requiring the county to review the terms and conditions before the Department of Army’s final signature.  

The county has done its review of the terms and conditions and signed off on the letter.

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