The Organization for Artificial Reefs had a busy
summer adding over 397 tons of new marine habitat to artificial reefs off of
Franklin County.
The CCA Dr. Bart Carey Memorial Reef and the R.Z. “Sandy” Safley
Tribute reefs were deployed on July 25th and August 23rd ten miles south of Dog
Island in 50 feet of water at a total cost of nearly 275 thousand dollars.
The deployments included ten new patch reefs consisting of 11
new concrete and limestone “Super Reef” pyramids, each 15 feet tall and weighing
18 tons.
There were also 65 new concrete and limestone “Florida Special”
pyramids, each 8 feet tall and weighing 3 tons, and two ecosystem reefs
weighing 2 tons.
These reef modules are designed to mimic natural habitat for a
wide variety of sea organisms, ranging from marine algae to bottom-dwelling
fish, such as grouper and snapper.
The total array of reefs in the “10-mile” area now has a footprint
of one-tenth mile east-west by one mile north-south.
Since its founding in 1981, OAR has coordinated the deployment
of over 30 artificial reefs in Big Bend Gulf waters.
OAR is already planning significant future expansion of reefs in
the 10-mile area and others off the coast of Franklin and Wakulla counties.
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