Okaloosa deploys 100 more reefs

The Okaloosa County (Fla.) Tourist Development Department (TDD) its and partners deployed more than 100 more offshore artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico in April and May. They are expected to attract fishermen and divers, while aiding the economy. Sixty-three of the 8-foot tall concrete-embedded limestone reefs were deployed some six miles from East Pass at Destin in up to 74 feet of water, according to TDD spokesperson Stacey Young. The deployment connected three separate patches of pre-fabricated artificial reef modules with more than 500 tons of former Eglin Air Force Base target material deployed in 2017. The 700-plus reef modules were deployed as part of the overall project. The artificial reefs are designed to create a habitat for commercial and recreational species of fish, and connect a network of artificial reefs, Alex Fogg, TDD’s coastal resource manager told the NW Florida Daily News in a statement. The reefs are expected to be good sites for fishing and diving, and are easily accessible. Fogg was not available late Friday to discuss how long it might take for plants and marine growth to attach in the new reefs. (Source: Destin Log 06/12/20) https://www.thedestinlog.com/news/20200612/okaloosa-helps-complete-massive-reef-project.