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Sustaining The Health of Our Gulf Coast Sea Life

By Robert Turpin

Over the long history of life in the oceans, many species of crustaceans, mollusks, corals, algae, worms, fish and mammals established habitat preferences for natural formations such as coral reefs, oyster beds, rock ledges and outcroppings. These still provide optimal forage opportunities and refuge from predation, as well as substrate for attachment, spawning, etc.

A “reef community” consists of the diverse species of plants and animals that live some or all their lives on or around reef habitat. We are now learning about the important role of bacteria and protists (organisms) in food webs, and thus their place within reef communities.

Ancient peoples learned that placing trees in water increased certain organisms, which they could then harvest for food. Modern day anglers and divers observed reef communities around shipwrecks and other man-made objects, leading to the science and practice of building artificial reefs. This expanded to habitat creation in marine, estuarine, and fresh waters on a global scale.

Although there are several rock ledges and outcroppings in nearshore Gulf waters around Escambia, the seafloor is predominantly sand. Artificial reef building here was begun by anglers and divers to establish reefs closer to shore and Pensacola Pass. Most were deployed by charter-boat operators, and consisted of various “materials of opportunity,” including old automobile bodies and other scrap steel objects and concrete. Many such “private” reefs were known only by the persons who deployed them. Larger reefs were soon built for public use by sinking barges, airplanes, concrete rubble from demolition sites and even a war-era Liberty Ship.

US military operations resulted in two of the largest local artificial reefs: the former battleship USS Massachusetts and freighter San Pablo. Decades of military aircraft operations out of Naval Air Station Pensacola resulted in a number of military aircraft on the seafloor here.

In the 1980s, state and federal agencies began to regulate the deployment of artificial reefs under the following legislation: H The Clean Water Act H The Rivers and Harbors Act H The Endangered Species Act H The Marine Mammal Protection Act H Other federal and state regulations

Escambia’s formal artificial reef program was begun by a volunteer marine recreation committee in the mid-1980s. The committee obtained site permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Florida, and constructed numerous reefs by sinking material such as bridge demolition debris, scrapped barges and tugboats, and other materials.

In early 2000, Escambia’s county commissioners established the Marine Resources Division to manage the county’s growing artificial reef program. In 19 years, Escambia County has developed 10 reef sites and deployed hundreds of new artificial reefs. The first “snorkeling reefs” in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico were accessible to divers by swimming off the beach at the Park East public beach and at Perdido Key’s public beach (Access #1).

Snorkeling reefs were built in Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. In addition, the world’s largest artificial reef was created by deploying the decommissioned USS Oriskany aircraft carrier 18 miles south of Pensacola Beach in the Gulf.

Site location, water depth, materials, size and configuration of reefs are subject to regulations in the permits issued by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection and/or the US Army Corps of Engineers. Public input is obtained through monthly meetings of the Marine Advisory Committee. The county’s Marine Resources Division and Natural Resources Management Department also consider physical and biological/ecological environments, funding, and other factors to plan and create stable, durable and effective reefs and reef communities.

A 2015 socioeconomic impact study conducted by Dr. Bill Huth at the University of West Florida determined that fishing and diving around Escambia’s artificial reefs are responsible for 2,345 area jobs and $150.8 million annually in benefits to the local economy. It is impossible to measure the quantity of marine life now inhabiting these reefs and to assess the quality-of-life benefits they offer our citizens and visitors each year.

Editor’s note: AHERO recognizes Escambia County Marine Resources Division Manager Robert Turpin as a dedicated champion of artificial reef communities and so much more. Through the years, Turpin’s commitment to preserving and advancing the health of our Gulf Waters has helped maintain their richness and vitality in spite of catastrophic accident and weather events.