Artificial Reefs and Tourism Value

Multi use AR sites that include artwork

The Florida state artificial reef program provides financial and technical assistance to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and state universities in developing, monitoring and evaluating artificial reefs. It remains one of the pinnacle programs worldwide in terms of AR creation, monitoring and value to regional communities.

According to FWC:

 “Over the last 33 years, the Florida has distributed more than $20,232,718 for artificial reef related activities. From 1979 through fiscal year 2011-2012, Florida’s artificial reef program provided at least $15,253,084 in state and federal funding to local coastal governments for public reef construction projects. Another $3,082,524 has gone toward statewide artificial reef research projects, $1,417,256 toward reef monitoring and $479,853 toward four regional reef socioeconomic studies.”

http://myfwc.com/conservation/saltwater/artificial-reefs/ar-program

Artificial reefs add new habitats and may increase populations outside the local area as well due to increased spawning opportunities from fish on the structure. They boost the economies of local communities and provide opportunities for fishing, diving, education and research.

Lad Akins, Director of Special Projects for the Key Largo based Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), and member of the FWC artificial reef advisory panel, notes that because the artificial reefs tend to aggregate fish in relatively small areas they can attract both fishermen and divers.

Akins says artificial reefs create opportunities for divers and fishermen, especially in the ocean waters off the Western side of Florida where there are fewer natural reefs.