"An artificial reef is a human-made structure placed in the water to attract and support marine life. It could be a sunken ship, concrete modules, or even old military tanks. The structure provides a hard surface where corals, sponges, and oysters grow, and fish gather. It's like building a new neighborhood for ocean life."
What Are Artificial Reefs?
An artificial reef is a human-made structure placed in the ocean or lagoon to provide hard substrate for marine life. In nature, reefs form over thousands of years as corals, oysters, and other organisms build up on hard surfaces. Artificial reefs accelerate this process by providing an immediate hard structure that marine organisms can colonize. Common materials for artificial reefs include: sunken ships (intentionally sunk after being cleaned of pollutants), concrete modules (designed with holes and crevices for fish), concrete rubble, limestone boulders, and even specially designed reef balls. In Florida, artificial reefs are managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and county governments, and are placed in specific permitted locations. The Indian River Lagoon and nearshore Atlantic waters off Brevard County have numerous artificial reefs, both sunken ships and concrete structures, that support thriving marine communities and popular fishing and diving sites.
