MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — In Brevard County, an artificial reef project off the coast promises an underwater habitat for marine life and a bounty for fishermen.
What You Need To Know
- Artificial reef being built off the coast of Brevard County
- It will be built with 450 tons of several materials
- The reef will provide an underwater habitat for marine life
The reef is being built with some 450 tons of used concrete culverts, pipes, barricades, and other cement pieces donated by the Florida Department of Transportation.
The material is being readied for shipment on a barge to an 80-foot deep, flat, sandy bottom area, 15 miles off of Port Canaveral.
Officials say within a couple weeks of putting the reef in place, fish will begin gathering in their new habitat.
“After a year, the material becomes fully encrusted with marine life. There will be schools of fish around the area, people will be catching snapper,” said Matt Culver with Brevard County Natural Resources.
The reef is the fifth put along the coast in the past six years.
The project was made possible by a $52,000 grant from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Sports Fishing Association, and the Coastal Conservation Association.