The next Southwest Florida Artificial Reef Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, 2017. Register Today!
Artificial reefs contribute significantly to local economies, providing recreational opportunities for anglers and divers, and generating at least $3.1 billion of economic activity in Florida.1
Artificial reefs are also used as mitigation tools in areas that have suffered environmental perturbations or habitat degradation. Florida Sea Grant has been collaborating with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Artificial Reef Program for almost two decades to ensure artificial reef deployment and monitoring are informed by the best available science.
Regional artificial reef workshops were designed to bring together managers, coordinators, scientists, contractors and local stakeholders involved in all aspects of artificial reef research and deployment. These regional workshops provide an open forum to highlight local efforts while also featuring information regarding new science and overall policy at the state and federal levels.
Regional workshops are an efficient method for communication and provide a conduit for information exchange at a local level that informs best practices for future artificial reef development, deployment and scientific monitoring within the state of Florida. This is critical for continued evolution of artificial reef programs that best address the needs of stakeholders and our valuable marine reef species.
Workshops are held on a semi-annual basis in coastal communities from the Panhandle to the mid-Atlantic coast of Florida. Contact your local Florida Sea Grant Agent to learn more about upcoming workshops for your area.
For southwest Florida stakeholders, the next regional workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14, 2017, in Manatee County at the UF/IFAS Extension office in Palmetto. Register for the Upcoming Southwest Florida Artificial Reef Workshop Today!
1Swett, R.A. et al. 2011. Economic Impacts of Artificial Reefs for Six Southwest Florida Counties. Florida Sea Grant Publication Series TP-178.
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