Reefs plan targeted for divers

PANAMA CITY, FL - Officials laid out their proposals Tuesday night to create several artificial reefs closer to the shore.

"We want to make it easier for you guys to go out and go fishing, do your diving," said Brian Cameron, sea grant extension agent for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Cameron said the bulk of reef sites in the area lie in federal waters between 10 to 30 miles out to sea, and it is expensive and time-consuming for boaters to reach many of the destination points. He said reefs attractive habitats for marine life and would benefit local diving and fishing industries.

About a dozen peopled gathered at Gulf Coast Community College on Tuesday to hear details of the project, which Cameron said eventually would involve sinking concrete modules and reef balls in pre-approved designated areas 5 nautical miles long, 1 nautical mile wide, and between 65 and 85 feet deep.

But before the reefs can be installed, Cameron and Bay County Commissioner Mike Thomas said permits need to be obtained from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers out of Jacksonville.

"They want to know everything that's down there before we can use it," said Thomas, who first floated the idea of increasing the number of reefs last November.

Cameron and Thomas said the four preliminary reef locations, three of which were west of St. Andrews Pass and one to the east out from Tyndall Air Force Base land, would require sonar scanning and diving expeditions. They were counting on support of local volunteers.

"The county cannot afford all that," Thomas said. "If they're serious about getting these reefs, we'll need some help" from the community.

The permit process likely will take "at least a year," Thomas said, and then deployment of the reefs could begin.

Bay County spokeswoman Valerie Lovett said the county has money designated for reef projects, but might need to "get creative" during later phases.

"We have some funding, but it's not adequate right now for some of our future plans," Lovett said.

Lovett said the county has $24,000 set aside for artificial reef purposes, which could be supplemented by recreation fees or some of the $100,000 budgeted in the boating improvement fund. Cameron said the county also is seeking a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.