The state of Florida is one of the states, which has made great strides in conservation efforts considering that it has one of the most extensive and active artificial reefs programs. The artificial reefs are meant to reduce the negative effects associated with the destruction of coral reef, which is home to a variety of marine life. The program, which is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) dates back to the 1970s and has received attention from local and international stakeholders over the years. The program serves several purposes including offering an opportunity for scuba diving and recreational fishing opportunities. Moreover, the artificial reefs program allows for the repair and mitigation of the Floridian ocean habitat owing to destructive human practices. The artificial reef program will well progress into the future owing to increased grants and attention to biodiversity.
Types of Artificial Reefs
There are several types of artificial reefs that can be adopted by any agency or company that is keen on mitigating the loss of its natural reefs. The differences are mainly due to the material that is being used in the construction of the artificial reefs. In this case, one can talk of reefs made out of cement, which is the most common material that is used in constructing the artificial reefs. The other type of reefs are the ones that are made of ceramic, limestone and other forms of metal as these materials produce more durable reefs. Other artificial reefs are made out of wood, cinder blocks and rocs as these materials are readily available. Additionally, there are programs, which make use of scrap material or materials of opportunity to make the artificial reefs. The type of material that is used in the construction of the reefs is dependents on the materials desirable characteristics, some of the characteristics that are considered before deciding on the type of reefs to be constructed include weight, durability, accessibility, and stability. The stakeholders use only the nontoxic materials, which help in their effort to conserve the receding natural coral reefs.
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Costs Associated With Artificial Reefs
The costs, which are associated with the construction of artificial coral reefs, are dependent on various factors. In this case, one should consider the type of material to be used, type of the reef to be constructed and the size of the reef site. Considering all these factors it is important to note that the construction of artificial reefs tends to be quite an expensive affair as it is about mimicking nature. Nonetheless, the concerned agency can decide to use raw materials, recycled materials are outsourcing the materials from artificial reef manufacturers, which in turn affects the overall cost. A decision to construct the reefs out of raw materials can bring down the overall materials cost but will require more time and manpower which can raise the overall cost. For instance, a company, which hopes to use cement as its raw material of choice, may purchase 10 pounds of dry cement mix for about $1.00. The company would require 150 pounds of the material to fill one cubic foot, which translates to $15 per foot of the construction (Ehrenfeucht, 2014). The company would then require multiplying the cost per cubic feet with the number of feet of the area of the artificial reef construction. This is in addition to the costs that are associated with constructing the artificial reef.
Companies, which choose to use materials of opportunity, would have reduced overall construction costs, as the materials are either free or cheap. However, the materials may not be readily available and the company would spend much time finding the materials. Moreover, the materials may not be suitable for the construction which brings with it additional intangible costs. Nonetheless, such a company could find replacements in old military vehicles and ships though readying up such materials would include more costs. For example, the company would require cleaning the materials and making them safe for the divers and the anglers. The costs associated with cleaning and repairing the materials of opportunity may depend on the size of the material as well as its state. California Ships to Reefs is one such company that can be contracted to rehabilitate old ships and military cars. The company establishes that an agency that would require its services ought to have a budget of up to $1.6 million (Ehrenfeucht, 2014). This amount is excessively high considering that the materials may not last for long and may require regular maintenance and rehabilitation.
The construction of artificial reefs has become an effective way of reclaiming the receding natural coral reef, which has supported diverse marine life. Companies aware of the numerous opportunities that are presented by artificial reef industry have specialized in designing and constructing artificial reefs. Some of the companies that have seized this opportunity include Reef Ball, Eco Reefs, Reefmaker, and BioRock among others. Agencies or individuals, who wish to construct artificial reefs, have the option of buying readymade artificial reefs, which reduces the overall time taken in the construction. Most of these artificial reefs ranging from three to 25 feet and weighing between 5000 to 36,000 pounds are made of Florida Limestone. In terms of costs, the ready-made artificial reefs range from $719 to $11489 (Ehrenfeucht, 2014). It is important to note that these prices are not inclusive of deployment charges, as the reefs have to be transported and lowered to the ocean floors. Ultimately, the prices associated with securing ready-made artificial reefs may increase significantly making this alternative so expensive.
Alternative Conservative Methods
There are other alternative conservative methods, which can be adopted by agencies, and individuals who may not afford the artificial reefs. One of the alternatives is by planting or revamping the existing mangrove forests along the shorelines. Mangroves are considered to have impacts that are more positive on the coral reef ecosystems owing to their extensive root network (Chen, Zhao, Li, Jian and Ren, 2016). The good thing with mangroves is the fact that they have an ability to trap up to 30 percent of all the sediment that is deposited into the ocean. By so doing, the mangroves act as buffers against excessive sedimentation, which is the main reason for the diminishing coral reefs. The good thing with mangroves is the fact that they cannot be exhausted by excessive sedimentation, which then makes them a permanent solution to the problem of sedimentation. Moreover, mangroves are considered as the perfect and ideal nurseries for some coral fish species, which are facing extinction owing to the destruction of the coral reefs. For this reason, agencies and individuals who are involved in conservation efforts should consider investing a large chunk of money in the rehabilitation of mangroves.
Apart from mangroves, agencies and individuals who are looking for an alternative to artificial reefs may turn their attention to land management. Many of the challenges that conservationists are facing are associated with aversive land use. Improper land use such as burning vegetation and farming on steep slopes loosens up the soil, which ends in the oceans causing excessive sedimentation (Sun, Liu, Tang, Cheng, Sun, Wang,… and Heino, 2017). The increased sedimentation is to be blamed for the suffocation of coral reefs, which in turn leads to its demise. However, the sedimentation can be averted if the concerned stakeholders educated people on the importance of proper land use to reduce erosion and in turn sedimentation.
Florida’s Current Progression on Reef Expansion
The state of Florida is one of the states that have invested heavily in rehabilitating its coral reef ecosystem by constructing an artificial coral reef. Floridian rehabilitative efforts date back to 1970, which marked the popularization of artificial coral reefs. Throughout the years, Florida has attracted local and international support in this noble initiative. Some of the most notable milestones in the reef expansion program include the Florida Sea Grant Research (FSG). FSG offers research grants to help develop efficient technologies to help in the enhancement of the artificial reef program (Seaman and Hoover, 2001). As a result, Florida prides in one or two artificial-related projects per year since 1984. Florida is able to fund ecologists, oceanographers, economist, engineers to come up with economically, and environmentally viable designs that achieve desired biological results. These efforts have seen Florida rehabilitate its reef, which has, in turn, led to an increase in fish stocks something that has positive economic returns. Currently, the state of Florida has more than 700 artificial reefs from Martin County to Lee County. The projects are coordinated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which ensures that the projects are safe, an environmentally friendly.
The state of Florida has established new trends to enhance the artificial reef programs. Some of the most notable trends include ‘connectivity’ also known as ‘stepping stone’ reefs, 930 tons of limestone boulders, novelty/art form reefs and four patch reefs (Mille and Carpenter, 2016). Moreover, the state of Florida has invested in leveraging technology, which uses ROV, Acoustic listening and side scan sonar to track the reefs. Additionally, the state of Florida has moved towards more accountability and transparency by using the Florida Accountability Tracking System (FACTS) and audits. Of importance, here is the fact that Florida has had a shift in the type of materials that are being used for the construction of the reefs. Instead of using cement, wood, and materials of opportunity, Florida is using more of limestone due to its desirable characteristics.
The Future of Florida’s Artificial Reef Program
The future holds much more opportunities for Florida’s artificial reef program. The state will continue to fund more projects to ensure that it extends its reef programs to areas that are yet to get the benefits. Of importance, here is the fact that the states hope to fund similar programs in other Gulf and Atlantic coastal states. According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Florida has used up to $26,575,000 in artificial-reef related programs across the US and it hopes to do more. Moreover, in the future, the state of Florida hopes to use more environmentally and sustainable in the construction of artificial reefs. There is also the need to adopt technological solutions to ensure that all of the artificial reefs are in good working condition s. it should be noted that some of the artificial reefs are aging and the aging may affect the intended outcome. However, this aversive outcome can be reversed by using modern technologies to access the condition of every artificial reef. Florida hopes to extend the existing artificial reefs to increase the concentration of the target marine species. An example, in this case, is the expansion of the Bendickson reef in Hernando County Florida with a variety of concrete structures weighing about 600 tons (Kolasa). Ultimately, Florida hopes to recreate more reefs so that the endangered marine life, which thrives on coral reef, is protected. Furthermore, Florida hopes to increase the number of shallow water reefs across the state to allow residents and individuals with smaller vessels to enjoy their associated benefits.
References
Adams, C., Lindberg, B., & Stevely, J. (2018). The Economic Benefits Associated with Florida's Artificial Reefs. University of Florida IFAS Extension. Retrieved on 3 June 2019 from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe649
Chen, Q., Zhao, Q., Li, J., Jian, S., Ren H. (2016). Mangrove succession enriches the sediment microbial community in South China. Scientific Reports , 6, 27468 .
Ehrenfeucht, S. (2014). Artificial Coral Reefs as a Method of Coral Reef Fish Conservation (Undergraduate Theses). Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2018). Artificial Reefs. Retrieved on 3 June 2019 from https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/artificial-reefs/
Kolasa, K. Artificial Reefs And Future Plans. Florida’s Adventure Coast. Retrieved on 03 June 2019 from https://floridasadventurecoast.com/artificial-reefs-and-future-plans/
Mille, K., & Carpenter, C. (2016). Florida Artificial Reef Program: Program Overview, Deployment Summary, Recent Trends. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Division of Marine Fisheries Management. Retrieved on 3 June 2019 from https://www.flseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/1-Keith-Mille.pdf
Seaman, W., & Hoover, A. (2001). Artificial Reefs: The Florida Sea Grant Connection- Science Serving Florida’s Coast. Sea Grant Florida. Retrieved on 3 June 2019 from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2d3f/cd1de520fe6bd9d151af21502bb7ec996768.pdf
Sun, P., Liu, X., Tang, Y., Cheng, W., Sun, R., Wang, X., …& Heino, M. (2017). The bio-economic effects of artificial reefs: mixed evidence from Shandong, China. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 74(8), 2239–2248.
