Bay county completes phase 2 of artificial reef project
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Bay county officials continue to work on adding more artificial reefs to the Gulf.
Bay County deployed phase two of their artificial reef project on Wednesday. The crew spent about four hours installing 10 prefabricated artificial reefs between 17 and 31 miles offshore.
Local boaters say artificial reefs provide space for more fish to grow in the area.
'It's the habitat that protects the fish, especially from predators. Let's think about it. Smaller fish hide there from predators. The habitat has a whole array of different types of microorganisms that feed the tiny fish and plus the coral, the soft coral that we have most stuff here that grows on that creates that habitat,' local boater Eddy Morris said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation is managing the project with the help of Bay County. However, the funding comes from the Restore Act, BP's financial settlement of the deep horizon oil spill. County officials say this project is helping the area recover, not just from physical damage, but economic damage as well.
Panama City parks announce road closures for upcoming events
'Artificial reefs that are really important to our economy, especially here in Bay County. We have somewhere between 100 and 130 charter vessels for fishing and for diving. And they really depend. These artificial reef resources. For their jobs. And and our economy. Based and tourism really. Depends on attracting people that want to come here and go fishing and diving,' Florida Sea Grant Bay County Extension representative Scott Jackson said.
These reefs are modules specially designed for this part of the gulf; they include an advanced tracking system.
'We actually have G.P.S. Antennas on the actual booms. That placed artificial reefs. I mean, they go precisely where we want them to within just two or three feet. And so that's a big change. And so we can report those numbers more accurately today. Saving people time and effort and trying to locate the reefs that are being put down,' Jackson said.
County officials have not yet set a date for the third and final phase of the artificial reef project.
The team plans to sink an old tugboat to create an artificial reef. They're in the final stages of cleaning it up. They hope to set a deployment date in a few weeks.
If you are looking to find some of the artificial reefs, you can find their locations here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

E&E News
10 hours ago
- E&E News
NOAA to distribute $210M for Gulf of Mexico restoration
NOAA Fisheries is set to spend more than $210 million on restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico to continue cleanup of the massive 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The plans, which are slated to be published Thursday in the Federal Register, award money to 10 different initiatives associated with a range of conservation goals, from reducing turtle strikes from boats to habitat protections to fishing education programs. The money for the programs in the 4th Open Ocean Restoration Plan comes from a federal consent decree with oil company BP, with restoration projects expected to receive up to $8.8 billion. BP was the operator of the Macondo well at the center of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which was named after a floating drilling rig contracted to work on the project. Advertisement In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico — which Trump renamed the Gulf of America via executive order earlier this year — was engulfed by an explosion that killed 11 workers. That incident stemmed from a gas leak and caused some 4 million barrels of oil to spill into the Gulf over three months. It was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history and resulted in the nation's largest ever environmental damage penalties and settlements.


Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
The Soul Of Southern Food
Trays and butcher paper with variety of barbecue The ingredients and cooking techniques of the South are fundamental to the overall American food scene as we know it. Whether is it BBQ, stews or indulgent desserts, so much of what the current American food experience is still relates to the south. It is also common knowledge that some of the best cooks down there are also taking strides to produce the same amazing flavors that are cleaner, healthier and more relevant today. There is something primal in confronting a state that has had such a troubling health and poverty problems and see it emerging--at least culinarily--out of the belly of the beast. In historical and political terms it might still take more time. So--foodwise--the traditional flavors are still here, although they have been jazzed up and sometimes made in a healthier style. It is hard for anyone person to try to encapsulate how food has evolved over the decades in a region, but I think I found a good emissary in Scott Jackson, the chef and owner of Jackson, Mississippi's Pig & Pint restaurant. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the JXN Food & Wine Festival—which brought together chefs from all over the state—in none-other-than Jackson, Mississippi. All answers have been edited and condensed for clarity. The bacon melt sandwich. Scott Jackson (SJ): Ingredients consist of anything we can grow or raise here, which is pretty much everything as we have a long growing season in a sub-tropical climate. Due to the effects of the Civil War, we learned to make food from alternative ingredients. For instance, wheat was unavailable as it doesn't grow here, so bread was made from cornmeal. As for BBQ, smoking meats might be the oldest form of cooking throughout history and widely embraced by the common man as a delicacy they could easily prepare - harvest an animal from your farm or the forest and cook it slowly over a wood fire: caveman stuff. There is also a heavy African influence in our cooking. BBQ tacos with crunch. S.J.: Mississippi's geography influences ingredients. The Gulf Coast region will feature more seafood while the rest of the state utilizes more freshwater fish. Also, the coastal region has more French, Italian and African fusion influences. There is a fair smattering of Asian (mostly Chinese and Vietnamese) communities throughout the state and there is a deep history of Chinese culture in the Delta region. I find that our ancestors did more stewing of vegetables than roasting. So, I have improved on what I learned from my grandmothers. Generally speaking, our state has evolved as Americans have learned more about healthy eating, including using organic ingredients. A high-high pulled pork sandwich. S.J.: I find that the vegetarian era is mostly a thing of the past here as we are learning that the food pyramid we were taught was a bunch of hooey. People are getting back to cooking with tallow and butter and eating more eggs and meat than in recent decades. The chef is based in Jackson, MS. S.J.: BBQ and the usual sides pair nicely with more fruit-forward styles of wine. California Zinfandel is my go-to for BBQ. But, other wines like Spanish Garnacha, Primitivo from Puglia, Rhône reds or even some of the richer Russian River Pinot Noirs work as well. S.J.: Vegetables have always been an important part of Mississippi food. Being a rural and mostly poor state, many people—certainly in the past—would often eat meals comprised of only locally grown vegetables some of which were seasoned with meat trimmings.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Yahoo
Appeal after pedestrian seriously injured in crash
A pedestrian has been left seriously injured after she was hit by a car in Wakefield. The woman in her 70s was struck by a red Hyundai i10 at about 09:25 BST on Tuesday on Barnsley Road, Ackworth, West Yorkshire Police said. The woman was taken to hospital, with her injuries described by the force as "potentially life-threatening". Those with information about the collision, which took place near a BP petrol station, have been asked to contact police. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North West Yorkshire Police