Monroe County staff on Tuesday presented an update on the county’s artificial reef program, reporting deployments, monitoring results and next steps under a multi‑year grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Hannah Cook, the county staff member leading the artificial reef program, said the initiative is funded by a $15 million FWC grant that runs through February 2030 and is intended to plan, construct, monitor and maintain artificial reef habitat in Monroe County waters. Cook told the commission she has submitted 21 permit applications across 15 sites and described three project categories: deep reefs (300–700 feet), a habitat‑support‑structures pilot in shallow nearshore hard‑bottom areas (about 8 feet), and a Gulf‑side network (40–60 feet, 5–15 miles offshore).

Cook reviewed the county’s first completed Gulfside project, where crews repurposed 45 donated concrete power poles to form three patch reefs. County surveys show species richness on and around those structures increasing over time; Cook said follow‑up surveys have recorded corals, algae, different invertebrates, snapper, grouper and other fish within months of deployment.

Cook also outlined monitoring methods, including side‑scan sonar, biological surveys, and acoustic monitoring to track both noisy fish species and boating activity. She said the county has completed 78 pre‑ and post‑deployment surveys so far and is working with FWC on a comprehensive monitoring plan. Social science surveys to track public perception are also under development.

Cook said an RFP is out for deployment of materials at three more Gulfside sites and that the next planned deployment is scheduled for April 2026. She said staff will evaluate different structure designs and configurations to compare ecological outcomes and inform potential upscaling.

Why it matters: the program aims to restore habitat and disperse fishing and diving pressure from natural reefs, while producing data on ecological outcomes and public use. The county’s approach uses both upcycled materials and monitored pilot designs to test what most effectively restores structural complexity and supports juvenile and adult fisheries.

Commissioners praised the program’s progress and asked staff to keep sharing monitoring data as projects proceed.