Artificial Reefs

Reefs provide habitat for a wide variety of marine life.  Artificial reefs create sport fishing opportunities and scuba diving destinations.  There are many  artificial reef locations offshore of Naples and Collier County (reef locations).

These created reefs provide valuable underwater habitats for marine life and are constructed mostly from environmentally safe limestone boulders and pieces of concrete including culverts, light poles, road barriers, and pipes that are placed on the ocean bottom.  There are a few historic reefs that are remnants of shrimp trawlers and barges.  Within several weeks, marine algae, barnacles, and soft corals attach to the reef material.  Then fish recruit around the reefs seeking shelter and food sources; fish species observed soon after the creation of these reefs have been mangrove snapper, tomtates, lane snapper, goliath grouper, amberjack, round scad, threadfin herring, sheepshead, and pinfish. 

Paradise Reef (WGCU) is an Emmy award-winning documentary that highlights the creation of 36 artificial reefs along Florida’s Paradise Coast offshore of Collier County.

ButterflyfishDiver with baitfish

Goliath Grouper at Foote ReefDamselfish