South Walton home to new artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico

June 5, 2017

Reef deployment off Miramar Beach Jun 5, 2017. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) is currently installing new artificial reefs at several locations in the Gulf of Mexico just offshore South Walton’s beaches. As of June 5, 2017, the marine vessel Maranatha’s crew and SWARA began just off shore in Miramar Beach, and will head east to deploy several more over the next few weeks.

Nine near shore fish /dive reef sites (approximately 2/3 nautical mile off the beach ~ 60′ depths)

New reef structures ready to be deployed at Grayton July 2015. Lori Ceier/Walton Outdoors

Three offshore fish haven reef sites (3-7 nautical miles offshore ~ 80′ depths).

Download coordinates for installations that will be completed in the next few weeks here: Sched offshore Coord

Over the next several days, installations will continue at Frangista, Topsail, Ed Walline, Ft. Panic, Blue Mountain, Grayton, Santa Clara, and Inlet Beach. Each of these permit sites will receive a one acre patch deployment containing approximately 30 modules including 15 snapper pyramids, 14 hybrid grouper boxes, plus 1 SUPER 18′ pyramid (for a total of 367 reef modules).

The three remaining snorkel reef sites will be fully deployed by late summer 2017.

Click here to learn more about SWARA and their first installation off of Grayton Beach.

Click here for SWARA updates on Facbook.