FORT WALTON BEACH — By the spring, snorkelers and divers should have two new artificial reefs to explore.
Okaloosa County has teamed up with Eglin Air Force Base to construct the two reefs 2 to 3 miles south of East Pass. The areas will be known as Fish Havens 13 and 14.
“We’re taking Eglin’s concrete rubble that they’ve generated in their activities on base,” said Jim Trifilio, coastal management coordinator for Okaloosa County. “This saves Eglin Air Force Base a considerable amount of money in removal costs, and we get absolutely ideal material for creating reefs.”
In recent years, the county has stepped up its efforts to create artificial reefs in an effort to stimulate tourism.
The two reefs are being funded with a $140,000 from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a $175,000 from county bed tax revenue.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 2 new reefs coming to the Emerald Coast