toro

I am interested in the idea of making inshore reefs for inshore species. Is this a crazy idea and can it be done. Would inshore reefs in the pensacola orange beach area be worth the effort or is there already enough for the inshore bait and game fish to thrive on. It seems like to me there needs to be some more structure to attract inshore species just as there is for offshore seeing we have limited natural grasses and bottoms comparable to south west florida and louisiana . I have tried to find info on this but cannot find any

Telum Pisces

No can do legally.

JoeZ

It simply is not allowed in Escambia County.

One of the RFRA's base missions though is to create artificial habitat inshore (Pensacola Bay).

We have the deepest natural bay in the state and we are the only one that does not allow reefs in the bay.

We've offered to work on solutions such as mooring buoys that would allow transient vessels a place to tie up while in town for events such as Blue Angles, sail boat races and what not that would be anchored with 5,000-pound concrete structures.

No dice.

Flounderpounder

JoeZ,

I assume that is a local decision? I'm sure you guys (RFRA, etc.) have tried hard. Is there any way (or is it even worth trying?) that we can help, such as contacting local officials? If so what would be most effective?

JoeZ

Unfortunately, it's not a local decision.

All local entitites are behind 100%. We have full support of the Escambia County Commission, Pensacola City Council, the mayor, the trash man and the dog catcher.

The problem lies within the permit for our area.

Robert Turpin is in charge of drafting our permits and submitting them to the Army Corps of Engineers. They in turn tell what we can and cannot do.

Turpin has tried a few times to get small areas of inshore waters opened to public reefs (not private) with little to no success.

Some say Turpin isn't trying hrd enough because he thinks artificial reefs are simply slaughter houses for fisherman to anchor over and kill everything that swims. Others say he has other things to worry about like getting our offshore permits expanded to within one mile of the beach and fighting to keep the current restrictions the way they are.

There will be a general membership meeting of the RFRA July 17 at 6:30 p.m. at 1007 Pine Street and if you'd like I can add this the agenda and invite Mr. Turpin to brief us on the progress if we can get enough people there that are interested.

P-cola_Native

If a small barge full of concrete rubble just happened to flip overin about 35-40' of water behind the old coast guard station, who would know? Iwould think 2:00 AM on a weekday would be a good time for such an accident to occur.

The idea of a large"private" reef in bay is comical. Put it out, and it won't take long for everyone to figure out were it is.

JoeZ

Accidents do happen.

toro

check this web site out that I found http://www.reefmaker-ecosystems.com/, these are constructed with addition to piers for property owners. I also found a general contractor in orange beach who offers the service http://mnalabama.com/artificialreefs.html. these seem to be less like sinking something that could be hazardous and more like optimizing on something that is already in place. most piers have to rebuilt every so often anyway regardless of H-canes

joe z I would love to see what the permit guys would say about these reefs

JoeZ

I know those reefs.

David Walters brought a video and we showed them on the show back in December or january.

They are nice and produce fish fast. But they cost $$, lots of $$, as do all pier contructions. If you can do it, by all means make it happen.

I know those are permitable down south, Mr. Walters took them all over the state last year and everyone loves them -- except Escambia County.

biggamefishr

joe...if the ACOE will allow inshore reefs in other areas (mobile bay, orange beach), why won't they allow them here?

not to derail the thread, but how's the laars expansion going?