4-28-12

This past July, only 9 months ago, 700 tons of surplus concrete material was placed offshore North East Florida to create the latest Jacksonville Reef. Today the TISIRI team visited the site to check in on the evolution of the reef. Even though the reef material was placed on the sea floor only months ago, TISIRI divers still encountered a wide diversity and quantity of marine life. See the pictures and video below that include encounters with grouper, flounder, and even a sea turtle. This post continues below the video.

As the pictures and video of this new artificial reef confirm, the concrete structures are already encrusted with a variety of invertebrate life including barnacles, tunicates, and algae. This life, in turn, is feeding grazers such as sea urchins and several fish species. Of course these animals are food for even larger creatures and thus the new reef seems to support multiple levels of the marine food chain already.

This recent reef deployment is already serving as an offshore destination for Jacksonville and St. Augustine fishermen, scuba divers, tourist, and offshore enthusiast. We at TISIRI encourage users to visit and utilize the reef but to make sure to do it in a sustainable. If fishing or spear fishing stay within your regulation limits and be mindful of debri on your vessel that it does not go overboard and litter the reef site.

Marine life observed:
Tomtates
Flounder
Seabass
Sea Urchin
Grouper
Sea Bass
Sea Turtle
Lionfish

Click here for coordinates and more information about this Jacksonville Reef location.