Escambia County's Marine Resources Division recently announced that it successfully deployed a 87-foot-long, 141-ton steel tugboat to serve as the county's newest artificial reef. The reef is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico (latitude/longitude coordinates: N30 degrees 10.990’/ W087 degrees 12.025’), reaching a total water depth of 82 feet.
The tugboat, named "Ocean Wind," was purchased by Escambia County and partially funded by private donations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC, funded the cleaning, preparation, towing and deployment costs through a grant from the State of Florida special legislative appropriation bill for artificial reef construction. The new artificial reef will benefit anglers and divers, while also providing habitat for marine life.
Results from a recent economic analysis produced for FWC concluded that Escambia County’s Artificial Reef Program has an annual economic benefit of more than $150 million, while also supporting nearly 2,350 jobs.
For more information, contact the Escambia County Office of Community and Media Relations at (850) 595-3476 or email [email protected].
