Artificial Reefs in Florida 101 – effects on fish: Part 2 of an Artificial Reef series

Lisa Chong, Angela B. Collins, Holly Abeels, Anna Braswell, Ana Zangroniz, Andrew Ropicki, Scott Jackson, and Edward V. Camp

Release Date: 5/12/2022

Reviewed At: 6/3/2025

DOI: 10.32473/edis-fa240-2022

Natural Resources

Abstract

Increasingly, coastal managers are placing artificial reefs in marine waters. These long-lasting habitat alterations have measurable effects on fish, fishers, divers, fisheries, and marine social ecological systems. Understanding how artificial reefs function is necessary to make good decisions about future artificial reefs. Scientific research on many aspects of artificial reefs is not always summarized and explained. In response to this need, we designed a 4-part series called Artificial Reefs 101. This publication, part 2 of the Artificial Reefs series, explains how artificial reefs affect fish populations. It will help the interested public understand more about the ecological effects of artificial reefs and provide detailed information to stakeholders including management agencies, local governments, artificial reef manufacturers, and Extension agents, to allow for better-informed decisions about building and managing artificial reefs.

About this Publication

This document is FA240, one of a series of the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. Original publication date May 2022. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Lisa Chong, PhD student, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; Angela B. Collins, UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant agent, Manatee, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough, and Sarasota Counties; Holly Abeels, UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant agent, UF/IFAS Brevard County; Anna Braswell, assistant professor, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, and state specialist, Florida Sea Grant; Ana Zangroniz, UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Extension agent Miami-Dade County; Andrew Ropicki, assistant professor, Food and Resource Economics Department and state specialist, Florida Sea Grant; Scott Jackson, UF/IFAS Extension Florida Sea Grant Extension agent, Bay County; and Edward V. Camp, assistant professor, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

How to Cite

Chong, L., Collins, A. B., Abeels, H., Braswell, A., Zangroniz, A., Ropicki, A., Jackson, S., & Camp, E. (2022). Artificial Reefs in Florida 101 – effects on fish: Part 2 of an Artificial Reef series. EDIS, 2022(3). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-fa240-2022

Authors

Lawrence Jackson

county Extension director and regional specialized Extension agent (retired), artificial reefs and recreational fisheries, Florida Sea Grant Program, UF/IFAS Extension Bay County, Panama City, FL

Angela Collins

Specialist

University of Florida

Extension assistant scientist, Ph.D., Florida Sea Grant and School of Forests, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab, Ruskin, FL

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Holly Abeels

County agent

University of Florida

Extension agent III, Florida Sea Grant Program, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County

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Anna Braswell

Specialist

University of Florida

assistant professor, coastal macrosystem ecology, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Gainesville, FL

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Ana Zangroniz

County agent

University of Florida

Florida Sea Grant Extension agent II, M.S., UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, Miami, FL

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Andrew Ropicki

Specialist

University of Florida

assistant professor and Florida Sea Grant marine economics specialist, UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department, Gainesville FL

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Edward Camp

Contact

Specialist

University of Florida

associate professor, fisheries and aquaculture governance, UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Gainesville FL

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Publication #FA240