Steinhatchee Fisheries Management Area
It comes as no surprise that many people and businesses in the Big Bend of Florida rely on healthy and productive fish populations. In response to this need, the Steinhatchee Fisheries Management Area (FMA) is now federally approved and being developed by the State to support local fisheries and boost the regional economy.
With initial funding by Taylor County native, Mark Dickert, and years of research by University of Florida Professor, Bill Lindberg, the project now has the green light. The goal is to develop nearly 1,000 artificial reefs in a 100 square mile area centered offshore from the mouth of the Steinhatchee River in 30 to 50 feet of water (view map of SFMA).
The plan calls for the placement of small, widely-scattered "patch" reefs like those that have enhanced production of gag grouper in the Suwannee Regional Reef System to the south."The science is there," explains Lindberg, "these patch reefs benefit gag, which in the long-term benefits anglers." Although the locations of these patch reefs will not be released to the public, the area will be open to public use and fishing (unlike a no-take marine protected area).
To serve local economic development, a northern fishing zone and two southern diving zones will be developed with artificial reefs and publicly advertised. The designated diving zones are in areas of low relief hard bottom that is unsuitable for fishing reef deployment, but very well suited for scuba diving trails landscaped with artificial reefs.
