Summary Status of Large Area Permit (From Florida DEP)

• Contact the DEP, Office of Fishery Management (Jon Dodril)
• Contact Reef Ball

Status as of December 13th DEP Update

The three Large Area Permits (LAP) in the northwestern portion of the state are located offshore the panhandle area. Application forms and inspection placards have been developed to standardize and streamline the reef construction process (e-mail the DEP for a current copy). A procedure has been established (see below) to apply for deploying materials on these permitted sites, and to insure that all requirements and Special Conditions of the Army Corps of Engineers permit are complied with.  Local inspectors have been certified for both the City of Destin and Okaloosa County The Office of Fisheries Management and Assistance Services (OFMAS) is currently trying to establish an certified inspector in the Pensacola area.

Currently, only five deployments have occurred all but one of which have been funded in whole or in part by grants from OFMAS. One deployment has occurred in the Escambia East site, which consists of a 387 foot freighter (MIV Antares) placed on September 27, 1995. Three other deployments of pre-fabricated Pallet Balls (A product of the Reef Ball Development Group, Ltd.) have taken place in the Okaloosa site during the spring and early summer. The final deployment consisted of concrete culverts weighing 12 tons which were also placed on the Okaloosa site. All deployments are recorded in a database (which is updated on our artificial reef coordinates page) and mapped using a Loran software program

Due to the reconstruction efforts in the Panhandle following the passage of Hurricane Opal, no private reefs have been constructed this year. However OFMAS is expecting to receive numerous applications in the coming months, as the fishing charter boat season is coming to a close. Staff at OFMAS will closely monitor the types of material and locations of deployments within the LAP as private and commercial interests begin utilizing these permitted sites. Reef Balls are approved as accepted materials.

Procedures For Artificial Reef Construction Applications Within The Large Area Permits Help By The Dept. of Environmental Protection

1. Applicants must have all materials located at an on-shore site, ready for inspection. Applicants are responsible for undertaking a pre-deployment bottom survey, using a l00 foot circular sweep originating from the proposed center coordinates.

2. Each inspection will be for a single boat-load only.

3. The applicant will obtain an application form from the inspector with its correspondingly numbered reef permit decal. This form must be completed in full prior to arranging for an inspection.

4. The inspector will be contacted by telephone to arrange an appointment for inspection.

5. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials are allowable under the Special Conditions specified within the U 5 Army Corps of Engineers Permit No 199402365 (IP-55). (Reef Balls, Pallet Balls, and Bay Balls are allowed).

6. The applicant is responsible for identifying each piece of reef material with the permit number using non-water soluble florescent green paint. (The Reef Ball group recommends a non-toxic, epoxy paint be used)

7. The inspector will physically examine the reef material to ensure compliance with the Corps permit and proper placement of identification numbers.

8. The inspector will examine the reef permit application to ensure completeness and correctness and will then photograph the reef materials with an instamatic camera. The photograph will be attached to the DEP(pink) copy of the permit application, and forward the application/photo immediately to the Office of Fisheries Management.

9. The inspector will immediately contact by telephone the three required agencies listed in the Corps permit: U,S Army Corps of Engineers in Panama City U5 Coast Guard Station Destin and the Florida Marine Patrol in Pensacola.

lO. After all agencies have been contacted, a five-day waiting period must elapse to allow for inspection of materials by agencies specified in the Corps permit.

11. .Following the expiration of the five-day waiting period, the inspector will contact the applicant and inform him that deployment can proceed.

12. Within ten days following the deployment, the applicant must submit the final copy(golden) of the inspection form to the inspector, showing the exact coordinates of reef placement Failure to accomplish this task will result in refusal to issue future permits to the applicant, The inspector will forward this copy to the DEP and make copies to send as reports to all the agencies specified in the Corps permit.

Purchasing Pre-Fabricated Reef Balls

You can now purchase pre-fabricated Reef and Pallet Balls for use on the Large Area Permit from Coastal Reef Builders, Inc. in Pensacola Florida.  Contact Dale Minnick at 904-944-8992 or beep him at 904-887-0096.  Coastal Reef Builders, Inc. can also deploy & permit your Reef Balls for you on your specified secret coordinates within the permit area.

Copyright ©1995, RBDG, Ltd. all rights reserved. Portions of this page are from the Florida DEP and are not copyrighted under federal law.  See brochure page footer for information on patents, copyrights, trademarks and service marks referenced, but not indicated, on this page.