PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL - Using a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Bay County was able to deploy five new super reefs off the coast of Panama City Beach on May 14, 2016. Standing 18 feet tall, weighing 18 tons and placed about 74 feet below the surface, these super reefs will come to life with living marine organisms, creating an ecosystem and habitat for fish, crabs, lobsters and more, and adding another artificial reef for divers and fisherman to enjoy.
"The history of diving in Panama City Beach goes deep – all U.S. military divers learn to dive here, and we're home to numerous artificial reefs. We're actually known as the Wreck Diving Capital of the South," shares Visit Panama City Beach President and CEO Dan Rowe. "These new super reefs will be another great feature for both fishermen and divers to take advantage of."
The five super reefs were deployed by Walter Marine three miles south of the Russell-Fields Pier, and about 9.8 miles from the St. Andrews Bay pass. The total cost of the project covered by the FWC grant was $60,000. The approximate GPS coordinates of the super reefs are as follows:
30 10.196 Latitude 85 54.607 Longitude
30 10.179 Latitude 85 54.567 Longitude
30 10.176 Latitude 85 54.603 Longitude
30 10.153 Latitude 85 54.594 Longitude
30 10.138 Latitude 85 54.602 Longitude
For a video of the deployment, and underwater footage captured when the ropes were removed,
click here. High-resolution images may be downloaded
here.
For more information on diving in Panama City Beach, visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is situated on 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering clear, emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge. With 320 days of sunshine annually and attractions such as St. Andrews State Park and Pier Park, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups and adventure-seekers. These include championship golf courses, spas, sporting events, award-winning dining and diverse recreational activities. In addition, Panama City Beach's Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Silver Airways. For more information, call 850-233-5070 or visit the official website of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. Live HD video of the world-famous beach is now available at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/webcam/. Stay connected with Panama City Beach on Twitter (@Visit_PCB) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/visitpanamacitybeach).
Media can also visit www.louhammond.com for latest press releases and images. Follow on Twitter @LouHammondPR or find us on Facebook.
Media Contacts:
Arden Hare/Michael Hicks David Demarest
Lou Hammond & Associates Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
843-628-3426 / 561-655-3836 850-233-5070
ardenh@louhammond.com david@visitpanamacitybeach.com
michaelh@louhammond.com
Deployment Officials for contact:
L. Scott Jackson
UF/IFAS Extension Bay County
850-784-6105
2728 E 14th St
Panama City, FL 32401
http://bay.ifas.ufl.edu/seagrant
www.flseagrant.org
Bob Cox, President
Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association, Inc
850-527-6306
Allen Golden, P.E.
Bay County Planning and Zoning Division
840 W. 11th Street Room 2350
Panama City, FL 32401
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