Guidelines and Management Practices for Artificial Reef Siting ...

Guidelines and Management Practices for Artificial Reef Siting, Usage, Construction and Anchoring in Southeast Florida Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative Maritime Industry and Coastal Construction Impacts (MICCI) Local Action Strategy Project 18 & 19

Keith Mille, Environmental Specialist III Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Marine Fisheries Management

Project Scope and History SEFCRI/LAS (December 2004), ISSUE 3 / Objective 3: Evaluate and promote stable, durable, and environmentally appropriate artificial reef construction. Artificial reef construction that does not adversely affect natural marine habitats. Project 18: Coordinate with local, state and federal agencies managing and building artificial reefs in southeast Florida to ensure coral resource protection is addressed in regional (and state-wide) artificial reef usage and placement efforts (e.g. for mitigation and habitat/fisheries enhancement). • Require environmentally appropriate artificial reef development that minimizes risk to important natural habitats and structure (e.g. benthic stability, biological community structure, geological structures and natural hydrodynamics). • Develop criteria for the appropriate distance artificial reefs should be constructed relative to natural habitats to avoid impacts to natural habitats and systems. • Develop artificial reef placement criteria that maximize stability during intense storm events. • Evaluate substrates, materials, siting, spacing and regional scale of artificial reef development to maximize benefits of artificial construction while minimizing negative impacts from this development. • Evaluate anchoring systems that provide high holding power, are environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. Describe methods to increase stability of artificial reef materials. • Define standards to evaluate the long-term stability of artificial reefs (i.e. 25-year, 50-year, and 100-year recurrence storm events). Project 19: Develop BMPs for artificial reef siting, construction and anchoring in southeast Florida. Assemble a working team of experts to draft these BMPs.

Contributors Joanna Walczak - FDEP, Coral Reef Conservation Program Chapters 10, 12 Keith Mille - FWC, Artificial Reef Program Chapters 1, 2, 4, 6 Jocelyn Karazsia - NMFS, Habitat Conservation Division Chapters 4, 10 Melody White - USACOE, Jacksonville Regulatory Division Chapter 6 Steve Blair, Sara Thanner, Melissa Sathe - Miami-Dade County DERM Chapter 5, 7, 8, 9 Ken Banks - Broward County Chapters 9, 8 Brock Stanaland, Carman Vare, Janet Phipps - Palm Beach County ERM Chapters 5, 11 Kathy Fitzpatrick, Baret Barry - Martin County Chapter 5 Editors (and Contributors): Bill Lindberg and Bill Seaman - University of Florida Chapters 1 & 2, and All Chapters and ‘CORALIZED’

EXISTING AR PLANNING/BMP DOCUMENTS •1985 National Artificial Reef Plan (NMFS) •1992 Florida Artificial Reef Development Plan (FDNR) •1992 Environmental and Fishery Performance of FL Artificial Reef Habitats: Guidelines for Technical Evaluation of Sites Developed with State Construction Assistance (FDNR/SeaGrant) •1998 Coastal Artificial Reef Planning Guide (ASMFC/GSMFC) •2000 Artificial Reef Evaluation With Application to Natural Marine Habitats (Seaman) •2001 Socioeconomic Study of SE Florida (FWC/Hazen&Sawyer) •2001 Policy Issues Relating to the Use of Large Vessels as Artificial Reef Material in Florida (FWC) •2003 Florida Strategic Artificial Reef Plan (FWC) •2004 Guidelines for Marine Artificial Reef Materials (ASMFC/GSMFC) •2006 National Guidance: Best Management Practices for Preparing Vessels Intended to Create Artificial Reefs (EPA) •2007 National Artificial Reef Plan (as Amended) - Guidelines for siting construction development and assessment of artificial reefs (NMFS) Additional Literature Stability Analysis Programs Research Papers, Thesis Mitigation Performance Reports Socioeconomic Analysis

Project Evolution, Public Comments, and Final Revisions

Overview of Final Document Final Format: 148 Pages 12 Chapters 28 Figures 11 Tables 5 Boxes 90 References

Chapter 1. Introduction  Rationale, Purpose, Target Audience, Stakeholders  Environmental Context  Resource Planning Context  Key Questions

Chapter 2. Environmental Management Context for Artificial Reefs in Southeast Florida  What Constitutes an Artificial Reef?  Artificial Reefs in Southeast Florida  Ecological Functions in the Fishery  Fisheries Management Issues  Understanding Trade-offs  Research Questions

Chapter 3. Administrative Responsibilities, Risk Management Concerns and Funding  Artificial Reef Committee, Reef Research Team, Staff and Resources  Liability and Risks (pre-, during, post-construction)  Contract Administration  Information Exchange

Chapter 4. Artificial Reef Program Planning Framework  Establishing Program Goals and Objectives (Fishing enhancement, fisheries management, socioeconomic, dive attractions, etc.)  Measuring Success  Unintended Consequences  Inappropriate Goals

Chapter 5. Selection and Establishment of Permitted Artificial Reef Areas  Siting Considerations  Stakeholder Considerations  Environmental Considerations • Existing Natural Resources • Buffer Zones • Substrate Characteristics • Water Depth • Hydrodynamic Processes

Chapter 6. Permitting and Regulations  Federal Permits  State Permits  Local Permits

Chapter 7. Construction of Artificial Reefs  Materials Selection  Siting Considerations  Pre-Deployment Site Inspections  Pre-Deployment Construction Guidelines and Standards  Transportation, Equipment, etc  Site Marking, Mooring  Weather and Sea State  Deployment Supervision  Post-Construction Activities

Chapter 8. Buoys and Other Reef Identification Markers  Feasibility and Costs  Buoy Types and Criteria  Other Navigational Aids

Chapter 9. Artificial Reef Monitoring, Maintenance, Research, and Mapping  Permit Compliance  Performance Monitoring and Research  Mapping and Habitat Characterization

Chapter 10. Compensatory Mitigation  State and Federal Regulatory Requirements  Methodologies to Determine Compensatory Amounts  Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA)  Florida Unified Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM)  Special Considerations for Mitigation Reefs  Design and Siting  Timing  Monitoring  Case Studies

Chapter 11. Vessel Deployment  Vessel Procurement  Vessel Selection and Composition  Vessel Preparation and Cleaning  Staging Areas and Towing  Placement Considerations  Sinking

Chapter 12. Promotion and Communication  Value of Communication  Media Publicity and Promotion  Information Technologies  Newsletters  Other Communication Methods  The Importance of Stewardship

Distribution  Online  Paper Copies  CDs

Questions?