Charlotte County
Artificial Reefs

In the late 1950s, Florida businesses and clubs began using materials, primarily bridges, to create artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico. The Artificial Reef Program was established in 1982 to help local governments with these efforts. Charlotte County's first reef was deployed in 1960 by a fishing club. From the early 1980s until 2008, the Sea Grant Agent in the program, which then became part of the Parks and Resources Division in 2009. Today, local dive groups and businesses continue to support its growth.