A team of military veterans and local conservation divers has removed more than 1,000 pounds of marine debris from artificial reefs off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
The operation brought together FORCE BLUE and the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Natural Resources Team, with divers targeting 10 sites within Okaloosa County’s extensive artificial reef system.
By the end of the mission, the teams had recovered precisely 1,022.93 pounds, or approximately 464 kilograms, of debris from the reefs.
Among the material brought to the surface was an estimated 40 pounds of derelict fishing line. Although that represented only a small proportion of the total weight, county officials said it could equate to approximately 64,000 linear feet, or around 12 miles, of line.
That calculation was based on the weight of heavier 100-pound-test fishing line and was described by officials as a conservative estimate. If some of the material was lighter monofilament or braided line, its actual combined length could have been considerably greater.
A Persistent Threat to Marine Life
Lost fishing line can remain on reefs long after it separates from fishing equipment. It can entangle fish, sea turtles and marine mammals while also creating a potential hazard for divers.
Because the line is light and often difficult to see underwater, its environmental impact can appear relatively small when debris is assessed only by weight.
“Forty pounds of fishing line sounds small next to a thousand-pound total,” Coastal Resources Coordinator Danielle Lasseigne said, but its continued presence can pose a threat to marine life and reef habitat.
Removing it from artificial reef structures can be slow and methodical work. Divers must avoid becoming entangled themselves while separating the material from the reef and recovering attached hooks, weights and other debris.
The teams used mesh collection bags and specialist containers during the dives, while heavier objects were raised using lift bags.
Veterans Return to an Underwater Mission
FORCE BLUE brings together former US Special Operations personnel, military-trained combat divers and first responders for marine conservation work.
The organisation retrains and deploys veterans on projects including marine-debris removal, coral restoration, invasive-species control, seagrass monitoring and reef surveys.
This was FORCE BLUE’s sixth mission in partnership with Destin-Fort Walton Beach. Previous collaborations have included living-shoreline work, lionfish removal and further debris-recovery operations around local reefs and the Destin East Pass jetties.
Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin said the partnership supported both the health of the region’s marine habitat and the wellbeing of participating veterans.
Funding for the latest operation was provided to FORCE BLUE through a Publix customer fundraising campaign.
Maintaining Florida’s Artificial Reefs
Okaloosa County manages one of the largest artificial reef programmes in the United States. Its reef sites attract divers and anglers while providing additional habitat across the waters off Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
However, creating an artificial reef does not remove the need for continued management. Fishing line, anchors, ropes, tyres and other discarded or lost materials can accumulate on the structures over time.
The official account of the cleanup said the mission demonstrated the value of conducting this work regularly.
Okaloosa County said it would continue seeking partnerships with conservation organisations and research institutions to support the long-term health of its artificial reef system.
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