State continues funding county’s reef monitoring program
February 13, 2012 · 0 Comments
District 4 County Commissioner Steven L. Abrams has announced that the county has successfully obtained state funding for its artificial reef monitoring program which is conducted by a volunteer-based organization called the “Reef Research Team.”
The program is essential in maintaining the 29 artificial reefs located off the county’s shoreline, he said.
“This program accomplishes a lot with very little money since it is volunteer-based,” said Abrams. “These artificial reefs are one of the reasons why diving off of Palm Beach County shorelines is world renowned,” added the commissioner whose district includes 22 miles of coastline.
The Palm Beach County Reef Research Team (RRT) was formed in 1991 in cooperation with the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (ERM). ERM, recognizing that limited staff resources did not allow for sufficient monitoring of the deployed artificial reefs, met with a core group of divers who formed the RRT. Originally the volunteers paid out of their pockets to perform the monitoring dives on commercial dive boats.
However, in 1996, ERM was successful in obtaining Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Artificial Reef Program monitoring grants to cover expenses incurred by the RRT. The present two-year grant is the eighth grant, in the amount of $21,432.
RRT just celebrated its 20th year, and even though every year the competition for the grants escalates, ERM continues to maintain its funding due to the consistent quality of the RRT’s work.
The RRT is affiliated with the Palm Beach Zoo. The group is composed of experienced SCUBA divers who come from all different backgrounds. Many of the members have participated for more than 15 years.
Through the RRT training program, new members are taught scientific methods of gathering data and identifying certain fish species. Mapping, videography and photography are also included in the training program. Palm Beach County’s RRT is considered one of the best volunteer research dive teams in the state of Florida.
