Along with the Offshore Reefs the MDMR has numerous Inshore Reef sites accessible by small boats, piers, and wade fishermen. These reefs are located offshore and range in size from 8 acres to 10,000 acres. The MDMR Artificial Reef Program is continuing to work closely with MGFB to promote conserve and develop reef habitat for Mississippi fishermen. Additionally, the funds acquired from scrapping these hulls were also transferred to MGFB for future reef development. After the hulls were sunk, the permits were transferred to MGFB. (MGFB), a local non-profit fishermen’s organization, these vessels were cleaned, stripped, and the hulls sunk on two permitted sites south of Horn Island. Through a coordinated effort between the Mississippi Marine Conservation Commission and the Mississippi Gulf Fishing Banks, Inc.
The state of Mississippi received five of these derelict vessels. With this law World War II Liberty Ships were made available from the National Defense Reserve Fleet for the creation of artificial reefs in coastal environments. This effort was facilitated by Public Law 92-402.
In 1972, a unified effort between state and federal agencies began to construct artificial reefs in Mississippi. In 1999 the Mississippi Artificial Reef Plan was put into place to guide the artificial reef development in Mississippi’s marine waters and adjacent federal waters.įirst known efforts at artificial reef construction off the Mississippi coast took place in the 1960’s with the deployment of automobile bodies in offshore waters near the barrier islands. (2000) an artificial reef is defined as “one or more objects of natural or human origin deployed purposefully on the sea floor to influence physical, biological, or socioeconomic processes related to living marine resources.” The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) has the responsibility of managing the marine waters of Mississippi.
Mississippi Advisory Commission on Marine Resources.
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