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Okaloosa purchases two vessels for artificial reef program off Destin-Fort Walton Beach

The 'Henry Alex' and the 'Belle Reynolds' will be deployed off the Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast as part of the county's five-year reef plan.The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved contracts totaling $820,000 on Aug 19, 2025, to purchase and deploy the two vessels as artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico off the Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast.The board approved single-source contracts with Tri-Native Contractors for $250,000 for the'Belle Reynolds' and $450,000 for the 'Henry Alex'. An additional $60,000 per vessel will cover deployment costs. The 'Belle Reynolds' is a 156-foot custom vessel with multiple decks that was originally being converted to a hunting or fishing camp in the Louisiana bayou before that project was abandoned about 10 years ago. The 'Henry Alex' is similar to the 'Deep STIM III', that the county deployed in 2023 as part of a tri-county project. Both vessels are currently located in Louisiana. The purchases are part of the county’s five-year artificial reef plan that was passed five years ago, designed to expand fish habitat and create destinations for diving and fishing, making the county the leader in artificial reef construction in the state. The county has worked with Tri-Native Contractors on four previous large deployments. Since 2020, 20 vessels have been deployed, with three more scheduled for deployment by December 2025. Four similar vessels have previously been purchased by the military from the county for use as artificial reefs after exercises. Report with photos: https://www.getthecoast.com/okaloosa-purchases-156-foot-224-foot-vessels-for-artificial-reef-program-off-destin-fort-walton-beach/