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Tug sank as artifical reef
Escambia County's Marine Resources Division sank the "Ocean Wind" to serve as the county's newest artificial reef about 10 miles southeast of Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico in about 87 feet of water in pos 30 degrees 11 minutes north latitude and 87 degrees 12 minutes west longitude. The "Ocean Wind" was purchased by Escambia County and partially funded by private donations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission funded the cleaning, preparation, towing and deployment costs through a grant from the state of Florida special legislative appropriation bill for artificial reef construction. The new artificial reef will benefit anglers and divers, while also providing a habitat for marine life. Data from a recent economic analysis for the FWC found that Escambia County’s Artificial Reef Program has an annual economic benefit of more than $150 million, while also supporting nearly 2,350 jobs. The "Ocean Wind" has been stripped of anything the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not want sitting on the Gulf floor, a.o. the flaking paint, electrical installations, glass, plastics and residual oil or gas in the five fuel tanks at the Port of Pensacola. Reports with photos and video: http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f25/new-artificial-reef-ocean-wind-tug-651466/ http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2015/05/03/tug-boat-beome-newest-artifical-reef/26832501/http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/environment/2016/01/14/tugboat-sunk-artificial-reef/78816848/ http://www.myescambia.com/home/news/escambia-county-deploys-new-141-ton-artificial-reef https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqrY86gHFkk
Tug becoming artificial reef
The "Ocean Wind" will be sunk off the waters of Pensacola beach to become a new artificial reef. The Florida Artificial Reef Program will purchase, clean and sink the "Ocean Wind" in 90 to 95 feet of water in the Escambia Southeast Artificial Reef Site roughly 10 nautical miles south of Pensacola Pass in the Gulf of Mexico. Workers on the project were hoping to prepare the tug for sinking by this week. First, workers will have to strip the boat of anything the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation doesn't want in the Gulf, including anything electric, any glass, flaking paint and anything else harmful. The "Ocean Wind" will be the latest in a growing list of artificial reefs in the Gulf.
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