Walter Marine Completes Major Artificial Reef Deployment off Dog Island
Walter Marine, the Orange Beach, Alabama-based company behind ReefMaker, deployed 54 artificial reef modules across two permitted sites off Dog Island, Florida, on July 25, 2026.
The project was coordinated by the Tallahassee-based Organization for Artificial Reefs and supported by a grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Walter Marine crews precisely placed the modules to establish five patch reefs designed to provide durable habitat for fish and other Gulf marine life.
Building Productive Marine Habitat
Artificial reef modules introduce stable, structurally complex habitat in areas where natural bottom relief may be limited. Openings, textured surfaces and varying module configurations provide shelter and attachment areas for marine organisms while creating new destinations for fishing, diving and scientific observation.
The deployment demonstrates how reef contractors, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and coastal communities can collaborate on long-term marine habitat projects. Walter Marine handled the offshore deployment using the specialized marine equipment and experience required to position the modules at their approved coordinates.
Memorial Reefs Create a Lasting Legacy
The deployment also included memorial reefs honoring Bryce Buda and Spencer Walker. Families, friends and supporters attended by boat to observe the structures being lowered to the seafloor.
The Bryce Buda memorial module was reported to stand approximately eight feet tall and weigh nine tons. The memorial reefs combine habitat creation with a permanent tribute that can support marine life for years to come.
Deployment Location
The new reef structures were installed approximately 10 miles offshore in about 42 feet of water. Their placement expands the network of publicly managed artificial reefs serving Florida’s Big Bend region.
ReefMaker and Walter Marine design, manufacture and deploy artificial reef systems for marine habitat development, recreational fishing, diving and coastal restoration projects.
Source: This article is an original ReefMaker summary based on reporting by Frank Stephenson for Franklin County News. Read the original report.