Alabama's Artificial Reefs Program is based on the "Large Area Permit" concept where a very large area is permitted for artificial reefs by the state and then the state issues privated individuals permits for using this area. This allows actual deployment sites to be kept "secret" (and thus to help prevent overuse) by the builder. Brilliant in design, this seems to be fundumentally flawed to encourage the use of short lived materials since the builders feel that their site will be found in a few years by other uses. There have been attempts by regulators to inspect reef materials but the standards are still below most public reef building programs. Fortunately, designed artificial reefs are on the rise because private builders have sustained heavy losses of inferior reef materials in the recent fury of hurricanes.
Click here for World Mapping System Information on Alabama
