SS United States Has Just Been Sunk—What Happens Next?
Summary
The 990-foot SS United States was deliberately sunk off Florida on November 11 to become an artificial reef. Researchers expect marine life to colonize it over time, but studies do not show that artificial reefs always increase the total number of fish; they can also gather fish from nearby areas in one place.Key Facts
- Okaloosa County selected a site about 22 nautical miles southwest of the coast, where the vessel will rest roughly 180 feet underwater.
- University of Florida IFAS Extension researchers say baitfish may appear around a new reef within hours, followed over time by other organisms and larger fish.
- Researchers estimate that an artificial reef may take three to five years to reach its full potential as a habitat.
- A NOAA study of a reefed vessel in the Texas Gulf of Mexico found its fish community stabilized after five years, while the variety of species increased over time.
- The SS United States is 79 feet longer than the USS Oriskany, which was sunk off Florida in 2006 and rests in about 212 feet of water.
- County tourism officials estimate that the SS United States’ upper deck will sit 55 to 60 feet below the surface.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records more than 4,548 planned public artificial reefs in state and federal waters off Florida since the 1940s.
- Scientists debate whether artificial reefs produce additional fish or mainly concentrate existing fish, which can make them easier to catch.
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