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Florida Pier's Past Fuels New Marine Life
15 Oct
Summary
- Damaged Naples Pier parts now support marine life.
- 59 concrete pilings were repurposed for an artificial reef.
- Debris is also recycled for road construction materials.
Historic Naples Pier debris, damaged by Hurricane Ian, has been transformed into a thriving underwater habitat. On April 24, 2026, the City of Naples deployed 59 concrete pilings, totaling over 300 tons, onto the existing Wasmer Reef, approximately 10 miles offshore. This project, undertaken with Shoreline Foundation, Inc. and Turrell, Hall & Associates, repurposes materials from the pier, which was severely impacted by the hurricane on September 28, 2022.
The repurposed pilings have been integrated into an artificial reef system first established in 2015. This expansion of Wasmer Reef provides crucial surfaces for marine organisms like corals and invertebrates, contributing to the local food web. Dive teams monitored the deployment to ensure compliance with permits issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Beyond habitat creation, the initiative emphasizes waste reduction. Pilings not used for the reef have been sent for recycling into aggregate for road construction. This dual approach ensures the materials from the beloved, original 1888 pier serve both ecological and practical purposes as the pier itself is rebuilt to be more storm-resilient.
