Destin High School’s Fishing Program will host its annual artificial reef fundraiser on April 26, building on the success of last year’s efforts that expanded marine habitat and created memorial tributes in Gulf waters. 

• The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Half Hitch Tackle, located at 621 Harbor Blvd. in Destin, with a goal of building 15 reefs this year to add to the “Destin High School Reef.”

Last August, the school’s fishing program deployed 14 artificial reefs in an area now known as Destin High School Reef, located in about 65 feet of water just a couple of miles off the beach. Each reef stood 8 feet tall with a 9-foot triangular base and weighed 5,500 pounds, providing new habitat in waters near the Okaloosa Island Pier. 

The project included memorial reefs honoring community members including Tucker Reese, a 9-year-old local baseball player who passed away following an ATV accident, and Jonathan Hughes, described as a “Shark Dad” with a child attending Destin High. 

• Contribution options include donating lightly-used fishing tackle for sale, participating in a 50/50 drawing, supporting memorial reefs for local captains or family members, or purchasing a reef named after the donor’s choice. 

Okaloosa County’s Natural Resources Team received a $10,000 grant to help supplement the school’s fundraising efforts through the FishAmerica Foundation and Brunswick Foundation. The Emerald Coast Reef Association is also contributing funds towards this effort. 

Okaloosa County’s artificial reef program is one of the most active in the nation, with more than 564 reef sites deployed off Destin-Fort Walton Beach since 1976. Over 300 of these have been placed since 2019. 

Those interested in donating can scan a QR code at the event, or text “dhsreef” to 41444.