Eight new fish aggregating device buoys are now floating in the Gulf after Okaloosa County successfully completed deployment Sunday, bringing the county’s FAD network closer to shore.

• The buoys, positioned approximately 25 nautical miles south-southwest of East Pass in water depths ranging from 206 to 297 feet, expand the county’s FAD network that has drawn national attention since the first buoys were placed 60-80 miles offshore near DeSoto Canyon in 2020 and 2021.

“When we can check so many boxes when it comes to benefitting tourism, locals, scientific research AND the environment, you know you have a winning project,” said Alex Fogg, Okaloosa County Natural Resources Chief.

The deployment was carried out by the vessel Maranatha II, operated by Walter Marine LLC. The eight 15-foot Okabe buoys, manufactured in Japan, were staged in Orange Beach, Alabama before being transported to their permanent locations.

The original FAD network has provided an unprecedented research opportunity that has never existed until their installation, according to Fogg. 

• “Acoustic monitoring as well as above and below water camera systems are being used by Louisiana State University to monitor use of the FADs by not only fishers, but also fish species and their abundance around the FADs,” he said. “This partnership will expand to include the new group of FADs in the coming weeks.”

Each composite and fiberglass buoy is equipped with Coast Guard approved solar-powered lighting, integrated radar reflection and GPS tracking devices for retrieval in case of mooring failure. The mooring systems use heavy concrete anchors weighing 20 tons each, with lines designed to be stiff, taut and non-looping to prevent marine life entanglement.

Before the county’s initial FAD deployment in 2020, anglers had to travel more than 100 miles to oil and gas platforms off Alabama and Louisiana for consistent pelagic fishing. The original eight-buoy Captain Kelly Windes FAD Network changed that, with anglers reporting catches of various pelagic species within weeks of deployment.

• This second phase builds on that success while bringing opportunities closer to shore.

“The intent of this second project is to provide closer destinations for local and visiting anglers to access pelagic fishing opportunities within 30 miles of Destin-Fort Walton Beach,” said Jennifer Adams, Director of the Tourist Development Department, when commissioners approved the project in July. “The addition of the closer FAD network will continue to build Destin-Fort Walton Beach as the premier fishing and diving destination in the world.”

Commissioners unanimously approved a $513,000 single source purchase order to Walter Marine LLC in July for the deployment. The project cost less than the original offshore network because the shallower water required shorter mooring systems.

• Funding came from savings realized when the military acquired the Spirit of Norfolk vessel artificial reef project.

The shallow water locations were carefully selected to avoid natural reef habitat. A November 2024 bottom survey using fathometer scans verified each site was void of natural or artificial reef materials. Two locations were shifted approximately half a nautical mile after surveyors discovered low-relief natural bottom at the original proposed sites.

The buoys must remain in water shallower than 330 feet to avoid potential impacts to endangered Rice’s whales.

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a nationwide permit for the project in March 2025. While the original FAD project took five years to permit, the shallow water deployment benefited from streamlined processes.

Former Commissioner Captain Kelly Windes, who championed the original FAD network, approached the board in February 2023 requesting exploration of additional deployments.

“Wahoos were caught in the middle of January, which is unusual for years past,” Windes said during that 2023 meeting. “It’s been mostly wahoos and some dolphin (mahi mahi), but it’s really proven itself in the off-season, which has been a blessing.”

The Okabe buoy design has proven durable in Gulf conditions. The first four buoys of the original network sustained no damage during tropical storm systems since fall 2020. Neighboring communities that installed alternative FAD designs in recent years have experienced numerous failures, according to county staff.

• The buoys are designed to withstand oceanographic conditions for more than five to ten years, after which they will either be inspected to determine maintenance schedule, removal or replacement. The county will monitor the network throughout the year, with the mooring systems inspected twice yearly and after major storm events.

“This is just another example of how our leadership has allowed creative thinking to drive tourism product development beyond traditional projects,” Fogg said. “This support, coupled with a one-of-a-kind fishing and diving destination, makes these projects a no brainer.”

MAP – Coordinates