3D Mapping and Survey of 1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef with researchers from ORAI and UF
DISCOVERY II & III
Hollywood, FLorida
March 7, 2025
Program Overview
The 1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef Project is a large-scale environmental initiative dedicated to marine habitat restoration, coastal resilience, and eco-tourism. Developed by the Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI), the project deploys artistically designed artificial reef structures—many featuring mermaid sculptures and other marine-inspired forms—off the coasts of Florida. These structures serve as vital habitats for marine life, promoting coral recruitment and biodiversity while also raising awareness about ocean conservation.
Beyond ecological benefits, the project fosters community engagement by creating a unique underwater attraction for divers and researchers. The University of Florida’s Robot Perception & Intelligence Laboratory is conducting 3D mapping of the reef site to monitor coral growth and structural changes over time. This scientific approach enhances the project's long-term impact by providing valuable data on the reef’s development, ensuring its effectiveness as a marine conservation tool.
Application
This expedition contributes to ongoing efforts to evaluate the artificial reef’s ecological impact, providing valuable data for habitat restoration and conservation studies. The 3D mapping and sonar data collected will be used to track changes in reef structure and marine growth, supporting future research and long-term monitoring initiatives.
Expedition Summary
On March 7, 2025, The International SeaKeepers Society conducted a research expedition at the 1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef site off Hollywood Beach, Florida, aboard DISCOVERY II and DISCOVERY III. The vessels were captained by Till Koerber and Rick Thomas, with First Mate Tristan Thomas, and the mission was documented by SeaKeepers’ Program Development Manager, Aubri Keith.
The expedition included two dives to assess marine growth and biodiversity across 25 artificial reef structures, which have been underwater for approximately a year and a half. Additionally, a research team from the University of Florida deployed an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), NemoSens, to generate a 3D map of the reef site and monitor its development. Fully autonomous, NemoSens was deployed directly over the site to perform its mission, utilizing a side-scan sonar with a 200m swath to map the seafloor and artificial reef. This effort served both as a test of the technology and a means of collecting high-resolution sonar data of known terrain features. If visibility allowed, the bottom-facing HD camera was also expected to capture footage of the reef and surrounding seafloor.
Location
1000 Mermaids Hollywood Beach Artificial Offshore Reef
Duration of Project
The 1000 Mermaids Artificial Reef Project was officially launched in August 2019, with this particular Hollywood offshore site deployed approximately a year and a half ago.
Leadership
Research Team
- Alankrit Gupta
- Ruo Chen
- David Blow
- Adnan Abdullah
- Amanda Lewan
- Isabella Dubois
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