Ocean Habitats, Inc., a Florida nonprofit founded by University of South Florida biology student David Wolff, has launched its “1,000 Mini Reef Challenge” for Charlotte County, with the goal of bringing area waters back to life and reducing harmful algae.

"For every Mini Reef system installed, more than 30,000 gallons of seawater are filtered and cleaned each day. Each reef supports the annual growth of roughly 300 fish and 200 crustaceans, and brings the water to life by enhancing the dock and waters around it, and by providing a space for fish and crabs to reside," according to an article by the Boca Beacon.

Wolff told the Beacon it took more than 100 prototypes to get it right, but the first Mini Reef system was placed in Marco Island waters, in Collier County. Marco Island and Cape Coral's canals have barely any aquatic life due to poor construction practices.

In 2016, Ocean Habitat was hired to install 25 reef systems in those areas' canals to re-establish dwindling fish nurseries and they quickly became popular with island residents, the article continued. As a result, locals purchased more than 175 additional systems to install under their own docks.

Charlotte Harbor Estuary, the second-largest bay in Florida, is considered a threatened ecosystem primarily because of the rapid increase of growth and development, poor land-use policies, and the overuse of natural resources. According to the Charlotte Harbor Seven County Watershed Report, bacteria and nutrient problems are numerous and growing worse each year. The harbor’s mouth is located behind Gasparilla Island, one of the many coastal barrier islands on the southwest coast of Florida, with access from the Gulf of Mexico through the Boca Grande Pass between Gasparilla Island on the north and Cayo Costa Island on the south.

To repair and prevent further damage to the Charlotte Harbor Estuary—the second largest bay in Florida—Ocean Habitat teamed with The Bocilla Island Conservancy to install the underwater Mini Reef, "a complete, self-sustaining artificial under-dock habitat for fish, crustaceans, and ocean-life."

The Mini Reef is made of strong materials, able to withstand a category four hurricane and creating an artificial reef teeming with ocean life for over 500 years.

"The reef works by creating a space that is similar to natural fish habitats in saltwater environments, present in marshlands or coastal waters that promote the growth of young crustaceans and fish," the article said. "Within three to six months, ocean life will fully develop on the reef and begin to filter the waters around the dock, replicating the natural plant and life growth in a swampland or mangrove forest."