Marine Biodiversity Monitoring and Community Engagement on the Boulder Reefs of Peanut Island

Marine Biodiversity Monitoring and Community Engagement on the Boulder Reefs of Peanut Island

Alvin Sherman Library

Artificial boulder reefs were constructed along the shoreline of Peanut Island in Palm Beach County, Florida to enhance habitat complexity and provide a safe, accessible snorkeling experience for the island's many visitors. These nine boulder reefs support a diverse assemblage of marine organisms and offer an ideal setting for ecological monitoring. This project documents the fish, invertebrate, and coral species that utilize these structures and provides the public with accurate, easily accessible information about the organisms they may encounter while snorkeling. Monthly GoPro surveys employing a roving fish sampling technique were conducted on each reef to record new species observations and update an online identification guide. To date, 67 fish species, 42 invertebrate species, and 8 coral species have been cataloged on the project website. The website also provides natural history information for each species and an overview of the island's development and ecology. To increase public awareness and encourage visitor engagement, QR codes linking directly to the website were created and displayed at the Sailfish Marina Resort, on ferry vessels transporting visitors to the island, and within the Peanut Island ranger station. This ongoing project highlights the value of artificial reef habitats for biodiversity while supporting community outreach, education, and conservation awareness.