Project Summary

The Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary will be three separate reef areas at Navarre Beach County Park. Two reef areas will be in the sound (on the north side of the Park) and one reef area will be in the Gulf of Mexico just off the south shore in the park.

The concept for the project goes back to 1995 and early efforts led by local Navarre resident and activist Brenda Stokes came close to fruition but were thwarted first by funding shortfalls for the Navarre Beach (then State) park and then side tracked by hurricanes Ivan and Dennis that damaged the park severely.

The group promoting the Marine Sanctuary formed the Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary Committee and sought to organize itself as a committee of the Navarre Chamber of Commerce. As the group became more organized it worked closely with the Navarre Chamber of Commerce Foundation (a charitable 501 c 3 organization) which took on the Marine Sanctuary project as one of the programs of the Foundation. The Marine Sanctuary Committee is responsible for managing activities, events, and grants provided to the Foundation’s Marine Sanctuary Program.

This website and other support are provided by faithful supporters and contributors to the Marine Sanctuary Committee’s efforts to Make Navarre Snorkelicious!

The links below can provide you with more information about the reefs themselves and the benefits of the program to the community are also outlined below.

The program is guided by a detailed plan that you may view here on our site. The program enjoys the expressed support of the county government as evidenced by a 2009 resolution of support and by the Tourist Development Council who has provided an initial grant to help with the funding of the required permitting work. The permits are working their way through the process and the Marine Sanctuary Committee is focused on completing that process, raising funds via grants and events, and community awareness of the project’s benefits.

Feel free to come out and join us in Making Navarre Snorkelicious at any of our events or at the monthly meetings (Last Monday of the month 6 PM at the Navarre Visitor Information Center).

Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary YouTube Video

Marine Sanctuary Power Point Presentation