Veterans reef was the brainchild of Jim Pochurek, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and chairman of the Hurricane Pass Anglers Club out of Dunedin, Florida. He envisioned the reef as a place not only "for fishing and diving, but someplace where veterans' families can go and put ashes or have memorial services." The project was funded by Pinellas County, Florida, at an estimated cost of $270,000. Pinellas County has perhaps the most extensive artificial reef program in the United States, if not the world. Artificial reefs are recycled, underwater habitats for marine life. They consist of many different materials, such as concrete culverts, sunken ships (or airplanes!), army tanks, and other matter. These reefs attract fish - both pelagic and benthic, invertebrates and other sea critters, including soft and hard coral.

 

Dr. Heyward Mathews is a marine biologist who oversaw the construction of Veterans Reef. Dr. Mathews has been a scuba diver for 40 years and a scuba instructor for 20 years and has certified over 1,000 divers. He presently teaches oceanography at St. Petersburg Junior College in Clearwater, Florida. He has been involved in the construction of many artificial reefs. He is currently involved in a 2 year study for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to determine the effectiveness of a number of surplus M 60 tanks that were sunk about ten miles from Veterans Reef.

 

John Polivick is a resident of Pinellas County, Florida and is an avid scuba diver. Polivick has an undergrad degree in Radio, TV and Film from the University of Southern Mississippi and a law degree from Indiana University. Polivick designed and maintains Veteransreef.com