How 285 reef balls are turning an ocean desert into a thriving ecosystem in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Placentia Bay

An underwater camera in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Placentia Bay is giving researchers and the public a rare look at marine life returning to a newly created artificial reef. Illuminated by an underwater light, the live camera feed captures cunners, crab, lobster and sea urchins moving among swaying kelp and algae-covered reef structures. Every hour, the system takes a two-minute snapshot, with the imagery uploaded to an online visual library that researchers can study for years. The Marine Institute partnered with a major oil company and the government to restore a seafloor zone in Placentia Bay’s Fox Harbour, which is adjacent to a dredging site.

While lobster and crab may be a little camera shy, the Marine Institute of Memorial University’s Reef Ball project in the Fox Harbour area of Placentia Bay hopes to capture marine life at any given moment and track how the ecosystem develops.

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The underwater camera is the latest development in a project that began in summer 2025, when 285 concrete reef balls were installed in the area. Led by the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, the project aims to restore and enhance marine habitat affected by vessel activity in the bay. The underwater camera can also be viewed publicly, meaning people can check the reef from anywhere with an internet connection.

How the artificial reef works

Reef balls are specially designed concrete structures that create complex underwater spaces where marine organisms can live, shelter and feed. The structures form an artificial reef and provide new habitat in an area where marine activity has affected the seafloor. The installation forms an artificial reef, providing new habitat in an area where marine activity has affected the seafloor. But installing the reef is only the beginning.

“At the end of the day, healthy oceans benefit everyone,” says Mark Santos, Fisheries Technologist at the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources. “This project is helping us better understand how marine habitats recover, how fish and other species use artificial reefs, and how we can use science to make better decisions that protect our oceans for the future.”

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The camera sits about 5 metres below the surface, roughly 10 metres from the reef ball. The system uses a Reach Systems Auk camera from Valor Technologies. The camera and its light turn on for two minutes every hour. The first 30 seconds of each recording are transmitted through the cellular network to Memorial University's Centre for Analytics, Informatics and Research. This allows researchers to build a growing record of what is happening around the reef.

Researchers are using more than cameras

The underwater camera is just one part of a much larger monitoring effort. Researchers have been using sonar surveys, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), divers and long-term monitoring to build a detailed picture of how the artificial reef is developing.

Each method reveals something different, as sonar helps map the reef and surrounding seafloor. Divers can also make close-up observations of the structures and surrounding habitat. ROVs play a role to allow researchers to explore underwater areas while capturing video and imagery. Then, the camera system provides a long-term window into the reef between field surveys. The camera then provides a long-term view between field surveys, helping researchers track changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.

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Artificial reefs can provide surfaces where organisms can attach, along with spaces where fish and other marine species can shelter and search for food.

For Mark Santos, the project is about more than what today’s image is showing. The project is also about the future. The monitoring system is expected to remain in place for up to nine years.

“At the Marine Institute, we have experts in everything from marine biology and fisheries science to ocean mapping and underwater technology” Santos says partnership is the key to success. “Bringing all that expertise together allows us to do research that’s making a real difference, not just for this project, but for how we understand and manage our oceans here at home.”

Researchers at the Marine Institute look forward to monitoring the cameras alongside the public. New discoveries can help inform future marine habitat restoration projects, not only in Placentia Bay, but on a global scale.

FAQs

1. What are reef balls?

Reef balls are specially designed concrete structures placed underwater to create spaces where marine life can shelter, feed and grow.

2. Where were the reef balls installed?

The 285 reef balls were installed in the Fox Harbour area of Placentia Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2025.

3. What marine life has been spotted around the reef balls?

The underwater camera has captured cunners, crab, lobster, sea urchins, kelp and algae around the artificial reef.

4. Why is there an underwater camera at the reef?

The camera records a two-minute snapshot every hour, allowing researchers to monitor how marine life moves in and how the new underwater habitat develops over time.