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PALOS VERDES REEF REVIVES AFTER DECADES OF POLLUTION
In 2001, NOAA launched a restoration program after a $64 million Montrose settlement. 24 years later, a rebuilt Palos Verdes reef in California had boosted fish biomass by over 150%Two decades after a $64 million settlement funded coastal recovery, California’s Palos Verdes reef is thriving. Engineers placed 70,000 ton...- In 2024, researchers tested crushed waste concrete as a base for Chesapeake oyster reefs; oyster spat grew and survived with no detectable hydrocarbon leachingIn the Chesapeake Bay, recycled concrete rubble is proving to be a nursery for young oysters. Scientists have discovered that this crushed ...
- In Texas, oyster-shell waste became reef “shell bags”; along Galveston Bay, the new shell reefs supported living oysters and helped stabilize shorelinesThe Galveston Bay Foundation has initiated a commendable recycling program to repurpose oyster shells from local restaurants for vital reef...
- In 2019, Australia lowered a 58-ton concrete greenhouse into the Great Barrier Reef; the 12-metre underwater structure became a living artwork and coral habitatNestled beneath the waves near John Brewer Reef in Australia lies an innovative Coral Greenhouse sculpture crafted from pH-neutral cement, ...
- In the 1950s, U.S. nuclear tests were conducted at Bikini and Enewetak; decades later, Guam corals preserved carbon-14 spikes linked to tests in 1954, 1956, and 1958Guam’s coral reefs act as natural historians, chronicling chemical footprints of Cold War-era nuclear tests. Distinct radiocarbon spikes fr...
- Louisiana used 13 million pounds of discarded oyster shells to build 8,000 feet of living shoreline; studies found oyster reefs can reduce wave heights under some conditionsIn Louisiana, discarded oyster shells are being creatively transformed into living shorelines to combat coastal erosion and rising sea leve...
- In 1996, NASA sank a 132-foot shuttle booster training device off Port Canaveral to become an artificial reef; marine life was expected to establish itself there within four monthsA retired NASA training device became an artificial reef in the Atlantic Ocean. This structure provided a new underwater habitat for marine...
- The Savannah River swapped bare marsh edge for oyster reefs in 2023; wave energy fell by up to 40%, giving Georgia coasts a tougher storm shieldScientists built oyster reefs in Georgia's Savannah River to reduce wave energy. These reefs lessened wave impact on the shoreline by as mu...
- In 2025, Miami sank 22 concrete cars beneath the Atlantic; what looks like an underwater traffic jam is actually a giant artificial reef for 2,200 coralsBeneath the waves off Miami Beach, a striking collection of 22 concrete cars lies submerged, serving as artificial reefs that support coral...
- In 2002, Florida sank a 510-foot Navy ship off Key Largo; the USS Spiegel Grove became one of the world's largest purpose-built ship reefsIn 2002, the USS Spiegel Grove, a decommissioned Navy ship, was purposely sunk near Key Largo to form an artificial reef. This innovative a...
- In 2006, volunteers lowered a stripped Boeing 737 into the Pacific; 20 years later, the jet has become a cold-water artificial reefA retired Boeing 737 now rests on the seafloor off Vancouver Island. This aircraft was transformed into an artificial reef by Canada. The X...
- In 1986, Florida sank this 189-foot ship off the Florida Keys; decades later, its stripped superstructure is covered in sponges, corals and hydroidsThe Thunderbolt, a former military and research vessel, now serves as an artificial reef off Marathon in the Florida Keys. It was intention...
- In 1942, the tanker SS Gulfoil was torpedoed in the Gulf of Mexico; nearly 70 years later, NOAA found its wreck covered in Lophelia coralThe SS Gulfoil, a World War II tanker, has transformed into a stunning coral reef over the years. After resting on the seabed for decades, ...
- In 2021, Cyprus submerged 93 sculptures to create an underwater forest; concrete trees rise from the seabed at different depthsAn underwater sculpture park in Cyprus offers a unique habitat for marine life. This art installation, MUSAN, features concrete figures and...
- In 2023, Georgia sank two retired Atlanta commuter trains; seven months later, divers found corals, fish, and other marine life colonizing the railcarsRetired MARTA train cars were sunk off Georgia's coast to create new reefs. Divers found marine life and coral growth on the cars within se...
- In 2019, Jordan sank 19 military machines in the Red Sea, turning retired tanks, cannons, an ambulance, and a combat helicopter into an underwater museum and artificial reefJordan's Aqaba hosts a unique underwater military museum featuring decommissioned vehicles. These sunken machines now serve as artificial r...
- In 2016, Turkey deliberately sank an entire Airbus A300, turning a passenger jet into an artificial reef, 75 feet below the surfaceA decommissioned Airbus A300 was deliberately submerged off the coast of Turkey to enhance diving tourism and safeguard marine ecosystems. ...
- In 1985, the first invasive lionfish spotted off Florida after aquarium release; in three decades, they spread from Gulf of Mexico to the southern CaribbeanThe invasive lionfish, first introduced in the 1980s, has quickly proliferated across the Western Atlantic, extending its reach from Florid...
- By 2015, Georgia had added about 200 retired chicken-transport cages to an offshore reef; the steel structures became fish habitatAlong the stunning coast of Georgia, discarded chicken cages have found a new purpose as artificial reefs. These innovative structures crea...
- Between 2001 and 2010, more than 2,500 New York subway cars were sunk into the Atlantic — decades later, they have become a thriving underwater reefA fleet of old subway cars from New York City has found an unexpected second life at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Sunk off the Delawar...
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