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FISHING AROUND WRECKS
In 2015, Maryland placed 5 barge loads of concrete rubble around a sunken barge off Taylor’s Island; the debris was intended to add height, surface area, and shelter for fishOff the coast of Taylor's Island, Maryland, a barge has sunk, transforming the seafloor into a barren landscape. In response, Maryland's Ar...
Alabama has the largest artificial reef system; ship containing 1,700 slot machines and 100 military tanks provides shelter to marine life and attracts eco-tourismIn July 2026, the Argosy VI, previously a floating casino, was intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef as part of Alabama's commitm...
In 1968, the 440-foot Amaryllis became an artificial reef off Palm Beach County in roughly 82 feet of water; reef divers later recorded 136 fish species in 15 surveysThe Amaryllis, once a freighter, now rests as an artificial reef after running aground near Palm Beach, lying about 80 feet underwater. Sur...
Texas sank a 113-metre cargo ship in 2017; What divers discovered just 7 months later was remarkableIn 2017, Texas deliberately sank the 113-metre cargo ship Kraken in the Gulf of Mexico, to create an artificial reef . The 499 tonne vessel...
12 years after 32 million smuggled cigarettes were seized on it, ship now hosts barnacles, fish and diversThe MV Shingle, which was seized while carrying illegal cigarettes, has now become an artificial reef. After being cleaned, it was intentio...
In 1985, Broward County sank a DC-4 off Fort Lauderdale in 71 feet of water; the wreck later became a monitored artificial reefIn Florida, officials purposefully submerge items like airplanes to establish artificial reefs. These underwater structures not only form n...
ARSBC bought HMCS Chaudière from Canada’s Defence Department for $1 plus 7 cents GST; after its reef conversion, glass tunicates came to cover much of the vesselThe Canadian warship HMCS Chaudière was acquired for a symbolic price and subsequently sunk, transforming it into a vibrant artificial reef...
In 1945, U-864 Nazi submarine carrying 67 tonnes of mercury sank near an Scandinavian island, 81 years later it's still threatning NorwayA German U-boat sunk off Norway in 1945 is still posing an environmental challenge because it may contain up to 67 tonnes of mercury. The w...
In 2019, Jordan sank a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in waters up to 92 feet deep; three years later, its fuselage and wings sheltered corals, sponges, octopuses and pufferfishAn ex-airliner has been repurposed as a lively artificial reef in the Red Sea. As marine species have swiftly inhabited the sunken plane, a...
In 2011, New South Wales sank ex-HMAS Adelaide off the Central Coast; five years of surveys identified 62 fish species from 31 families around the wreck before storm damage led to its closure in July 2024In mid-2024, severe storms wreaked havoc on the ex-HMAS Adelaide artificial reef, leading to significant structural concerns. The superstru...
In the mid-late 1970s, Florida sank an F-101, F-102, T-33 and Sikorsky off Bay County; the aircraft served as fishing and diving reefs for more than 10 yearsIn the 1970s, Florida made a bold choice by sinking military jets and helicopters into the Gulf of Mexico, creating makeshift fishing and d...
In 2002, South Australia scuttled ex-HMAS Hobart in 2 minutes and 17 seconds; 18 years later, a marine survey recorded more than 50 fish species around the destroyerThe HMAS Hobart, once a formidable navy destroyer, has transformed into a vibrant artificial reef after being submerged for eighteen years....
In 2000, San Diego sank the 366-foot HMCS Yukon off Mission Beach; from 2015 to 2020, nine divers recorded 237 observations across 58 marine speciesThe HMCS Yukon, a Canadian warship, was intentionally sunk near Mission Beach to foster a new artificial reef. Initial research from 2004 i...
In 1997, HMCS Saskatchewan was sunk off Nanaimo; 448 days later divers recorded 46 taxa, including 9 molluscs and 7 echinodermsIn British Columbia, artificial reefs are transforming the marine landscape, demonstrating swift colonization by diverse marine species wit...
In 2009, Jacksonville sank the former Coast Guard tender Spike in 100 feet of water; one year later, a REEF diver counted 16 fish species, up from just 6An ex-Coast Guard ship now stands as an artificial reef, drawing the attention of vibrant marine life. At first, the submerged metal hull w...
In 2009, Key West sank the 523-foot Vandenberg in 140 feet of water; one year later, REEF monitoring had documented 123 fish species on the former shipIn 2009, the retired missile ship Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg was deliberately sunk near Key West, giving rise to a significant artificial reef...
In 1944, German U-boat U-672 sank off Devon; more than 80 years later, divers find the wreck — all 52 crew members survivedIn 1944, U-672 sank on July 18, 1944, after being attacked by HMS Balfour and now almost eight decades later, divers have discovered the Ge...
In 1961, two Wisconsin fishing buddies vanished without a trace but now the mystery of their haunting disappearance has been solvedIn 1961, two Wisconsin fishing buddies vanished without a trace but now the mystery of their haunting disappearance has been solved. Ronald...
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 1995, a Tasmanian fisherman found a dead carp. What followed was a four-decade operation to remove nearly 50,000 European fishA dead carp spotted in Tasmania's Lake Crescent in 1995 triggered a 28-year campaign to eradicate invasive European carp from Lake Crescent...