Artificial Reefs

Maryland has artificial reef sites in both bay and ocean waters. These are collaborative projects between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the partner organizations of the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative, and the Ocean City Reef Foundation.

The Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative is a volunteer organization including more than 60 private, state, and federal partners dedicated to preserving, restoring and creating fish habitat in tidewater Maryland. It acts as a funding mechanism under an agreement with the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland using private and corporate donations for reef development.

The Ocean City Reef Foundation works to build reefs off of Ocean City and, in partnership with The Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative, accepts donations as a non-profit 501(c)(3) at ocreefs.org.

For more general information on artificial reef projects and to view the Maryland Artificial Reef Initiative and The Ocean City Reef Foundation reef coordinates, go to dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/reefs/index.aspx.