With numerous thriving natural and artificial reefs along Martin County’s shores, the area truly lives up to its reputation as the “Treasure Coast.” Each reef offers a bounty of rich aquatic life, creating ideal locales for saltwater anglers and recreational divers.   Over 110 species thrive in and around the reefs including the Queen Angelfish,  Sheephead, Nurse Shark, Red Grouper and the Barracuda.

The offshore sites include the Donaldson, Ernst and Sirotkin Reef Sites. Each of these three permitted reef areas contain several artificial reefs which have been deployed over the past several years, and additional reef materials continue to be added to these areas.

Martin County’s near shore reef sites are located in the Atlantic Ocean between the Stuart and Jensen Public Beach Parks. These three artificial reef sites were established in 2000, in order to provide mitigation for potential impacts to the near shore reefs from the Hutchinson Island Beach Re-nourishment Project. 

Martin County’s Artificial Reef Program now offers over a dozen outstanding sites for fishing and dive exploration – and the number continues to grow. To find out more or get involved go to www.mcacreefs.org  There is no better way to appreciate our area’s natural treasures than to fish and explore these waters. We invite you to dive in!

This resting place is under water where there is still life … so it can make death more of a celebration of life. Think about it, it is life after life. You are giving after leaving this earthly plane. There are currently over 100 souls there now. This reef not only provides an extraordinary eternal resting place for the departed, but it was constructed to regenerate life in the ocean. If you are a beach lover you can appreciate the fact that we take a lot from our environment while we live. Here’s an opportunity to give something back.

The reef is located 3.25 miles east of Key Biscayne in Miami, FL – GPS coordinates N25º 42.036′, W80º 05.409′ – the Reef is the largest man-made reef ever conceived. Over 16 acres of barren ocean floor is being transformed. The first phase is a classical recreation of the Lost City, 40 feet under the sea. The natural surroundings in which the structures were placed have produced a marine habitat to promote coral and marine organism while creating the ultimate ‘Green Burial’ opportunity.

A recent marine study conducted by the Department of Environmental Resource Management [DERM] concluded that marine life around the reef has gone from the zero to thousands in two years. In addition to providing a permanent legacy for those who loved the ocean, the Neptune Memorial Reef is attracting recreational scuba divers, marine biologists, students, researchers and ecologists from all over the world. And, believe it or not, there is no charge to visit the reef.

Recent marine monitoring study conducted in December 2008 by DERM (Department of Environmental Resources Management) revealed that 1625 fish of 35 different species were observed in 14 different fish counts at different locations within the NMR vs. 1027 fish of 29 different species in March 2008. An increase of over 60% in only 9 months!”

With 6 rings and 8 “spokes”, the completed project will cover 16 acres of the seafloor, 3 ¼ miles off Key Biscayne in 45 feet of water.

With 6 rings and 8 “spokes”, the completed project will cover 16 acres of the seafloor, 3 ¼ miles off Key Biscayne in 45 feet of water.