Fire Island Artificial Reef

Fire Island Artificial Reef

Depth: 62 - 73 ft
2.0 nautical miles south of Fire Island Lighthouse



M60 tanks reef
M60 tanks undergo a thorough cleaning before use as reefs

The Artificial Reef Program used four types of obsolete Army armored vehicles as artificial reef materials off the New Jersey coast. These were cleaned at local military bases, loaded onto barges for transport, and pushed off at their final destination. Once the Army had disposed of its excess inventory, the program ceased, around 1999. The Artificial Reef Program has sunk almost 400 tanks altogether, far too many to list them here in this website.


The "Ocean Prince" drydock (above) was sunk in 1986 and is well-attested. New York has photos of a clearly different drydock which they place here, but I believe is actually at Shinnecock, and I have placed it there.

Type:
artificial reef, barges
Depth:
62 - 73 ft
Name Description Sunk GPS
110 ft steel Thursday
Sept 9, 1999
40°35.973'
-73°13.242'
Air Force
Scow
110 ft steel Sunday
Oct 14, 2018
40°35.914'
-73°11.986'
Dump Scow
DS-24
100 ft steel Sunday
Oct 14, 2018
40°35.838'
-73°12.015'
Irvington 60 ft steel 2024 40°35.949'
-73°12.308'
Piano Scow 30 ft steel Sunday
Oct 14, 2018
40°35.872'
-73°12.022'
"Ocean Prince"
Drydock #4
200 ft steel
drydock
Saturday
Nov 29, 1986
40°35.704'
-73°11.968'



Type:
artificial reef, work boat, USA
Built:
1963, Paasch Marine Services, Erie PA, USA
Specs:
( 53 ft )
Sunk:
Saturday, August 3, 2019 - Fire Island Artificial Reef
Depth:
70 ft
GPS:
40°35.711' -73°11.684'

Type:
artificial reef, clam dredge, USA
Built:
1950, JW Nolan & Sons, Erie PA USA
Specs:
( 50x15 ft ) 14 gross tons
Sunk:
2003 - Fire Island Artificial Reef
Depth:
70 ft
GPS:
40°35.996'-73°12.926'

rock reef
A hopper barge full of rock

All manner of concrete, steel, and stone rubble from dredging, demolition projects, and other construction is used as artificial reef materials. This material is generally available at very low cost or free from construction companies who are more than happy to get rid of it. Transportation costs determine where this material is used by the Reef Program.


Type:
artificial reef, ferry, converted WWII Navy patrol boat, USA
Built:
Specs:
( 63 ft )
Sunk:
Friday May 10, 1985 - Fire Island Artificial Reef
Depth:
75 ft
GPS:
40°35.587' -73°11.221'

This new feature inside the Manasquan Inlet reef site will be called the Maher Terminals Reef in recognition of the donated material by Maher Terminals, located in Port Elizabeth, NJ. The material consisted of 151 concrete forms, measuring 40 feet x 8 feet x 1.5 feet each. The forms, once used for shipping container inspections, were no longer needed and were slated for demolition and disposal. Center point coordinates are 40° 04.617' N and 073° 59.040' W.

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