Dartmouth artificial reef

Dartmouth reef is one of five artificial reefs DMF has constructed and continues to monitor.

About the reef

Location of the Dartmouth Artificial Reef in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. The orange polygon indicates the boundaries of the artificial reef, with the inset showing its location relative to the Massachusetts coastline. Central Coordinates (decimal degrees): 41.5295, -70.935817

In 1997, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) and the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth developed an artificial reef project using reef balls or prefabricated concrete units. This state funded project received the support of local and state officials. The 3.5-acre site is located in Buzzards Bay, southwest of Salter’s Point in Dartmouth. About 100 reef balls occupy a total permitted footprint of approximately 242 square yards. The units are dispersed along within the permitted area at depths between 28 and 32 feet. 

Current status of the reef

DMF divers conduct monitoring at the site annually to assess species presence, material stability, and recreational use. DMF maintains a series of continuous data loggers that collect bottom temperature at hourly intervals and record any fish previously fitted with an acoustic tag monitors at the site. Data is recovered during monitoring visits to the site. 

Today, you can find a wide variety of life on the reef including; 

• Black sea bass
• Cunner
• Knobbed whelk
• Lobster
• Oyster toadfish
• Tautog