Be a Volunteer Reef Angler or Diver
Volunteer Reef Angler Program
Angler holding black sea bass, a common fish found on New
York's artificial reefs. Photo courtesy of Capt. Neil Delanoy
The DEC Reef Monitoring Program is looking for anglers to record their catch while fishing New York's artificial reefs. Reef angler surveys help DEC keep track of fish catches from year to year and monitor the effectiveness of the reefs.
By sharing a record of your catch, you can help DEC in many aspects, including monitoring fishing effort, discovering what fish are visiting the reef, and determining the benefit of these reefs to the New York fishery.
How To Participate
Download a copy of the Artificial Reef Angler Log (PDF) (235 KB) to take with you on your next fishing adventure and record your catch!
Submit the completed log to DEC's Artificial Reef Program by:
- Mail to the address found in the right sidebar of this page (with Attn: Artificial Reef Program)
- Fax it to: (631) 444-0449
- Email it to: FW.Marine@dec.ny.gov
Volunteer Reef Diver Program
The DEC Marine Artificial Reef Monitoring Program can benefit from the observations made by divers to learn what is happening on the various artificial reefs sites. Divers can help DEC by recording specific details of each dive, such as environmental conditions and types and numbers of animals they see.
The recorded information can help monitor the benefit of these reefs to the recreational fishing and diving communities and can also document local abundance of fish, lobsters, and other marine animals. Furthermore, the personal dive observations you provide will help the DEC to develop a more effective artificial reef program that can enhance future diving and fishing opportunities in New York's marine waters.
How to Participate
Print or download a copy of the Artificial Reef Diver Log (PDF) (351 KB) to take with you on your next diving adventure and record your observations.
Submit the completed log to DEC's Artificial Reef Program by:
- Mail to the address found in the right sidebar of this page (with Attn: Artificial Reef Program)
- Fax it to: (631) 444-0449
- Email it to: FW.Marine@dec.ny.gov
An American lobster (Homarus americanus) protects its lair in one
of the many rock piles on the Atlantic Beach Reef. Lobster easily
blend in with the colonized reef rock which is home to bryozoans,
sponges and corals. Rock provides stable and durable reef building
habitat for both structure associated finfish and crustacean species.
Photo by Christopher LaPorta.
The wheelhouse of the sunken vessel Mandy Ray colonized by a
variety of organisms including anemones, bryozoans and sponges.
