Since 1985, sport fish restoration program (SFR) grants have supported the north carolina artificial reef program

The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service has awarded a $777,252 Formula Grant under the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605) to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. The purpose of this grant is to support the North Carolina Artificial Reef Program, which aims to create and maintain habitat that provides public fishing and diving opportunities while serving valuable biological and ecological functions. Key activities to be funded include:

1. Coordinating planning, permitting, enhancement, and monitoring of the North Carolina artificial reef system, as well as providing public outreach.
2. Maintaining and repairing buoys stationed on estuarine artificial reefs.
3. Enhancing the North Carolina artificial reef system by maintaining reef sites.
4. Conducting diver operations to monitor the physical attributes of reef sites.
5. Performing side-scan surveys of reef materials for reporting, construction monitoring, and educational outreach.

This grant continues a longstanding partnership between the Sport Fish Restoration program and the North Carolina artificial reef efforts dating back to 1985.

The purpose of this program is to create habitat which provides public opportunities for fishing and diving, while serving valuable biological and ecological functions. North carolinas artificial reef system is made up of 43 ocean artificial reefs and 28 estuarine reefs. Through this project, the NC artificial reef program will: 1. Coordinate planning, permitting, enhancement and monitoring of the north carolina artificial reef system provide program outreach to the public and partners 2. Coordinate, maintain, and repair the buoys stationed on estuarine artificial reefs 3. Enhance the north carolina artificial reef system by maintaining reef sites and 4. Conduct diver operations to monitor physical attributes of reef sites. 5. Perform side scan surveys of reef materials for the purposes of reporting, construction monitoring, and educational outreach.