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North Carolina Department of Environment Quality

NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Marine Fisheries - Artificial Reefs Program

Marine Fisheries

Introducing North Carolina’s Reefs

The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries maintains 42 ocean artificial reefs and 20 estuarine reefs, 14 of which serve as oyster sanctuaries. Ocean reefs are located from ½ mile to 38 miles from shore and are situated so that they can be reached from every maintained inlet in the state. The estuarine sites are found in Pamlico Sound and its tributaries, the Chowan River and the New River. Estuarine reefs are designated with yellow class four or five buoys noting the reef site, a N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries sign, and a phone number. Oyster Sanctuaries are designated with white, class-four buoys or three-pile dolphin markers that identify the site as an oyster sanctuary.

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Interactive Reef Guide

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Interactive Reef Guide Tutorials

2016 Reef Guide Publication Now Available

Don’t forget to pick up the new 2016 Reef Guide at your nearest Division of Marine Fisheries office.
It's 132 informative pages printed on a durable, water-resistant paper stock.

Or, download a printable Reef Guide here.
(Note: for best printing results, be sure to use the printer settings "shrink oversized pages" and landscape orientation)
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries • 3441 Arendell Street • Morehead City, NC 28557 • 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632

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