Here is a map showing the location of the 15 reef locations maintained by the New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife. They are located in the ocean along the New Jersey coast as part of the Artificial Reef Program. These sites are located between 2 and 25 nautical miles offshore from Sandy Hook to Cape May.
Reef sites should be avoided by operations using equipment on the sea floor, such as commercial trawl, net and dredge fisheries, cable or pipeline projects and sand or mineral mining projects. Reef structures may impede, entangle or destroy sea floor equipment and endanger operators. The use of heavy equipment on reef sites may cause damage to and move reef structures as well. Structures dragged outside reef boundaries by commercial fishing gear or other activities become unknown, uncharted hazards to all sea floor operations.
This notice applies to all of New Jersey’s 15 reef sites. All of the reef sites have been plotted as “Fish Havens” on current NOAA nautical charts. Fish havens (reef sites) are delineated as blue-shaded areas on NOAA nautical charts. Please retain this notice on your vessel and refer to appropriate nautical charts to identify the location of reefs in the area of ocean you are working.
