Partners & Donors

The TPWD Artificial Reef Program depends on partnerships to create, enhance, monitor and maintain artificial reefs along the Texas coast. Reef projects are made possible through nonprofit fundraising, donated structures and materials, industry contributions, grants, research support and coordination among state and federal agencies. TPWD recognizes the organizations and donors that contribute funding, materials, expertise and field support to these efforts.

Reefing and Conservation Partners

Friends of RGV Reef - nonprofit partner supporting artificial reef construction, material deployments and the development of additional reef sites in the South Padre Island region.

Friends of Sabine Reefs - nonprofit partner supporting reef development in the Sabine Pass region by coordinating local fundraising, industry participation and material deployments at sites including HI-20 and HI-54 Shallow.

Coastal Conservation Association Texas - conservation and funding partner supporting artificial reef development and habitat enhancement throughout the Texas coast.

State and Federal Agency Partners

Texas General Land Office - state partner supporting coastal projects through funding, submerged-land leases and project coordination, including the transformation of the Old Queen Isabella Causeway into a new artificial reef.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality - administers Texas RESTORE Act funding supporting artificial reef construction, material deployments and habitat expansion.

NOAA Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary - federal conservation, research and monitoring partner collaborating on offshore surveys, lionfish research and removal, and mooring buoy installations/maintenance.

U.S. Geological Survey - federal research partner supporting water-quality monitoring, environmental DNA sampling that improve understanding of environmental conditions and marine species presence at artificial reef sites.

Academic and Research Partners

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - research and project partner supporting artificial reef mapping, sonar scanning, site characterization and other collaborative studies that improve understanding of reef structure and habitat development.

Texas A&M University at Galveston - research and monitoring partner supporting acoustic telemetry, including the deployment and maintenance of acoustic receivers at artificial reef sites, as well as other collaborative field research.

Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies - interdisciplinary research partner at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi supporting artificial reef studies, including reef ecology, habitat use, biological monitoring and applied research that informs reef management along the Texas coast.

Monitoring, Outreach and Citizen Science Partners

Lionfish Invitational Inc. - nonprofit monitoring and outreach partner collaborating on hybrid citizen-science research expeditions that combine lionfish removal with artificial reef site monitoring.

The Gulf accounts for 80% of all shrimp harvested,
62% of all oysters harvested and more than 1.4 billion pounds
of annual seafood production.

More than 140 petroleum platforms—with more on the way—have found new purpose as marine habitat in the Texas Artificial Reef Program.

Texas has artificial reef sites across state and federal waters in the Gulf, that's 3,440 acres of prime fishing and diving adventure.

Nine reef sites within nine nautical miles of shore serve as accessible nearshore fishing and diving opportunities.

Red snapper, the most popular game fish in Texas Gulf waters, thrive around artificial reef sites. Scientific divers see red snapper at TPWD artificial reef sites during four of every ten visits to these locations.

With a few exceptions, the floor of the Gulf of Mexico is flat and bare except for artificial reef sites. Nearly 200 marine fish species have been seen on these complex, stable, and durable habitats among artificial reef structures.

Sixteen of 23 U.S. coastal states (or 70 percent) maintain artificial reef programs.

The Texas Clipper ship reef off South Padre Island generates more than $1 million for the local economy from anglers and $1.4-$2 million from divers. Anglers spend on average $460 per fishing trip, while divers spend upwards of $2,000 per dive.

Thirteen ships have been intentionally sunk as part of the Texas Artificial Reef Program, the largest being the USTS Texas Clipper. She's 473 feet long—that's 1.5 times the length of a football field.

map Interactive Reef Map