From Fishing Ship to Ocean Habitat: The Sinking of the Calcasieu Pass

On Wednesday, August 12, 2026 a former commercial menhaden boat previously owned by Ocean Harvesters the F/V Calcasieu Pass was deployed as an artificial reef at Site 13, located roughly 26 miles off the coast of Indian River Inlet.

Now resting on the sea floor, the submerged vessel serves as a vital underwater sanctuary. The new structure will foster marine biodiversity while boosting local opportunities for offshore anglers and recreational scuba divers along the Delaware coastline.

Acquired for just one dollar in 2024, the former fishing boat was gifted by Ocean Harvesters to Coleen Marine for habitat development. Coleen Marine handled the entire transition—cleaning and prepping the ship to meet environmental standards, towing it out to the designated location, and scuttling it on the ocean floor for Delaware’s reef initiative.

Artificial reefs are submerged, man-made structures placed in marine or freshwater environments to transform featureless sea floors into vibrant aquatic habitats. Originally engineered by ancient Persian and Roman societies, these underwater installations continue to serve a multitude of modern ecological and practical functions. Beyond bolstering marine biodiversity, they aid in coastal preservation, mitigate erosion, block unwanted net trawling, support sustainable aquaculture, and generate popular destinations for surfers and recreational divers.

These installations are generally built using three primary approaches. Opportunity reefs repurpose existing industrial assets that have reached the end of their service life, such as scuttled ships, retired oil platforms, and reclaimed construction debris. Conventional reefs utilize purpose-built materials like pre-molded concrete blocks designed specifically to anchor marine life. Finally, sustainable and artistic variants incorporate eco-friendly elements—such as natural plant fibers and crushed mollusk shells—to minimize carbon footprints, occasionally serving double duty as functional, underwater public art installations.

By joining Delaware’s artificial reef network, the Calcasieu Pass continues a longstanding tradition of maritime recycling. The deployment gives the retired commercial vessel a second life beneath the waves, allowing a ship that spent decades powering the coastal fishing industry to now protect and sustain the marine ecosystem long after its working years have ended.

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