Virginia Artificial Reefs
Charted reef sites in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic, with chart grids and clearance.
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Virginia artificial reef sites in the bay and ocean
The Marine Resources Commission’s reef guide charts 22 artificial reef sites with a coordinate grid; each has a page here with its location text, materials, NOAA chart, chart date and authorized clearance. 21 more reef names appear in the guide without a usable grid and are listed as rows.
The point given for each reef is the middle of the grid printed on its chart, not the position of a single structure; the current reef map is on a commission site that bars automated readers.
Marine Resources Commission reef guide (chart pages), read November 7, 2026.
Virginia reef grids plotted at their chart centres
Every charted Virginia artificial reef
| Reef | Area | Clearance | NOAA chart | Chart date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglers Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12210 | 08/28/06 |
| Asphalt Pile Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 12/18/07 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 08/11/08 |
| Blackfish Bank Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 30 ft at mean low water | 12210 | 12/10/08 |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 01/07/09 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 06/26/06 |
| Cherrystone Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 7/12/06 |
| East Oceanview Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12221 | 02/07/08 | |
| Gwynn Island Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 14 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 3/15/05 |
| Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 01/02/08 |
| Middle Ground Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12 ft at mean low water | 12245 | |
| Nandua-Pungoteague Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 08/18/06 |
| Nassawadox Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 6/26/06 |
| Northern Neck Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 20 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 03/11/08 |
| Occohannock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 08/29/06 |
| Parramore Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 30 ft at mean low water | 12210 | 07/11/08 |
| Poquoson Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 03/11/08 |
| Tower Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 30 ft at mean low water | 12221 | 8/11/08 |
| Triangle Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 66 ft at mean low water | 12200 | 8/21/07 |
| Wachapreague Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 15 ft at mean low water | 12210 | 4/5/05 |
| Windmill Point Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 ft at mean low water | 12225 | 8/15/04 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12221 | 1/06/05 |
Marine Resources Commission reef guide, read November 7, 2026.
Virginia reef names without a charted grid
- Asphalt Pile Artificial Reefchart date 12/18/07
- Back River Artificial Reefchart date 08/11/08
- Blackfish Bank Artificial Reefchart date 12/10/08
- Bluefish Rock Artificial Reefchart date 01/07/09
- Cabbage Patch Artificial Reefchart date 06/26/06
- Cherrystone Artificial Reefchart date 7/12/06
- East Ocean View Artificial Reefchart date 02/07/08
- Gwynn Island Artificial ReefGwynn Island Reef was reconfigured to a square site located 1.35 nautical miles northeast of “Hole in the Wall”.
- Mobjack Bay Artificial Reefchart date 01/02/08
- Nandua-Pungoteague Artificial ReefNandua-Pungoteague Reef is located 3.3 NM ENE of the entrance to Pungoteague Creek.
- Nassawaddox Artificial Reefchart date 6/26/06
- Northern Neck Artificial Reefchart date 03/11/08
- Occohannock Artificial ReefOccohannock Reef is located 4 nautical miles WNW of the entrance to Occohannock Creek, bayside of the Eastern Shore. The shape of the reef is a paral- lelogram defined by loran lines.
- Parramore Artificial Reefchart date 07/11/08
- Poquoson Artificial Reefchart date 03/11/08
- The Cell Artificial Reefchart date 08/29/06
- Tower Artificial ReefTower Reef is located .6 nautical miles WSW of the Chesapeake Light Tower.
- Triangle Artificial ReefTriangle Reef is located 16.5 nautical miles 073 de- grees true from Chesapeake Light Tower.
- Wachapreague Artificial Reefchart date 4/5/05
- Windmill Point Artificial ReefWindmill Point Reef was established in July 2004. This square reef site is located 1.
- York Spit Artificial Reefchart date 1/06/05
Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef section.
Virginia limits for fish caught on the reefs
| Species | Area as written | Size | Per person | Season | Code section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black sea bass | Virginia tidal waters | 13 in minimum | 15 | 2026: May 11 through December 31; 2027: April 1 through December 31 | 4VAC20-950-45 |
| Tautog | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 4 | Closed May 16 through June 30 | 4VAC20-960-45 |
| Spadefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-970-30 |
| Summer flounder | Tidal waters except Potomac River tributaries | 16 in minimum | 4 | Open year-round (January 1 through May 31 size) | 4VAC20-620-50 |
| Summer flounder | Tidal waters except Potomac River tributaries | 17.5 in minimum | 4 | Open year-round (June 1 through December 31 size) | 4VAC20-620-50 |
| Summer flounder | Potomac River tributaries | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4VAC20-620-60 |
Virginia Administrative Code, Title 4 Agency 20 (Marine Resources Commission) on law.lis.virginia.gov, as of November 6, 2026 (VMRC rules change by emergency order; check the VMRC regulations page before keeping fish).
Virginia Artificial Reefs, with Virginia lakes and bays in pictures
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Virginia artificial reef questions
How many artificial reef sites are charted off Virginia?
22 are charted with a grid in the commission's reef guide, plus 21 names without one.
Are the reef coordinates exact?
No; each point is the middle of the grid printed on the reef chart.
Which limits does this reef page list?
Black sea bass, tautog, spadefish and summer flounder rows from the Administrative Code, as of November 6, 2026.
How many reefs are in the Chesapeake Bay?
17 of the charted reefs; 5 are on the Atlantic side.
What does clearance mean?
The authorized depth of water over the reef material at mean low water, as the chart prints it.
What is the tautog limit on the reefs?
16-inch minimum; 4 per person a day; Closed May 16 through June 30, as of November 6, 2026.
Do I need a saltwater license on a reef?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Where is the current reef map?
On the Marine Resources Commission website.