Gibraltar revives marine life by sinking old ships

In the 1970s, the Helping Hang Trust in Gibraltar began a project to restore marine life near its coast by intentionally sinking old ships to create artificial reefs.

The organization noticed a lack of life in sandy areas and sought to build habitats for fish and other sea creatures. Initially, they tested old tires and car bodies, but found that ships offered better potential as long-lasting, complex habitats.

Starting in the early 1980s, the group sunk ten barges weighing between 400 and 900 tons each, at depths ranging from nine to 21 meters, creating a reef covering 4,799 square meters. To date, Gibraltar has intentionally scuttled more than thirty vessels to enhance marine biodiversity and protect local wildlife. The government carefully prepared and cleaned the ships before sinking them, like the Sun Swale, a 30-meter tugboat. The project did face some controversy.

In 2013, Gibraltar sunk concrete blocks with metal parts, which Spain protested, claiming they interfered with fishing grounds. However, a 2012 government report showed the project was successful. Two decades after the first reef was installed, the number of vertebrate species increased from 12 to 54, and invertebrate species grew from 22 to 55. Biologist Eric Shaw, who spearheaded the initiative, noted that the area had become a breeding ground for species like sea bream and tuna.