Off the coast of North Carolina, thousands of shipwrecks speckle the seascape, dispersed among the natural, exposed bedrock that forms extensive reefs in both shallow and deep waters. These shipwrecks create reefs for fishes that our coastal fishing and diving communities depend on. However, we lack a full understanding of the distribution of these reef features and how they grow such valuable fishes.

During the Battle of the Atlantic: Archaeology of an Underwater World War II Battlefield expedition, scientists saw grouper congregating around the conning tower of the World War II German submarine, U-576. The structure on the seafloor forms a reef that provides fish with protection and food.

From: Biology of Shipwrecks from the Battle of the Atlantic.