Reef burials

Rather than being buried in the earth, a person's remains are cremated and the resulting ash is mixed with pH-balanced concrete to create structures which are placed on the seabed to help restore marine habitats similar to a coral reef.

[6][7] The structures are expected to last for 500 years and are variously perforated domes called "reef balls", pyramids, or similar memorial-style shapes chosen to be appropriate to the location.

Reef balls weigh between 800 and 4,000 pounds (360 and 1,810 kg) and their perforations ensure that storm pressure doesn't move them out of place on the sea floor.

[8] In the United States there are more than thirty permitted locations for reef memorials, including off the coasts of Florida at Mexico Beach,[11] Egg Harbor, near Atlantic City, New Jersey and Texas.

[18] Since then the numbers have continued to grow: a survey in 2018 showed the reef supports more than 65 different fish, shrimp and lobster and 75 other species including sponges, and corals.

By offering a hard substrate for coral growth, they also provide refuge for small and juvenile reef fish, enhancing the overall health of the marine ecosystem.