Amed’s Artificial Reefs: Can Concrete Bring Coral Back?

Float over some parts of Amed and you may see something odd below you: grey shapes on the seabed, like someone left a collection of concrete pyramids there and forgot them. They are artificial reef structures, and local dive guides describe them sitting alongside the natural reef.

Can they bring coral and fish back? Sometimes, slowly, and not always. A structure can give fish and other animals a place to shelter quite fast. Living coral is the slow part. Udayana University’s BASIC team, which carries out coral restoration and monitoring in Jemeluk Bay, is a good reminder that the real work happens after the day something goes into the water.

What can an artificial reef actually do?

A hard surface gives marine organisms something to attach to. Over time, fish and invertebrates may start to use the structure.

The result depends on design, placement, water conditions, maintenance and the habitat around it. So no two structures turn out the same.

A local Amed guide notes that some of the pyramid structures have not developed much coral cover. That is a useful reminder. Putting a structure underwater does not automatically create a living reef.

Restoration needs follow-up

BASIC Udayana reported coral transplant work in Jemeluk Bay in October 2025. It also described monthly monitoring at its transplant site. Monitoring tracks coral growth and condition long after the exciting planting day is over.

The best way to talk about restoration is with evidence. What was planted, where, when, and how is it doing now? The work is still going.

How visitors can help

Choose a guide who explains the site conditions and reef etiquette. Stay off the structures and the coral, keep your fins clear, and do not feed fish or collect anything.

Do not assume every artificial reef is a restoration project. Ask what it is, and who looks after it.

For more of Indonesia’s underwater places, explore our Indonesia ocean guide. A concrete pyramid can start a conversation. The coral, the fish and years of patient monitoring decide whether it becomes a real part of the reef.

Questions people ask

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