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Hawaii resident Steve Berkoff was scuba diving in the Philippines when he came across a quarter-scale model of a church built by a local diver. The little model even included a graveyard, and it struck Steve that being laid to rest underwater would be "a great idea." Nearly twenty years later — following a successful online gaming business that bought him the freedom to chase the cause that had quietly become his life's work — he founded a Memorial Reef company that pairs a beautiful way to remember a loved one with ocean conservation. In 2017, that venture became Memorial Reefs International.
But what exactly is a memorial reef? Reefs are vital for protecting shorelines and sustaining marine ecosystems, yet most of the world's reefs are under siege from threats like ocean warming, acidification, pollution, and overfishing. Memorial Reefs are artificial reef modules engineered to create sustainable aquatic habitats that mimic natural reefs — helping restore the coral reef ecosystem while paying tribute to a loved one.
To achieve this, they leverage technology from the Reef Ball Foundation, a non-profit dedicated over the last 30 years to rebuilding critical reef environments. Here's the core idea: cremated remains are blended with PH-balanced concrete to form a large, perforated dome that won't break down in seawater. Engineered to last more than 500 years, it becomes a permanent fixture of the ocean floor. The memorial effort helps bankroll the reef-building, and there's another perk — that sliver of seabed is protected from disturbance, further shielding the marine life there.
Photo Memorial Reefs International and The Reef Ball Foundation
Pet Reefs are the company's newest offering, with pet memorials set to begin in January 2023. "They grew out of a desire to honor the memories of our beloved companions," says Laura B. Boehm, PhD, General Manager. "Placing a pet's ashes in a memorial reef turns loss into new life."
Their first Pet Reef will take root near Sarasota, Florida, in a dedicated undersea memorial garden, with hopes to expand into Pet Reefs beside their existing sites in Texas, New Jersey, British Columbia, Ontario, Baja and Merida, Mexico, and Venice, Italy, says Boehm.
Several Memorial Reef tiers are on offer, including the wallet-friendly Community Reef, where multiple pets' ashes are combined within a single Reef Ball. It costs just $40. Pet parents receive a certificate, a photo of the Memorial Pet Reef Garden, and its GPS coordinates. There are also Pack Memorial Reef and Individual Memorial Reef options, each featuring a personalized bronze plaque.
"A single mature Reef Ball can generate up to 200 pounds of marine life — fish, coral, crustaceans, and shellfish — every year," says Boehm. "This helps restore marine habitats and damaged corals lost to climate change. It also gives you a real, specific place to visit and know your cherished pet is finally part of a living legacy."
Memorial Reefs can rebuild reefs decimated by hurricanes, ship strikes, or climate change. They offer a stable foundation where coral can grow and marine creatures can thrive. The memorial's textured surface lets coral polyps cling on, while its hollow center shelters fish and other marine animals. The holes even channel currents that deliver extra nutrients to the plants and animals living there.
Originally featured in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!
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