A range of management approaches are being used to conserve biodiversity in the face of escalating anthropogenic disturbances that have profound impacts on coastal marine ecosystems. These approaches include the implementation of fishing gear restrictions, the setting of fishing quotas, the designation of protected areas and the creation of artificial reefs (ARs). Two different artificial structures, with distinct designs, were installed at three different sites along the French Atlantic coast between 2010 and 2015. Volunteer divers carried out standardized monitoring using underwater visual censuses to study the effect of structure type on fish communities and species richness. A total of 65 valid surveys were conducted by volunteer divers at the two structures between 2018 and 2022. The PERMANOVA shows that one of the structures has a significantly higher species richness. However, community abundance is similar between the two structures. Further analysis shows that location plays a significant role in shaping fish communities. Fish communities on artificial reefs exhibit variations based on the proximity of ARs to a natural rocky habitat. In light of increasing anthropogenic disturbance, these findings offer valuable insights for optimizing artificial reef placement and informing effective management strategies.