SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549



                           -------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



        Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) August 18, 2003
                                                         ---------------



                              FIRST MARINER BANCORP
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in Charter)






                                                            
       Maryland                        000-21815                           52-1834860
(State or other Jurisdiction      (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer Identification
    of incorporation)                                                         No.)



                     3301 Boston Street, Baltimore, MD 21224
                (Address of Principal Executive Offices/Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (410) 342-2600
                                                           --------------




                    INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT

Item 5.  Other Events.

     $12  MILLION PLACEMENT  OF  PREFERRED  SECURITIES.  On   August  18,  2003,
First Mariner Bancorp (the "Company")  completed  a  $12.0 million  placement of
Floating Rate Preferred  Securities  (the  "Preferred  Securities")  through its
wholly-owned subsidiary, Mariner Capital Trust IV.

     The securities described herein will not be registered under the Securities
Act of 1933 and may not be sold in the United States without  registration or an
applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

     REDEMPTION OF 1998 SECURITIES.  The Company intends to use the net proceeds
of  the  placement  of  the  Preferred  Securities,   consisting   approximately
$11,790,000,  plus other funds available to the Company,  to redeem  $21,450,000
principal amount of preferred securities issued by Mariner Capital Trust in June
1998. The June 1998 preferred securities bear interest at a fixed rate of 8.30%;
they will be redeemed at par on or about October 1, 2003.

     Further  information  regarding  the  foregoing  is set  forth in the press
release  attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated  into this Form 8-K
by reference.

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

         (c)  Exhibits.

               4.1  Junior Subordinated  Indenture,  dated as of August 18, 2003
                    between First  Mariner  Bancorp and The Bank of New York, as
                    Trustee (1)

               4.2  Amended  and  Restated  Declaration  of  Trust,  dated as of
                    August 18, 2003 among First Mariner Bancorp, The Bank of New
                    York, as Property Trustee,  The Bank of New York (Delaware),
                    as Delaware Trustee and The Administrative Trustees (1)

               4.3  Guarantee  Agreement  dated as of August 18,  2003,  between
                    First Mariner Bancorp and The Bank of New York, as Guarantee
                    Trustee (1)

               99.1 Press   release  dated  August  20,  2003   announcing   the
                    placement.

____________________________

(1)  Not filed in  accordance  with the  provisions  of Item  601(b)(4)(iii)  of
     Regulation  SK.  First  Mariner  Bancorp  agrees to provide a copy of these
     documents to the Commission upon request.






                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Company  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed  on  its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       FIRST MARINER BANCORP



Date: August 20, 2003                  By: /s/ Joseph A. Cicero
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Joseph A. Cicero
                                           President and Chief Operating Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number   Description of Exhibit
-------- ----------------------

4.1       Junior  Subordinated  Indenture,  dated as of August 18, 2003  between
          First Mariner Bancorp and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (1)

4.2       Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, dated as of August 18, 2003
          among  First  Mariner  Bancorp,  The  Bank of New  York,  as  Property
          Trustee, The Bank of New York (Delaware),  as Delaware Trustee and The
          Administrative Trustees (1)

4.3       Guarantee Agreement dated as of August 18, 2003, between First Mariner
          Bancorp and The Bank of New York, as Guarantee Trustee (1)

99.1      Press release dated August 20, 2003 announcing the placement.


____________________________

(1) Not  filed in  accordance  with the  provisions  of Item  601(b)(4)(iii)  of
Regulation SK. First Mariner Bancorp agrees to provide a copy of these documents
to the Commission upon request.