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) July 20, 2004
                                                          -------------



                              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 and Required FD Disclosure

On July 20, 2004,  the  Registrant  announced  that its Board of  Directors  has
approved a share repurchase  program of up to 300,000 shares  (approximately 5%)
of the  Registrant's  outstanding  common  stock.  The  repurchase  program will
consist of open market or private purchases of stock over the next 24 months.

Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On July 20, 2004, the Registrant  issued a press release reporting its financial
results for the period  ended March 31,  2004.  A copy of this press  release is
being furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into Item 12.

The  information  in this  Item 12 is being  furnished  and  shall not be deemed
"filed" for the  purposes of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
(the "Exchange  Act"), or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that Section,
nor  shall it be  deemed  incorporated  by  reference  in any  filing  under the
Securities  Act  of  1933  or  the  Exchange  Act,  regardless  of  any  general
incorporation language in such filing.

Exhibits.

                  99.1     Press release dated July 20, 2004.







                                   SIGNATURES

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

                              FIRST MARINER BANCORP



Date: July 21, 2004           By:  /s/ Joseph A. Cicero
                                   -----------------------------------------
                                   Joseph A. Cicero
                                   President and Chief Operating Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



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

99.1     Press release dated July 20, 2004.