Artificial reef a boon for fishers

Recreational fishermen rejoiced last week as the long-awaited components of an artificial reef were finally put into place 5km off the coast of Quindalup.

Thirty concrete modules, each weighing 10 tonnes and measuring 3sqm, have been deployed on the edge of the Ngari Capes Marine Park.

The painstaking process was undertaken by a Department of Fisheries barge over three days, with the final piece due to go in last Thursday.

Busselton fisherman Howard George, who has campaigned for an artificial reef in Busselton for 15 years, said it was just the beginning.

“We’ve been fighting for this for a long, long time and it’s fantastic to finally see it happening,” he said.

“This is just the blueprint. If we find over time that fish stocks are boosted then the Government will put these in everywhere up and down the coast.”

Mr George said artificial reefs had successfully increased fish numbers in South Korea, dispelling doubt that they draw away fish from surrounding areas.

“This is a great outcome for the recreational fishing industry,” he said.

“Hopefully it means people can keep fishing without having bags limits reduced even more.”

A second artificial reef will be installed next week off the coast of Bunbury, completing the $2.38 million trial. Royalties For Regions made up $1.86 million of funding, while the remaining $520,000 came from recreational fishing licences fees.

Among the fish species tipped to benefit from the artificial reefs are silver trevally, Samson fish, Spanish mackerel and snapper. Recfishwest chief executive Andrew Rowland said attention would now focus on the scientific research to assess the long-term effects on fish stocks.

“You’ve only go to look at Busselton Jetty to see the benefits artificial structures have on fish populations in the ocean,” he said.

“We’re hoping to put in a fixed time lapse camera on the reef to monitor production levels over time.

“As the recreational fishers in Geographe Bay were the original driving force, we also hope to give them camcorders to help us monitor the reef’s progress.”