AusLeisure

Western Australia's seventh purpose-built artificial reef - the $1 million Northern Metropolitan Artificial Reef - is being installed this week off Perth's Ocean Reef to create safe and easily accessible recreational fishing and diving experiences along the metropolitan coastline.

The new artificial reef will be located approximately seven kilometres offshore from the Ocean Reef Marina at a depth of 27 metres and spanning an area of 150,000 square metres.

Over the next week, 292 concrete modules ranging from 70 centimetres to 1.8 metres high will be loaded onto a barge in Fremantle, transported to the reef location and placed in position on the ocean floor by local manufacturer Subcon Blue Solutions.

Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will monitor the development of the reef using remote underwater video and dive inspections of the reef.

The State Government worked closely with Recfishwest to select the Ocean Reef location, which will maximise benefits for local users and attract visitors to the area.

The new artificial reef was funded through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund, which reinvests recreational fishing licence fees into projects that benefit recreational fishers across Western Australia.

Additional artificial reefs are also located off Dunsborough, Bunbury, Mandurah, south of Rottnest Island, Esperance and in the Exmouth Gulf.

Consultation and planning is also underway for a new artificial reef off Albany, one of three new artificial reefs to be built as part of the State Government's $6 million package to support the recreational fishing industry through the WA Recovery Plan.

Western Australian Fisheries Minister Don Punch enthused  "It is fantastic to see the Ocean Reef artificial reef taking shape this week and creating an enjoyable recreational fishing and diving hotspot off our northern suburbs coastline.

"Artificial reefs are a great way to enhance recreational fishing by providing safe and easily accessible fishing locations for species such as yellowtail kingfish, samson fish, silver trevally and pink snapper.”

Joondalup MLA Emily Hamilton added "As a fisher and diver, I'm looking forward to the installation of this reef off the coast of Ocean Reef.

"Locals enjoy interacting with our coastline and this new artificial reef will become another location for recreational fishers to enjoy."

Image courtesy Artificial Reefs WA Facebook 

Related Articles

24th April 2021 - Whale watchers encouraged but required to observe distance regulations

17th July 2020 - Research shows artificial reefs benefit the environment and recreational fishing

28th February 2019 - Gold Coast multi-million dollar artificial reef project launched

27th May 2015 - New artificial reefs begin deployment off Hervey Bay

22nd July 2013 - New artificial reef for Shoalhaven

28th February 2011 - Central Coast Residents Back Artificial Reef Plan

25th May 2010 - Pay-as-you-surf artificial reef for the Gold Coast?

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.