The state government has launched a plan to build a series of artificial reefs in the sea off Lake Macquarie.
Paid for with money from fishing licences, the giant structures would attempt to replace habitats destroyed by decades of commercial fishing.
text will be replaced
Scuba divers should not be allowed within 500m of these artificial reefs these are paid by fisherman for fisherman. Pro fisherman should not be aloud within 1km of these artificial reefs as this is the reason why we are building these reefs because the damage they do.
Im with Ryan on that one. Bubblies kept away, they have all but the most pristine dive locations on the coast. These “reefs” will be paid for by us, Fisherman and Spearfisherman, and should be for our benefit. Been paying enough for the licenses, and having vast amount of fishing areas taken from us with Marine parks etc. for long enough.
What about scuba divers like me who also fish, remember scuba divers look at and leave in place. So long as scuba activities dont get in the way of fishing activities (say mid week dives) then every recreational activity should be welcome.
A few yrs. ago i alerted authorities to a collier with its anchor in the wreck of the advance of catherine hill bay . In all the negotiations etc. that took place after this and proof that colliers were indeed wrecking our reefs and wrecks the coal industry agreed to build and supply these reef systems. Plan was to have them built in Korea. The design is going to lead to catch a lot of anchors for sure but anything to improve the local fishery will be more than welcome. There should also be an exclusion zone for trawling and pro fishermen put in place to protect these from over fishing. Make the coal industry live up to their promises DPI
I agree with what has been said here, but believe that the money for these should come from the coal companies and coal royalties that the government collects.
We have lost so many local fishing areas (Kooragang) in recent times to the coal industry you would think that they would give something back. Maybe even open up a few new areas for the land based fishos.
I believe these offshore reefs could be made for the fraction of the cost, coal companies have old conveyor system’s that could be stacked out there. But you never hear from these companies when an idea is put forward.
Either way it’s got to be for the better.