More offshore artificial reefs for NSW

Trailerboat anglers who flock to the NSW South Coast and Port Hacking to fish will have even more reason to hitch up and head offshore thanks to announcement that two new artificial reefs will built this year and next.

A new artificial reef will be built off Merimbula with a 2018 competition date, while two new reefs will be created in Sydney’s south near Jibbon off Port Hacking this year.

If the outstanding catch results on other manmade reefs in NSW are anything to go by, these to new artificial reefs are set to become hot spot.

NSW Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair said he was thrilled to announce that the NSW Government has chosen Merimbula as the latest site for a new offshore artificial reef.

"The Merimbula reef is one of five offshore artificial reefs DPI will deploy over the next three years.

"These artificial reefs are a win for fishers and a win for businesses, boosting local economies and fishing tourism right along the NSW coastline.

Existing artificial reefs off Sydney, Shoalhaven and Port Macquarie have become incredibly popular with terrific fish populations and plenty of keen anglers hooking up.

THE PORT HACKING REEF
Sydneysiders won’t be waiting much longer for more great fishing with a fourth reef to be installed at Port Hacking by July this year.

"Over 50 different species of fish have been identified on the current offshore artificial reefs which show just how effective they are in boosting fish habitats," Mr Blair said.

Seabed mapping has been undertaken throughout Bate Bay to south of Jibbon (Port Hacking) Point to identify suitable deployment areas.

The preferred zone is a sandy area situated approximately 2.5 km south-south-east of Jibbon Point in 25-30 metres of water within 1km offshore from the Royal National Park.

This area has been earmarked for two artificial reefs within a few klicks of each other. They should be great snapper spots in that depth of water and within the proximity of nearby natural reefs.

MERIMBULA REEF
Meantime, Member for Bega, Andrew Constance, said the news of a Merimbula Reef was a great example of how money raised from the sale of the recreational fishing fee is being reinvested directly back into recreational fishing projects.

"This artificial reef will be a great addition to local waters, providing a great location for boat fishers looking to snag larger trophy species," Mr Constance said.

"On the South Coast alone we know the recreational fishing sector helps generate about 1800 full-time jobs and about $395 million in economic output each year; this will only continue to expand the industry here."

Of course, local anglers will be excited to see the reef come to life, especially the Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club Inc. which made the submission.

REEF CONSTRUCTION
The southern Sydney artificial reefs will use up to 20 individual concrete modules measuring approximately 4-5m wide by 4-5m high and weighing up to 25 tonnes.

The modules will be deployed in a patch-like arrangement, similar to the Shoalhaven Heads and Port Macquarie offshore artificial reef designs. The concrete modules will be designed to be self-weighted with no requirement for additional anchoring.

Depending on finalisation of the preferred module design, each artificial reef will comprise of a total reef volume of around 1600m3. The actual footprint area of the modules for each reef will be up to 320m2 and likely to spread over areas of 100m by 100m.

The Merimbula Reef will be constructed from a series of steel or concrete modules, which are non-polluting, have a minimum design-life of 30 years and can withstand a 1-in-100-year storm event.

Following the tender and construction process, the Merimbula Reef is expected to be installed and ready for casting a line in 2018. It will be the fifth offshore artificial reef in NSW.

More including co-ordinates at
NSW DPI Artificial Reefs page.