World's first 'fish tower'

Two exciting and innovative new metropolitan artificial reefs are set to be created in WA using recreational fishing licence fees through the Recreational Fishing Initiatives Fund (RFIF).

Recfishwest's artificial reef program has already seen two successful installations in the south-west, off Bunbury and Dunsborough, that are already producing great recreational fishing, with a third reef off Mandurah scheduled for 2015. The approvals for two more reefs are now being sought, which will be world-first 'fish tower designs' set for Perth waters.

The two steel fish towers will be placed in metro waters and will weigh 50 tonnes each and measure 12m high, 10m long and 7m wide and it's envisaged they will provide great fishing for species such as yellowtail kingfish, Samson fish, tuna and mackerel species. As well as the pelagic species, specially-designed crypts at the bottom of the structure will provide habitat for bottom dwelling fish such as blue groper, baldchin groper, pink snapper, dhufish and cod species.

In total, more than $1 million of licence money has been committed to five new projects through the RFIF. There will also be a pilot snapper egg collection program. This project will trial the collection of fertilised eggs from Cockburn Sound snapper spawning aggregations. The eggs will then be cultured through their most delicate life stages before being released in Cockburn Sound. This project may pave the way for future restocking opportunities around Pink Snapper.

Since the RFIF was established in 2011, more than $6.5 million of recreational fishing licence money has been invested into projects including artificial reefs, mapping of accessible fishing locations for disabled fishers and the stocking of over 750,000 prawns and 20,000 mulloway in Perth metropolitan waters. To learn more about all previous RFIF projects click here.

RFIF says its projects focus on improving knowledge about important recreational fishing species, enhancing fishing experiences, building capacity in the sector and overall making fishing better.