Mandurah Artificial Reef
Submitted by bleicester on Wed, 2015-08-26 10:49
Good to see our RFBL fees being put to good use.
____________________________________________________________________________
Error 404
Fish not found
Tradewind
Posts: 756
Date Joined: 18/09/12
Definitely!I was wondering if
Definitely!
I was wondering if putting some in the sound around the 10m - 20m areas (Outside the channels of course) would work out
uncle
Posts: 9353
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Out from hillarys
Would be better, you have plenty down there
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
You guys have Rotto, we've
You guys have Rotto, we've got stuff all
uncle
Posts: 9353
Date Joined: 10/02/07
ha ha
All the sound, 5 fathom bank, around mewstone, stragglers, behind garden and carnac kingie reef and Rotto plus coventry reef, have I missed any??
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
All that is closer to
All that is closer to Hillarys than mandurah!
Auslobster
Posts: 1901
Date Joined: 03/05/08
9km out?
Straight out from Mandurah the back edge of the FFB is just over 10 (6 point something nautical miles)...why put an artificial reef so close to a real one?
Still, I suppose they're trying to make it accessible to almost all boats and it's better than nothing.
Any feedback on the existing ones off Bunno/Busselton?
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Recfishwest have a few vids
Recfishwest have a few vids on their facebook page of pinkies, sambos and Dhuies around them. Guess they are doing something.
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Call me silly, but wouldnt
Call me silly, but wouldnt it be a hell of alot cheaper easier and more effective if they just loaded a barge with big limestone boulders and dropped them in. Corals and weeds would take to limestone easier wouldnt it? It would create alot more crevasses for crays and wrass thus attracting dhus and pinkies and sambos. Those concrete things look wayy over priced and boring. Dont get me wrong tho its awsome to see something being done, i just hate seeing money being wasted on a well funded project that sees every one making good coin but not actually fulfilling the task its intended for.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I was reading something
I was reading something about the design of them and they are apparently positioned in a specific manner to encourage marine life.
Sounded good though i have seen plenty of tyres with growth on them and fish around them.
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
True, im not doubting that
True, im not doubting that they will work, but im sure they have spent tens of thousands on designing this thing and then tens of thousands on working out how to manufacture it then tens of thousands on someone putting it into production then tens of thousands on people to take them out and drop them, when they could have saved probs half a million and put that towards re stocking, improving the health of the swan, creating more places for the landbased fishos, better bag limit size limit education to public, more fisheries inspectors, more reasearch, i feel they are just pissing our money away on something that they could have saved soo much on and have a better product at the end. I could be wrong tho for all i know 10 tonne of limestone boulders could cost alot more than i think.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
I agree. There are plenty of
I agree. There are plenty of boats in the free section of gumtree that could form a nice pile of structure...
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Bingo! Imagine how many
Bingo! Imagine how many artificial reefs we could have for 2.4 million worth of free boats. Hahaha counless amounts
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
I think the limestone block
I think the limestone block idea you got is a great one! Very cost effective, very environmentally friendly and would deffinently promote new growth and marine life!
Walfootrot
Posts: 1386
Date Joined: 23/07/12
The issue with lime stone is
The issue with lime stone is the affect it has with the PH, it would take years before you would get marine growth of any value.
More drum lines, kill the bloody sharks!
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
Yeah fair enough. I just
Yeah fair enough. I just presumed that because there is limestone reefs naturally occurring locally that it would of been effective.
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
rob90, mate with all due
rob90, mate with all due respect id suggest you do a bit of research on them to discover the facts
these artificial reefs systems rec fish west are using have been used very successfully in korea by commercial fishing operators in conjunction with the Korean & chinese gov for years to increase fish numbers for commercial harvest ,
the Koreans/chinese at their expense had already completed years of study on the designs and their habitate there deployed in & types of fish each different design is produced for specifically
these commercial designs and years of collated study/information was already done , the exact placement of each unit within the design is done for max value from min material , they don't sink in or sand bog , they don't move either in heavy weather ,
they have been proved over many years to increase the fish numbers in a targeted area hugely , much better than just dumping random rubble etc etc
there specific design is not cheap to produce &is if I remember correctly being made here to support local industry , when they could have been imported probably much cheaper
the ones already deployed are building fish numbers,and like anything they take time to reach their max potential
land based fishos have had coin spent on restocking programs such as mulloway, and facilitys around the state funded by licence money , the prawns in the swan have also been restocked recently, boaties along the coast are getting reefs , in time id hope the metro will get them too , however remember the metro is totally closed to commercial fishing such as gill net etc , all other areas we must compete with commercials for fish
pretty sure licence money was also used on 13 more fisheries officers and patrols as well in the last few years
id suggest you check out recfishwest web site and see where the money is actually going
http://recfishwest.org.au/funding-projects/large-grants/
http://recfishwest.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/RFIF-Projects.pdf
its not half as bad as you think
in fact its pretty dam good imho
extract from the link below from fisheries
hezzy
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Recreational-Fishing/Pages/Artificial-Reefs.aspx
Artificial reef expertise in Asia
Countries such as China, Japan and Korea have been constructing and installing artificial reefs for more than 100 years.
In north Asia, artificial reefs have been proven, in some cases, to be successful in increasing fish stocks up to 12 times the abundance expected on a natural reef.
Building on this success, countries such as Korea have invested millions of dollars in large-scale artificial reef projects to enhance fish production and increase commercial catch volumes.
Our Director General, Stuart Smith, led a delegation to South Korea and China in 2011 to learn from these countries’ expertise and experience in developing artificial reefs.
We subsequently signed a memorandum of understanding with both the Korea Fisheries Resource Agency and the People’s Republic of China to share information on developing artificial reefs and sustainable fisheries management.
Last modified: 26/08/2015 10:35 AM
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Cheers for the insight, i
Cheers for the insight, i never said that these designs wont work or they havent reaserched anything, obviously i wasnt fully up to scratch with the whole china korea stuff and ive learnt that now so cheers , but what im saying is why does it need to be all fancy shapes and designs, ive seen alot of info on artificial reefs, a man made structure designed to improve fish life and prevent errotion right. I just feel that they can stretch this 2.8 milliin dollars allot further than they are with these structures. Im not saying its stupid what there doing. But i feel that there will be minimal difference between these structures placed in the formation planned, and limestione boulders scattered in a similar pattern, one difference would be more money left over thus being able to create a hell of alot more of these reefs. Picture a huge area of sea with just sand on the bottom, if fish see a pile of rocks in the middle they will make it a home, if they see a big pile of over priced concrete they will still make it a home simply because there was nothing there before not because it pretty and the place to be. Thats my opinion, and i feel that rec fish do an awsome job never said they didnt.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
sunshine
Posts: 2555
Date Joined: 03/03/09
Hezzy you beat me to the punch
Well said but I still do not understand the 9km out bit as it does seem to be close to a real reef ......hell in the wasteland beyond FFB it would be Brilliant, would only need to go a few more miles ?
jeddddy
Posts: 104
Date Joined: 12/07/13
I agree with you there
I agree with you there sunshine, ive spent days looking for lumps to fish in the 20-40m range around mandurah and its just a sandbottom with the occasional weed bed
West Coast
Posts: 331
Date Joined: 10/12/07
Don't see the point
I don't see the point in providing an artificial reef to create fish habitat and encourage fish to the area...only then to allow those areas to get hammered by fisherman. Can't see how it is a net benefit. Not like there is a shortage of habitat off the WA coast?? I think the $2.4m, plus whatever the new one is costing could have been better spent.
Rob H
Posts: 5745
Date Joined: 18/01/12
I tend to agree with Rob90,
I tend to agree with Rob90, I am dubious whether millions of dollars on concrete structures is actually required-if these were the only things that worked then what about all the wrecks, barges etc that people fish on?
Obviously noone is going to spend millions to prove they are not needed, in the same way a Pharmaceutical company wouldnt spend a heap of money to prove that paracetamol could be replaced by a leaf from a tree in your back garden that is free.
The main reason I reckon they do it here?
Cos its too hard to argue with the greenys about anything other than where millions in research has been spent.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
MattG
Posts: 104
Date Joined: 09/09/09
It's a fair question
But at the moment, the Department of Fisheries are supporting purpose built reefs, rather than materials of opportunity.
Have a google for Fisheries Management Paper 256 if you are interested.
Edit: Heres the link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwj_gMC9nsbHAhVkNqYKHS39DuI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fish.wa.gov.au%2FDocuments%2Fmanagement_papers%2Ffmp256.pdf&ei=bGzdVf-aNOTsmAWt-ruQDg&usg=AFQjCNFnYqjybelB_pFZ-l2tuL4TGDq5LA&sig2=NroUMZWm-X0NA1lauJaZEw
Howard George
Posts: 544
Date Joined: 10/03/11
Here's a question.
Do the fish use these artificial structures because there is food on them or do they go to these AR for protection. The ones in Geo. bay had fish on them virtually from the time they hit the water so I tend to think they use them for protection from predators. If that being the case I would like to see structures with more caves and platforms built into them that offers more protection for the fish.
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
I think the important point
I think the important point with artificial reefs is here in this below from the already posted links
that is that they produce far more biomass per structure compared to rubble , blocks etc
the design is a commercially proven harvest model that is backed by long standing science , its environmentally friendly and harvest sustainable
everything else is second rate when compared to them
hezzy
[In north Asia, artificial reefs have been proven, in some cases, to be successful in increasing fish stocks up to 12 times the abundance expected on a natural reef.
Building on this success, countries such as Korea have invested millions of dollars in large-scale artificial reef projects to enhance fish production and increase commercial catch volumes.
Our Director General, Stuart Smith, led a delegation to South Korea and China in 2011 to learn from these countries’ expertise and experience in developing artificial reefs.]
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
Rob H
Posts: 5745
Date Joined: 18/01/12
with all due respect
they may or probably do produce more fish than "a pile of rubble", but even those selling it describe it as "in some cases....up to 12 times"
That doesnt sound very scientific, more like someone selling something.
What will be interesting, is whether the Lena and HMAS Perth have only one twelfth of the fish that the adjacent designer concrete modules have in a few years-I suspect not.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
rob , I think you would find
rob , I think you would find the reason it is worded as ''in some case up to 12 times ''
is purely dependant on where there placed and how there fished , remember these designs from asia where used to increase the biomass for commercial harvest , they vary in design depending on what species they wanted to produce/harvest & placed in pretty desolate type ocean terrain , thus they where harvested by commercial fishing operators trying to make a quid
so clearly there would be a lot of variables depending on the country and the fish targeted and how they where harvested
from past info sites are chosen in conjunction/consultation with local fishing reference groups , so id assume mandurahs was the same
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
marrisy
Posts: 198
Date Joined: 08/09/11
so doyou think artificial
so doyou think artificial reef's are a better option than marine parks?
marrisy.
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
I see you talking alot about
I see you talking alot about artificial reefs, but not alot of these structures in particular, my argument is make OUR dollar go further. Artificial reefs hell yes! Over priced concrete block hell no! Thats all im saying. i dont care what korea have done with their money in their ocean. I pay my licence fee each year here in wa and i think they are wasting money on fancy things that sit on the sea bed never to be seen again, and people fall for all this design jargen.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
glad to see you read the
glad to see you read the links provided rob
hezzy
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Recreational-Fishing/Pages/Artificial-Reefs.aspx
some more below regarding enviromental factors , legalitys & sea dumping ,
http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/publications/factsheet-artificial-reefs
Artificial reefs
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2008
Sea dumping fact sheet
Contents [show]
•
•
•
•
•
•
The placement and construction of Artificial Reefs are regulated under the Commonwealth Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 (the Sea Dumping Act).
An application for a permit to create an artificial reef must be obtained from the Department of the Environment and Heritage or the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Additional permits may also be required under relevant State or Territory legislation.
The Sea Dumping Act applies to Australian waters, from low water mark to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone, other than internal waters, within the limits of a State or Territory (such as Sydney Harbour, the Gulfs in South Australia, Darwin Harbour or Port Phillip Bay).
Penalties for placing materials to create an artificial reef without a permit can attract fines of up to $220 000, imprisonment or both.
Permits are necessary to ensure that:
•appropriate sites are selected
•the materials are suitable and prepared properly
•no significant adverse impact on the marine environment occurs
•the reef does not pose a danger to navigation, fisherman or divers
•Once a permit is issued the artificial reef is then charted on maritime maps
Completed applications for artificial reefs are circulated to relevant government agencies and to community and industry organisations for comment. This is to ensure that there are no user group conflicts and that the proposal is environmentally acceptable. Fundamental questions to be addressed by prospective applicants are:
•Why is an artificial reef necessary?
•What purpose will it serve? A group looking to applying for a permit should also consider other factors.
Resources
It is imperative that groups interested in constructing artificial reefs have the resources (funds, committed personnel, expertise, equipment, insurance, and divers) to construct the reef, transport the materials to the site and to carry out longer term monitoring requirements.
Experience has shown that these projects are labour intensive, time consuming and can be very expensive even if the materials are obtained at no cost.
It is essential that sufficient time is spent preparing the material to ensure both environmental protection and diver safety.
Site
Factors such as water depth, currents, substrate type, wave action and biota can have a bearing on the suitability of a site for the construction of a reef.
Other factors that must be taken into account include: environmental impact, navigation safety, commercial fishing activities and diver safety. It is essential that the proposal has community support and that the site is accessible to the public.
An artificial reef should not be placed on top of natural reefs or close to sensitive sites, such as, coral habitat or sea grass beds. Sandy or rocky sites devoid of natural vegetation are usually selected.
Materials
Not all materials are suitable for the creation of artificial reefs. Some, which may be suitable for one site may not be so for another.
The materials for reef creation need to be durable and have a large multi-dimensional surface area for colonisation of sessile organisms, and several entrance and exit holes for mobile organisms, water flow and light penetration. The reef components should be designed for long term stability and be suitably weighted so they cannot move around on the sea floor.
All materials need to be free of noxious substances and residues. In particular any oil and hydraulic fluids should be removed (including from inside engines). Plastics and any loose components should also be removed.
Obsolete vessels that are to be used as dive wrecks need to be made safe for divers. Vessels will need to be properly prepared. This includes removal of any hatches, sharp or protruding objects, cabling and wires that are liable to break free over time, excess equipment on board and any other potential hazards.
Each compartment accessible to divers will need a second exit. The vessel should be sunk in a sheltered area in waters less than 30 metres. Proponents will need to monitor the wreck (long term) and undertake any maintenance to ensure diver safety.
Layout
Reef layout is very important and factors such as spatial arrangement, orientation to currents and vertical relief need to be taken into account as they can have a bearing on the success of the artificial reef.
Monitoring
It is essential that once an artificial reef is established there are resources available to monitor the reef in the long term.
Two main reasons for establishing monitoring programs as part of reef management are to assure compliance with the prescribed conditions and to provide an assessment of the predicted performance of the artificial reef as outlined in the permit application.
Application forms
•Artificial reef permit
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
Thanks for trying to shed
Thanks for trying to shed light on my ignorance i appreciate it, but it seems you just like posting links and quoting govenment/department jibba jabba that just goes round in circles, im not the most intelligent bloke and i might be way of course but when i go down to my local rock wall for a flick and look at the marine life sustained in the limestone/granite rocks im amazed, when im out on the ocean looking at my sounder i fish rubbly bottom and lumps not sand. Im not saying go out grab a boat and dump it, obviously i know there are protocols and laws in place to stop that for tood reason. But i feel only my opinion every one has the rite to their own such as im taking on board yours, but if a natural reef consists of natural materials and that works fine why dont we drop cheaper natural materials. But lets agree to disagree tell ya what il be happy if they drop these over priced concrete things on a bed of boulders.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
ok rob, first off understand
ok rob,
first off understand im not saying artificial reefs are the be all end all , there just a small part of a bigger fishing management package that will help provide better fishing for rec boaties in wa
the links are not just for you ,my peply was to you as you asked the questions about them i posted them so anyone can spend the time and have a read, as there is lots of info to browse through to understand how they work better than other types of reef making material
these reef designs that have been chosen for use here are the best of what was used and studied from overseas experience , the information gained from the commercial use of them overseas , shows they do work far better than anything else as an artificial reef
so yes boats, rubble , etc can all be used , but for each dollar spent it is no where near as effective and they must in wa comply with all the legal /enviromental laws before you put anything in the ocean
these specifically chosen designs meet all those specs as well as the insurance angles for divers who might want to use them , they alloow easy access safely,becuase there open and stable unlike old boats, and other possible items which can be sunk
they where also meant to be used in closer shallower coastal water initially to provide easier access to smaller boaties, for better fishing oppurtunitys , my understanding is water less than 25 metres , where they dont cause any navigation hazards etc
the money used is i understand from fishing from boat licences , these first set of reefs are to be studied and info gained used to decide if more should be placed along the wa coastline &overaall success here in our wa conditions , if they prove to be as good as they have overseas time & scientific study will tell
placement of these reefs is carefully decided usually in sandy barren bottom to increase fish biomass to that area , each reef is made up of single modules that are placed in a set pattern to gain maximum potential , but with min impact on the enviroment over a large area , this placement also allows multiple boats to fish them at any one time ,
large wrecks like the swan also cost dollars to set up , much of that was volunteer work , all the oil, and innner fittings need to be removed, safety holes need to be cut into them for diver access , they need to be sunk proffesionally etc, and they need deep water , the swan is in 35 metres , as it is 21 metres high , luckily its in a deep part of the coast that is still easily accessible to divers
these where an initiative that was asked for by wa fishers for wa fishers
if combined with other management tools for the money spent on them they offer some good results for small boaties close inshore near major towns along the coast for a very long time
as our population grows that may not be a bad result/ money wasted or the enviroment in any way damaged by there use
lastly this is my understanding & opinion of how they work & the benefits they offer , im not asking for it to be yours
hezzy
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
rob90
Posts: 1522
Date Joined: 06/02/13
I just feel that they are
I just feel that they are trying to pass this project off as benifiting the rec fisher, the dollars spent i see it as benifiting allot of other people more than the rec fisher, with revenue raised by the rec fisher. Cant see it producing 2.4 million worth of dhufish and sambos. But we can play this back and forth game for days, its done and in motion i cant stop it nor would i. something is being done and it will improve fishing so im happy with that result.
Hi my name is rob............. and I'm a........... fishaholic
Scotte
Posts: 1142
Date Joined: 07/12/06
crazy
What a waste of time and money! The ocean is full of reefs why try make another one.seems crazy!
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Crazy Hmmmm perhaps not
The artificial reefs are located with the idea of providing the tinnie fishermen with easy access to fish that they normally might find hard to locate, Skippy dhuies and other reef type fish including sambos.
crabking
Posts: 46
Date Joined: 11/03/10
Mandurah Artificial Reef
I think it will be great for those of us who don't have a 100+ litre fuel tank to get out and have a reasonable chance of a reasonable fish.......
quadfisher
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 28/09/10
Old Colin needs to be more creative!
Check this artifical reef , by a eco artist ( whatever that is) , most on here can relate to the dude watching
telly I would imagine.
http://memolition.com/2013/10/15/art-transformed-into-artificial-reefs-17-pictures/
quadfisher
little johnny
Posts: 5329
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Seen on news
Great idea. One next year out from garden island will be good.8 ks out. Puts it in very low 30s( sand).cant do any harm. Few years later be great for small craft to catch good fish.mandurah 1 unsure don't fish that way. Another question . Has any free divers done any good on the fad behind garden island. Drive past few times always stop and look. Only see small fish. Great fad. ???
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Placement is the critical bit
Reefs built on a desert are far more successful than simply building up an existing bit of reef. Provide a focal point where there was none. Further from any existing significant structure, the better. There may be "plenty "of reefs out there already, but a new reef in the middle of an existing desert is always successful, and you are actually increasing the biomass of fish rather than just relocating them from other areas.
I reckon one five miles west of Kalbarri would be brilliant
Hutch
Posts: 2221
Date Joined: 21/04/13
I don't see how an
I don't see how an artificial reef could increase fish stocks by much. Fish still spawn, eat and grow at the same rate but due to being more concentrated around a reef would get caught quicker, leading to a decrease in the population of relatively slow growing fish?
I still reckon they're a good thing for rec fishos and one just behind the 3 mile in the desert out from Hillarys would produce I reckon
Swompa
Posts: 3786
Date Joined: 14/10/12
There are only X number of
There are only X number of natural resources (lumps of rock with coral, offering protection for small fish, feeding bigger fish ext) around to sustain a fish population, with more homes there may be an initial quiet spell when fish spread out though you have to think that more homes will allow for a larger population?
hezzy
Posts: 1519
Date Joined: 27/11/09
some links for those who
some links for those who might be interested to have a read as well
these provide another perspective on why artificial reefs are used and the legalitys that must be met etc etc
hezzy
http://biophysics.sbg.ac.at/ar/reef.htm
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/conservation/pdfs/artificial_reef.pdf
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/zoning-permits-and-plans/legislation-regulations-and-policies/policies-and-position-statements/guidelines-for-the-management-of-artificial-reefs-in-the-marine-park
OFW 11
evil flourishes when good men do nothing
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Be nice is it was easier to
Be nice is it was easier to drop old boat hulls out there. NT went through a period where it was all for reefs being put down in a designated area. Cleaned up a few boats that were laying about.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
dodgy
Posts: 4563
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Tow them out. Punch a few
Tow them out. Punch a few holes in them.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Sulo
Posts: 256
Date Joined: 13/08/11
It seems that a lot of people
It seems that a lot of people are under the false impression that just because there is reef then it must be productive or hold fish.. Not all natural reef is productive, if it does not have the right features it can in fact be barron and devoid of life.
These purpose built structures take away the guess work and as the research has already shown in the reefs we already have within days there was baitfish and more life hanging around.
If dumping limestone worked, the groynes and rock walls would be far more productive than they are. There are also plenty of hulls I have dived on that are also sterile and lifeless environments, it takes a very long time for some hulls to start forming any sort of micro habitat. Especially fibreglass hulls!
Not making assumptions and using guess work and dumping any old crap in the sea would be a waste of money, using tried and proven designs that yield almost guaranteed results is value for money!
bleicester
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/09/14
I think Auslobster is onto
I think Auslobster is onto something.
9km out from Mandurah is already reef. I'm thinking 9km out from Dawesville Cut would make more sense as that would place it in a pretty barren area at 26m deep.
Error 404
Fish not found
jeddddy
Posts: 104
Date Joined: 12/07/13
From 5 Fathom till really
From 5 Fathom till really the continental shelf, there arent any generic fishing locations at all. Anywhere along the coastline behind five fathom would be better than on five fathom.
bleicester
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/09/14
Spot on Jeddddy!
Since 5 Fathom is actually only 2NM from Dawesville (as opposed to 5NM from Mandurah) the 9km distance they've decided on would stick it another 3NM behind 5 Fathom
Error 404
Fish not found
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Location location location
Could be your suggestion that it be put out from Dawesville is that it will be closer to where you live so you won't have to travel far to reach it.
I think more boats actually travel from Mandurah out to sea rather than launch and travel out through the cut, so they are catering for the bigger user demand.
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
He was just making a point
He was just making a point that they would pretty much be dumping an artificial reef right on top of a natural reef, whats the point in that. Out of Dawesville is a much better idea
bleicester
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/09/14
Yes - location of reef NOT location of boat owners
Carnarvonite - The fact that I am based in Dawesville is irrelevant. My point was that the significant amount of money invested needs to go where it would result in the highest yield of bio mass while still being accessible to small boat owners and not necessarily where is will be most convenient for local anglers.
The trials in Bunbury and Busselton (as well as South Korea where these modules have been in use for years) proved that the artificial reefs work best when placed where there is little existing structure. The reported 9km out from Mandurah, as commented by a few members on this page, will place the artificial reef very close to existing reef.
9km out from Dawesville however is an ideal location both in depth and lack of structure. To get the same conditions straight out from Mandurah, the modules would have to be about 14km out in order to get behind 5 fathom. I'd be equally happy with that location too!
If as you say it was a case of only catering to highest user demand, by that logic, it would make more sense to put the reef between Fremantle and Hillarys (Perth population 2 Million with approx. 3% boat owners = 60,000 boats vs Mandurah population with only 82,000 with approx 10% boat ownership = 8,200 boats).
Hopefully whereever it ends up being installed is a great success and we end up with a whole series of them up the coast. I just can't see it being a great success 9km out from Mandurah.
Error 404
Fish not found
Jackalchub
Posts: 594
Date Joined: 10/03/12
is it going out from
is it going out from dawesville or mandurah? proposed date?
bleicester
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/09/14
Who knows?
Not sure about those details Jackalchub but back in late 2013 it was planned for between Dawesville and Mandurah 5NM out. The expected install date back then was May 2014 so who knows when this will happen?
www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/1833274/hames-welcomes-artificial-reef/
I've been doing a bot of googling and it appears QLD have had great success with the "fish boxes" as well as other types of artifical reef systems.
www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/moreton-bay/zoning/trial_artificial_reef_program.html
Error 404
Fish not found