A new artificial reef has been installed off the Ballina coast, says the NSW Labor government, which aims to ‘boost tourism and sustainable recreational fishing along coastal NSW’.
A second artificial reef is about to be deployed in Coffs Harbour, says the media statement.
‘Costing $1.35 million each, the reefs are delivered with funding from the Minns government’s Recreational Fishing Trust and the Marine Estate Management Strategy’.
‘The reefs imitate the environment of natural reefs and encourage a wide diversity of marine growth for fish to flourish in, which provides real ecological, tourism and recreational fishing benefits.
‘Fish typically start to colonise the structures in large numbers within about a year with the Ballina reef expected to attract key species including mackerel, snapper, mulloway and various baitfish.
‘The Ballina reef consists of two steel structures developed by naval architects, coastal engineers and biologists to create a high-quality marine habitat while resisting sliding and overturning forces during a one-in-100-year storm event.
‘Each structure has a footprint of 15.6m x 15.6m, a height of 12m and weighs 50 tonne. They have been placed approximately 100 metres apart in around 32 metres of water.
‘The Coffs Harbour reef will have a similar design.
‘The two new reefs join 11 others already installed along the NSW coast including at Forster and Terrigal deployed in late 2023’, says the media statement.
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