More artificial reefs for NSW – the RFA way

More artificial reefs for NSW – the RFA way © Recreational Fishing Alliance of NSW

Sydney's Daily Telegraph (17 April) is reporting that the Minister Adam Marshall is calling for more artificial reefs in NSW paid for by the Fishing Licence Trust Fund, but the RFA says -

Should we fund them? Well, not all of them, and more money is needed to build an extensive network with connectivity between them. Recreational anglers through their licence fees have funded enough of these structures that benefit the fish and the community. On the other hand, the NSW Government allows the destruction of habitat, sanctioned dumping of pollution via stormwater and sewage outfalls and in fact collects revenue from the polluters. The Tweed Reef will be the 8th purpose-built offshore artificial reef deployed off the NSW coast. Reefs are already deployed include Sydney, Port Macquarie, the Shoalhaven, Port Hacking, Merimbula, Newcastle and Wollongong - all paid for through the fishing licence tax. We think it's time the NSW Government paid for the damage it is doing as well, to help the fish.

The biggest artificial reef is the Southern Sydney reef, and this was an offset or compensation for loss of fishing access in Botany Bay caused by the expansion of Port Botany. A handshake is all it took from the then-Minister Duncan Gay to get $2.5 million to build the biggest artificial reef, all funded by consolidated revenue, so it can happen. The RFA agrees that this is what the current Minister Adam Marshall should be doing - supporting the fish and enhancing habitat through the Trust Fund - but he should also be hitting up his fellow Ministers, especially the Environment Minister, to redirect EPA fines and revenue for sanctioned dumping in our oceans to enhance and support artificial reef projects in NSW and build more reefs close to shore for spearfishers, land-based fishers and for the freshwater anglers. If a group of determined fishers can get $2.5 m from the NSW Government to build the biggest artificial reef in Sydney's south, then Minister Marshall should be up to the task as well.

Are artificial reefs beneficial? The short answer is 'yes', and research undertaken on the NSW Trust-Funded artificial reefs has shown that the some of these structures, like the first reef installed off Sydney's South Head, are extremely good at providing effective habitat for fish. In fact, the Sydney reef was found to have about 370 kg of fish biomass within five metres of the reef. This is equivalent to offshore oil and gas platforms, which are acknowledged to be among the most productive of marine fish habitats - higher, in fact, than tropical and temperate natural reefs.

Whilst these offshore reefs are good for boaters, the Minister needs to consider land-based anglers in the fresh and the salt, and spearfishers, who all pay a licence fee and deserve equitable access to artificial reefs. We all pay a fishing tax, so why only offshore reefs? We would like to see artificial reefs in casting distance off the shore and jetties, in the barren freshwater lakes and spearfishing reefs in 10-15 metres of water.