Making new reefs

[mhdbl]

This is just a query and would be interested to know what members thoughts are???

As all would know Aust has a large coast line. More and more people are getting into fishing now days and as a result ther are less and less fish around.

With all the used tyres that the land lubbers throw away would/could they be used as artificial reefs. If they were bolted together into groups and then taken out then placed in areas to form new fish breeding grounds and then used as fishing grounds.

There would be some problems no doubt with the greenies and sort.

Would the tyres cause any damage to the enviroment with the chemicals that they are made of.

I am sure this has been thought of before and maybe some talk has happened but I would be interested to other members thoughts and ideas


Mark

Mark

[seatime]

Mark

reckon the artificial reef idea would solve some of the overcrowding at more popular fishing areas.

been giving it some thought, it's not just the greenies, EPA, other state depts and local gov'ts, it's money. who will outlay the initial cash for such a project? might end up being another user pays.

the idea should be pursued, they sank a warship in the name of tourism, an artifical reef would have the same benefits to the community and local economy somewhere.

old car tyres, they shred them and put them in our kids playgrounds don't they? or is that something else?
probably wouldn't be able to sink them off the coast however, cause they might harm the sealife in some way.

[Tinlegs]

There are quite a few examples of tyres being used with varying success around the Australian coastline - just Google "Tyres artificial reefs" and see what comes out of it.

Tyres aren't actually too bad as a material, as they are a very inert and robust material (which is why they're great things to stick on the wheels of your car) and won't rot or decay and contaminate the environment in which they're placed.

The key seems to be anchoring them so they can't escape from the reef structure - lots of disaster stories from the US about loose tyres used for artificial reefs.

Good topic.

Mark

[gone_fishing]

artifical reefs are a great idea
can be used in many different ways and situations sinking the navy boat is only a plus for fishing touism therfore the local ecomomy
but the materials have to be carfullly selected not to pollute

tyres are porbably envormently friendly than steel though
yes they do use recylcled tyres in play grounds ands paths these days

[Blackened]

G'day

Isn't the curtain artificial made up of tyres, along with the old brisbane trams and old car bodies?

Dave

[gone_fishing]

no idea blackened but your probably right
im pretty sure the reefs they are going to put in lake macquaire are straped together tyres

[Blackened]

G'day

Here's a map of curtain

Dave

[Blackened]

Take 2........

[For Steve]

I think artificial reefs are a great idea. Surely there construction would help tourism and the charter and recreational fishing market, not the mention improving fish habitats.

Structure = fish.

[Owen]

I saw a thing on tele where they put mesh steel mesh in the water and ran an electrical current through it to encourage the coral to grow. Basically pushed evolution forward by decades.
If they could power it with solar panels then how good would that be?

I hear they're bringing the HMAS Gladstone back here to Gladstone to the maritime museum.
Sink the bastard I say
Hands up all Gladstonites that even know where the maritime museum is

Ok, theres probably some reason why we should keep it. Education or heritage or some such nonsense. Besides, they'd have to tow it too far away to find deep enough water. My little 4.55 might run out of juice.

cheers,

Owen

[lee8sec]

A National Approach to Waste Tyres

Commonwealth Department of Environment, 2001
6.4.2 Impacts of tyres used in marine environments

Tyres have been widely used in breakwaters, artificial reefs and riverbank erosion control. The assessment of the impacts of tyres in marine environments is divided.
On one hand, tyres are stable and resist degradation and leaching of the components.
On the other hand, tyres do leach both organic and inorganic substances. Abernethy17 reports that tyres in water are lethal to rainbow trout in certain circumstances. There are lingering concerns on the impacts artificial reefs have on local ecosystems. Though artificial reefs made from tyres are reported to be rapidly colonised by some marine organisms they are not equally colonised by fish. The stability of tyre artificial reefs has also been questioned with reports of reefs breaking up in bad weather. This is, however, more a matter of defective construction rather than related directly to environmental impacts of tyres.
Tests conducted in accordance with the standard US EPA Toxicity Characterisation Leaching Procedure (TCLP) found that contaminants from tyres were below the TCLP thresholds. However, it has been observed that the TCLP may not be sensitive to the chemicals found in tyres.

Cut & paste FROM BELOW LINK.
http://www.deh.gov.au/settlements/pu...ch/tyres6.html

Have been used in most states with varied success. Some argue that they dont increase fish numbers, they just spead out what fish are around the area. As long as it helps long term fish breeding and survival it should be looked into. Leigh

[Fish Guts]

try one of the new dominator reefs off Sth East Qld - and one down south too i think.. FULL OF DIRTY STINKING MULLET !

[lee8sec]

no idea blackened but your probably right
im pretty sure the reefs they are going to put in lake macquaire are straped together tyres

The newer ones are made up of "reef balls", the tyres sink into the mud bottom in the lake. Leigh

[lee8sec]

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/extra/pdf...gnfeatures.pdf

Qld DPI fish friendly structure design. Leigh

[mhdbl]

Thanks for your replys
I have read the links and also looked on the web and there is some interesting facts for and against using tryes as reefs.
As to who would pay for the studies and the making of the reefs that is a hard question to answer, however if the goverment was serious about recycling and the enviroment you would think they would put money to it, they are pumping lots of money into other countries who can't get their own sh*t together and the average tax payer doesn't complaint about that and allows it.
Anyway I had my bitch session I still think tyres would make a good reef if they were places around the Aust coast line.

Mark